ISRAEL-OPT: Gaza's main hospital struggling to cope
GAZA CITY, 30 December 2008 (IRIN) - Gaza's main hospital, Al-Shifa, is struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the Israeli air strikes which started on 27 December, according to medical sources.
Staff and patients are also fearful Israel might target it, as the leaders of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the enclave, have held press conferences there.
The hospital has already moved some medical facilities below ground.
The head of the international cooperation department of Gaza's health ministry, Medhat Abbas, told IRIN: "Al-Shifa has never received hundreds of patients all at once. Hospital staff are using sheets to staunch bleeding, and many patients have died because of the lack of supplies and equipment."
A statement issued by the Israeli branch of Physicians For Human Rights, an NGO, on 30 December said: "The Israeli attack finds the current health system in the Gaza Strip in a state of total collapse due to the harsh siege imposed on the Gaza Strip for a year and a half, and the closure preceding it."
Abbas reported a shortage of staff, including nurses and surgeons, at Al-Shifa, which is in desperate need of antibiotics, tubes, urine bags, dressings and gloves for emergency operations. The hospital was already facing shortages of medicines and medical supplies due to the Israeli blockade.
Generators at Al-Shifa, designed to operate two or three hours daily, are operating 12-16 hours a day due to the rolling blackouts, said Abbas. He feared they could overheat and malfunction.
Medical aid via Egypt
Egypt briefly opened the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday [28 December] to allow nine trucks of medical aid from the Egyptian Red Crescent and Health Ministry to enter Gaza. It also opened the border on 29 December to allow in truckloads of Qatari aid. Such aid, though helpful, cannot fill the gap, according to medical sources.
"The Rafah border must be opened," said Abbas. "Israel is trying to destroy us."
"Our capabilities are limited. Since August we have not received basic medications. The ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross]. has been unable to deliver a shipment [of medicines] for one month," said health ministry spokesperson Hamam Nasman. "One hundred and five drugs and 230 basic supplies, such as alcohol, cotton and needles. are out of stock."
Bodies piling up
Over 1,330 people had been injured, and 180 were in a critical condition, according to the health ministry.
Although the hospital's morgue was said by hospital officials to be adequate, bodies were piling up outside the hospital as additional make-shift intensive care units were created to treat the flow of emergency cases, said an IRIN journalist at the scene.
There are usually six functional operating rooms at Al-Shifa hospital. "Six additional operating rooms were opened and we began sending victims to other lesser endowed hospitals for treatment after all the beds were full," hospital director Hussein Ashur told IRIN. He said there was a shortage of blood for transfusions.
Fatimah Salem, 53, lies in a coma in Al-Shifa hospital, torn apart by debris while at work for a local charity near the targeted prison in Gaza City. "My mother was not firing rockets at Israel," said her son, Majed.
tisdag 30 december 2008
måndag 22 december 2008
Israel violated the truce
Gazans: Israel violated the truce
By Mohammed Ali, a humanitarian aid worker in co-operation with Oxfam
Many Palestinian families in Gaza have had to rely on UN humanitarian assistance [GALLO/GETTY] In June, Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to a ceasefire following weeks of intense fighting in Gaza.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas and its affiliates would refrain from firing home-made rockets into Israel and the latter would halt incursions and attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian-brokered agreement also called for an easing of Israel's restrictions on the borders, thereby allowing goods into the besieged territory.
However, the fragile truce between Israel and Gaza was breached by an Israeli raid and Palestinian rocket fire on November 4.
Since then Israel has accused Gazan fighters of launching dozens of home-made rocket attacks at Israeli towns and the Hamas leadership has countered by saying Israeli air raids and military action have killed several Palestinians.
The Israeli blockade on Gaza has sparked much international criticism as precipitating a looming humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
Al Jazeera spoke to residents of the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza about the truce, its effects, and whether it should be renewed.
see more on http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/12/20081218102459596978.html
By Mohammed Ali, a humanitarian aid worker in co-operation with Oxfam
Many Palestinian families in Gaza have had to rely on UN humanitarian assistance [GALLO/GETTY] In June, Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to a ceasefire following weeks of intense fighting in Gaza.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas and its affiliates would refrain from firing home-made rockets into Israel and the latter would halt incursions and attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian-brokered agreement also called for an easing of Israel's restrictions on the borders, thereby allowing goods into the besieged territory.
However, the fragile truce between Israel and Gaza was breached by an Israeli raid and Palestinian rocket fire on November 4.
Since then Israel has accused Gazan fighters of launching dozens of home-made rocket attacks at Israeli towns and the Hamas leadership has countered by saying Israeli air raids and military action have killed several Palestinians.
The Israeli blockade on Gaza has sparked much international criticism as precipitating a looming humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
Al Jazeera spoke to residents of the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza about the truce, its effects, and whether it should be renewed.
see more on http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/12/20081218102459596978.html
onsdag 10 december 2008
Villagers bombed in August still living with relatives
AFGHANISTAN: Villagers bombed in August still living with relatives
HERAT, 9 December 2008 (IRIN) - Mullah Gol Ahmad lost several members of his extended family when US forces dropped bombs on Azizabad village, Shindand District, Herat Province on 22 August. His house was destroyed and he and four members of his family have lived with relatives ever since.
He said he needed to rebuild his home but had no money to do so: "We cannot live with relatives for ever. We have to rebuild our own house and move there."
Akhtar Mohammad, whose house was also damaged in the incident, voiced similar concerns. "For several months we have been accommodated by our relatives and now they expect us to leave, but we have nowhere to go".
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Afghan government said some 90 civilians - 60 children, 15 women and 15 men - were killed when the bombs hit Azizabad http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/LSGZ-7HVGG2?OpenDocument]. Up to 35 houses were either destroyed or damaged and dozens of families were displaced. About 900 people were affected, UNAMA said.
US forces have repudiated these figures, saying about 30 civilians died as a result of the bombing, the New York Times reported on 7 October [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/washington/08inquiry.html].
Inadequate aid?
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Azizabad on 4 September and gave assurances that people would be given shelter as well as access to basic services such as water, education and health; he also promised financial aid.
The government has paid US$2,000 to the family of each killed civilian and $1,000 to every wounded civilian, Sadiq Modaber, head of the Secretariat of the Ministers' Council, told IRIN on 7 December, adding: "Thirty-nine members of the martyrs' families have been sent [to Saudi Arabia] for Haj [pilgrimage]."
UNAMA said UN agencies delivered "life-saving assistance" to hundreds of affected people in late August, but local people said the one-time financial and food aid package was too little to enable them re-establish a normal life.
"Our biggest problem is lack of shelter. The money the government paid us barely covered our immediate needs," said Haji Golalai, a local resident, adding that he had no money to repair his damaged house.
Some said they had used the government money for "mourning rituals" and had nothing left to repair their damaged properties or pay for other needs. Others sounded a note of despair: "Money cannot return to us what we have lost," one elderly man told IRIN.
As the conflict intensifies, civilians are increasingly in the firing line. Over 1,400 non-combatants were killed January-August 2008, according to UNAMA [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-7JJM7B?OpenDocument].
Tens of thousands have also been displaced due to the conflict, and humanitarian access to almost half the country has been impeded due to the growing number of attacks on aid workers, aid agencies say.
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HERAT, 9 December 2008 (IRIN) - Mullah Gol Ahmad lost several members of his extended family when US forces dropped bombs on Azizabad village, Shindand District, Herat Province on 22 August. His house was destroyed and he and four members of his family have lived with relatives ever since.
He said he needed to rebuild his home but had no money to do so: "We cannot live with relatives for ever. We have to rebuild our own house and move there."
Akhtar Mohammad, whose house was also damaged in the incident, voiced similar concerns. "For several months we have been accommodated by our relatives and now they expect us to leave, but we have nowhere to go".
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Afghan government said some 90 civilians - 60 children, 15 women and 15 men - were killed when the bombs hit Azizabad http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/LSGZ-7HVGG2?OpenDocument]. Up to 35 houses were either destroyed or damaged and dozens of families were displaced. About 900 people were affected, UNAMA said.
US forces have repudiated these figures, saying about 30 civilians died as a result of the bombing, the New York Times reported on 7 October [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/washington/08inquiry.html].
Inadequate aid?
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Azizabad on 4 September and gave assurances that people would be given shelter as well as access to basic services such as water, education and health; he also promised financial aid.
The government has paid US$2,000 to the family of each killed civilian and $1,000 to every wounded civilian, Sadiq Modaber, head of the Secretariat of the Ministers' Council, told IRIN on 7 December, adding: "Thirty-nine members of the martyrs' families have been sent [to Saudi Arabia] for Haj [pilgrimage]."
UNAMA said UN agencies delivered "life-saving assistance" to hundreds of affected people in late August, but local people said the one-time financial and food aid package was too little to enable them re-establish a normal life.
"Our biggest problem is lack of shelter. The money the government paid us barely covered our immediate needs," said Haji Golalai, a local resident, adding that he had no money to repair his damaged house.
Some said they had used the government money for "mourning rituals" and had nothing left to repair their damaged properties or pay for other needs. Others sounded a note of despair: "Money cannot return to us what we have lost," one elderly man told IRIN.
As the conflict intensifies, civilians are increasingly in the firing line. Over 1,400 non-combatants were killed January-August 2008, according to UNAMA [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-7JJM7B?OpenDocument].
Tens of thousands have also been displaced due to the conflict, and humanitarian access to almost half the country has been impeded due to the growing number of attacks on aid workers, aid agencies say.
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onsdag 3 december 2008
US Warned India of Mumbai Attack
US Warned India of Mumbai Attack
US intelligence twice alerted India of a maritime attack on Mumbai, including Taj Mahl hotel. (Reuters)WASHINGTON — A month prior to the devastating attacks, the US warned its strategic Asian ally of possible maritime terrorist attacks against its financial capital and even named the iconic Taj Mahl hotel as a top target.
"US intelligence indicated that a group might enter the country by water and launch an attack on Mumbai," a US counterterrorism official told CNN, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Another intelligence official told ABCNews that US intelligence agencies warned their Indian counterparts in mid-October of a potential attack "from the sea against hotels and business centers in Mumbai."
Mumbai Attacks & Aftermath (Special)
A second government source said specific locations, including the Taj hotel, were listed in the US warning.
At least 188 people, including 22 foreigners, were killed and nearly 300 injured in attacks on ten Mumbai targets, including its luxurious Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels.
It too Indian commandoes 60 hours to bring the situation under control and overcame militants who had taken scores of people, mostly westerners, hostage.
The three-day long siege left a trail of destruction in the 565-room Taj Mahal Palace, a 105-year-old Victorian building that is a Mumbai's flagship.
Indian officials have confirmed to CNN that US officials, twice, warned them of a water-borne attack.
The warnings were followed by tightened security measures at hotels, before they were later reduced.
Ratan Tata, the chairman of the company that owns the Taj Mahal hotel, has admitted that they were warned of a possible attack.
"It's ironic that we did have such a warning and we did have some measures," he told CNN on Sunday.
"But if I look at what we had -- which all of us complained about -- it could not have stopped what took place."
Failure
There is widespread public anger over intelligence and security failings that led to the attacks.
The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s external intelligence agency, reportedly provided several intercepts from signals intelligence over the last three months suggesting an attack on a Mumbai hotel was imminent.
"This should have been enough to let police know that: 1) Hotels were the target. 2) The attackers would use the sea route," the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday.
"…these intercepts were clear, detailed and specific. So, are the police lying? Was this information not passed on? Or was it just incorrectly processed?" it asked.
"So far, there are no answers."
Vilasrao Deshmukh, the chief minister of Maharashtra state, offered to resign Monday, December 1, after his deputy stepped down over the devastating attacks.
Deshmukh was widely criticized on Sunday when he visited the wreckage of the Taj Mahal hotel.
Interior Minister Shivraj Patil resigned on Sunday and has been replaced, while the country's powerful national security adviser offered to quit but will likely stay.
The head of the country's Coast Guard also "retired" on Sunday.
IOL & News Agencies
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US intelligence twice alerted India of a maritime attack on Mumbai, including Taj Mahl hotel. (Reuters)WASHINGTON — A month prior to the devastating attacks, the US warned its strategic Asian ally of possible maritime terrorist attacks against its financial capital and even named the iconic Taj Mahl hotel as a top target.
"US intelligence indicated that a group might enter the country by water and launch an attack on Mumbai," a US counterterrorism official told CNN, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Another intelligence official told ABCNews that US intelligence agencies warned their Indian counterparts in mid-October of a potential attack "from the sea against hotels and business centers in Mumbai."
Mumbai Attacks & Aftermath (Special)
A second government source said specific locations, including the Taj hotel, were listed in the US warning.
At least 188 people, including 22 foreigners, were killed and nearly 300 injured in attacks on ten Mumbai targets, including its luxurious Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels.
It too Indian commandoes 60 hours to bring the situation under control and overcame militants who had taken scores of people, mostly westerners, hostage.
The three-day long siege left a trail of destruction in the 565-room Taj Mahal Palace, a 105-year-old Victorian building that is a Mumbai's flagship.
Indian officials have confirmed to CNN that US officials, twice, warned them of a water-borne attack.
The warnings were followed by tightened security measures at hotels, before they were later reduced.
Ratan Tata, the chairman of the company that owns the Taj Mahal hotel, has admitted that they were warned of a possible attack.
"It's ironic that we did have such a warning and we did have some measures," he told CNN on Sunday.
"But if I look at what we had -- which all of us complained about -- it could not have stopped what took place."
Failure
There is widespread public anger over intelligence and security failings that led to the attacks.
The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s external intelligence agency, reportedly provided several intercepts from signals intelligence over the last three months suggesting an attack on a Mumbai hotel was imminent.
"This should have been enough to let police know that: 1) Hotels were the target. 2) The attackers would use the sea route," the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday.
"…these intercepts were clear, detailed and specific. So, are the police lying? Was this information not passed on? Or was it just incorrectly processed?" it asked.
"So far, there are no answers."
Vilasrao Deshmukh, the chief minister of Maharashtra state, offered to resign Monday, December 1, after his deputy stepped down over the devastating attacks.
Deshmukh was widely criticized on Sunday when he visited the wreckage of the Taj Mahal hotel.
Interior Minister Shivraj Patil resigned on Sunday and has been replaced, while the country's powerful national security adviser offered to quit but will likely stay.
The head of the country's Coast Guard also "retired" on Sunday.
IOL & News Agencies
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tisdag 2 december 2008
ISRAEL-OPT: Power cuts, fuel shortages affect health and water supplies
ISRAEL-OPT: Power cuts, fuel shortages affect health and water supplies
WEST BANK/GAZA, 2 December 2008 (IRIN) - Adel Abu Sido, 31, a taxi driver from Gaza City, stands over his two-week old premature baby, Hadil, dreading her air supply may abruptly stop.
Hadil's incubator is not reliably providing enough oxygen due to the inconsistent power supply at Al-Shiffa Hospital, the main healthcare centre in the Gaza Strip.
The fuel for hospital generators has nearly run out and a shortage of basic medical supplies has left Al-Shiffa with only 20 percent of the oxygen supply it needs, forcing medical professionals in Gaza to make hard choices, said Gaza health ministry spokesperson Hamam Nasman.
"Fifty percent of hospital equipment at Al-Shiffa has stopped functioning due to the lack of electricity and spare parts since this more than 20-day blockade started," said Gaza health minister Basem Naim, adding that 95 basic medications are out of stock.
Asthma patients waiting for inhalers are being turned away, as hospital pharmacists scavenge local pharmacies.
"Al-Shiffa Hospital is using its secondary generator nearly 20 hours a day to power the hospital, since there is not enough fuel in stock to operate the primary generator," said spokesperson Nasman. Under normal circumstances the secondary generator has the capacity to power the hospital only three hours a day.
Israeli Defence Ministry spokesperson Shlomo Dror said: "The fuel supply to Gaza was only interrupted for three days to send a political signal to Hamas that the lull is not going to continue while they encourage shooting at civilians." Israel is interested in continuing the ceasefire, he said.
Washing machines - used to sterilize sheets and uniforms - have stopped due to the lack of fuel at the hospital.
Rolling blackouts
Rolling blackouts are now common across Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, the largest population centre. Hundreds of thousands are left without electricity during winter, which means no water for many residents who live in high-rise buildings dependent on electric water pumps.
Israel sealed all commercial and passenger border crossings to Gaza on 4 November, when an Israeli military incursion into Gaza prompted Palestinian militants to resume daily rocket-fire into Israeli towns. Before the Israeli ground operation to locate a tunnel, a five-month Egyptian- brokered ceasefire had been largely holding.
Israel has restricted imports into Gaza, including food, fuel, medical supplies and other basic necessities despite the truce, which calls on militants to halt rocket attacks in return for Israel easing its embargo on the territory.
"This time throughout this whole truce since June none of us have been able to bring in anything extra that would create a reserve so we had nothing to call upon," said Karen Abu Zayd, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Gaza is running on less than half the electricity it requires for normal consumption, a result of the blockade on fuel and mechanical parts. [http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_protection_of_civilians_weekly_2008_11_18_english.pdf]
Impact on water, sewage
The lack of fuel and electricity has caused water and sewage systems in Gaza to collapse.
The Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU) in Gaza has said that due to the power outages and the lack of fuel, 20 percent of wells are not functional and 60 percent are only partially functional. Furthermore, malfunctioning sewage systems have raised concerns about possible flooding and leakage during the forthcoming rainy season.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called for an immediate end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip on 18 November, which she said breached international and humanitarian law. [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28983&Cr=palestin&Cr1]
es/ar/cb/bp[END]
IRIN
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WEST BANK/GAZA, 2 December 2008 (IRIN) - Adel Abu Sido, 31, a taxi driver from Gaza City, stands over his two-week old premature baby, Hadil, dreading her air supply may abruptly stop.
Hadil's incubator is not reliably providing enough oxygen due to the inconsistent power supply at Al-Shiffa Hospital, the main healthcare centre in the Gaza Strip.
The fuel for hospital generators has nearly run out and a shortage of basic medical supplies has left Al-Shiffa with only 20 percent of the oxygen supply it needs, forcing medical professionals in Gaza to make hard choices, said Gaza health ministry spokesperson Hamam Nasman.
"Fifty percent of hospital equipment at Al-Shiffa has stopped functioning due to the lack of electricity and spare parts since this more than 20-day blockade started," said Gaza health minister Basem Naim, adding that 95 basic medications are out of stock.
Asthma patients waiting for inhalers are being turned away, as hospital pharmacists scavenge local pharmacies.
"Al-Shiffa Hospital is using its secondary generator nearly 20 hours a day to power the hospital, since there is not enough fuel in stock to operate the primary generator," said spokesperson Nasman. Under normal circumstances the secondary generator has the capacity to power the hospital only three hours a day.
Israeli Defence Ministry spokesperson Shlomo Dror said: "The fuel supply to Gaza was only interrupted for three days to send a political signal to Hamas that the lull is not going to continue while they encourage shooting at civilians." Israel is interested in continuing the ceasefire, he said.
Washing machines - used to sterilize sheets and uniforms - have stopped due to the lack of fuel at the hospital.
Rolling blackouts
Rolling blackouts are now common across Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, the largest population centre. Hundreds of thousands are left without electricity during winter, which means no water for many residents who live in high-rise buildings dependent on electric water pumps.
Israel sealed all commercial and passenger border crossings to Gaza on 4 November, when an Israeli military incursion into Gaza prompted Palestinian militants to resume daily rocket-fire into Israeli towns. Before the Israeli ground operation to locate a tunnel, a five-month Egyptian- brokered ceasefire had been largely holding.
Israel has restricted imports into Gaza, including food, fuel, medical supplies and other basic necessities despite the truce, which calls on militants to halt rocket attacks in return for Israel easing its embargo on the territory.
"This time throughout this whole truce since June none of us have been able to bring in anything extra that would create a reserve so we had nothing to call upon," said Karen Abu Zayd, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Gaza is running on less than half the electricity it requires for normal consumption, a result of the blockade on fuel and mechanical parts. [http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_protection_of_civilians_weekly_2008_11_18_english.pdf]
Impact on water, sewage
The lack of fuel and electricity has caused water and sewage systems in Gaza to collapse.
The Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU) in Gaza has said that due to the power outages and the lack of fuel, 20 percent of wells are not functional and 60 percent are only partially functional. Furthermore, malfunctioning sewage systems have raised concerns about possible flooding and leakage during the forthcoming rainy season.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called for an immediate end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip on 18 November, which she said breached international and humanitarian law. [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28983&Cr=palestin&Cr1]
es/ar/cb/bp[END]
IRIN
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Markets dive on US 'recession'
Markets dive on US 'recession'
Wall Street's plunge of nearly eight per cent wiped out more than half of last week's gains [Reuters]
Asian markets have fallen sharply following heavy losses on Wall Street in the wake of grim economic reports, including one that said the US was already in recession.
Stocks in Japan and Hong Kong plunged more than five per cent before regaining some ground on Tuesday, a day after Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, said the US economy was still under considerable strain.
Markets elsewhere in Asia also tumbled following the plunge on Wall Street overnight.
But the Shanghai Composite was in positive territory amid expectations of more stimulus measures from the government.
"Investors here have hopes for more official steps to aid the economy, though the index is still likely to test the 1,700-point level within days," Zhou Lin, an analyst at Huatai Securities, said.
In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average lost nearly 700 points or eight per cent on Monday, wiping out more than half of last week's big gains amid a litany of bad economic indicators confirming that the US economy was in recession.
The US National Bureau of Economic Research, a private non-profit group of economic analysts, concluded that the country's 73-month economic expansion had come to an end in December 2007.
The bureau did not forecast the duration of the recession.
"There is significant weakness in resources. The fact that [the] US has called a recession ... highlights the concerns for global economy," Savanth Sebastian, an equities economist with Commsec, said. The White House acknowledged the report but did not refer to the current economic crisis as a recession. In Australia, the central bank slashed interest rates on Tuesday by one percentage point in another attempt to stave off a recession.
The reduction was the fourth in a row by the Reserve Bank of Australia and took the cash rate to 4.25 per cent. Analysts had expected a 0.75 percentage point cut on Tuesday.
Source: Agencies
Wall Street's plunge of nearly eight per cent wiped out more than half of last week's gains [Reuters]
Asian markets have fallen sharply following heavy losses on Wall Street in the wake of grim economic reports, including one that said the US was already in recession.
Stocks in Japan and Hong Kong plunged more than five per cent before regaining some ground on Tuesday, a day after Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, said the US economy was still under considerable strain.
Markets elsewhere in Asia also tumbled following the plunge on Wall Street overnight.
But the Shanghai Composite was in positive territory amid expectations of more stimulus measures from the government.
"Investors here have hopes for more official steps to aid the economy, though the index is still likely to test the 1,700-point level within days," Zhou Lin, an analyst at Huatai Securities, said.
In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average lost nearly 700 points or eight per cent on Monday, wiping out more than half of last week's big gains amid a litany of bad economic indicators confirming that the US economy was in recession.
The US National Bureau of Economic Research, a private non-profit group of economic analysts, concluded that the country's 73-month economic expansion had come to an end in December 2007.
The bureau did not forecast the duration of the recession.
"There is significant weakness in resources. The fact that [the] US has called a recession ... highlights the concerns for global economy," Savanth Sebastian, an equities economist with Commsec, said. The White House acknowledged the report but did not refer to the current economic crisis as a recession. In Australia, the central bank slashed interest rates on Tuesday by one percentage point in another attempt to stave off a recession.
The reduction was the fourth in a row by the Reserve Bank of Australia and took the cash rate to 4.25 per cent. Analysts had expected a 0.75 percentage point cut on Tuesday.
Source: Agencies
måndag 1 december 2008
Statement by European Commissioner Michel on humanitarian situation in Gaza and West Bank
Statement by Commissioner Michel on humanitarian situation in Gaza and West Bank
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, today expressed his increasing concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Commissioner Michel stated, "I am extremely concerned by the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the continued closure of the Gaza crossings. Since 4th November, only one crossing (Kerem Shalom) has been open for four days only (17, 24, 26 and 27 November), with limited quantities of humanitarian food supplies allowed through. I have repeatedly condemned rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians and I reiterate this condemnation today. However, the continued closure of Gaza crossings is a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, which is a violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL)." The European Commission highlights the need for an end to all impediments to the freedom of movement of civilians and humanitarian workers as well as actions that can lead to increased numbers of internally displaced people. Commissioner Michel added, "In both Gaza and the West Bank, my main concern is that humanitarian aid gets to the civilian populations in need of it most. That's why the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian organisations must be respected allowing their representatives immediate, free and secure access to vulnerable Palestinian populations in both Gaza and the West Bank." Background:
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European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, today expressed his increasing concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Commissioner Michel stated, "I am extremely concerned by the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the continued closure of the Gaza crossings. Since 4th November, only one crossing (Kerem Shalom) has been open for four days only (17, 24, 26 and 27 November), with limited quantities of humanitarian food supplies allowed through. I have repeatedly condemned rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians and I reiterate this condemnation today. However, the continued closure of Gaza crossings is a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, which is a violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL)." The European Commission highlights the need for an end to all impediments to the freedom of movement of civilians and humanitarian workers as well as actions that can lead to increased numbers of internally displaced people. Commissioner Michel added, "In both Gaza and the West Bank, my main concern is that humanitarian aid gets to the civilian populations in need of it most. That's why the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian organisations must be respected allowing their representatives immediate, free and secure access to vulnerable Palestinian populations in both Gaza and the West Bank." Background:
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