U.S. President reportedly feels recent threats by Israeli spokesmen are unnecessary warmongering, voices objection to attack on Iran any time soon.

Peres to tell Obama: U.S., West should lead battle against Iran nuclear program
By Yossi Verter – Haaretz – 23 February, 2012

President Shimon Peres is expected to tell U.S. President Barack Obama early next month that he does not believe Israel should attack Iran in the near future.

Political and diplomatic officials who are familiar with Peres’ positions and are helping prepare for the Obama meeting said yesterday Peres has been apprised of all sensitive information involving Iran.
Peres Dempsey – Reuters – 2.2012

According to these officials, Peres is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position on Iran, while Defense Minister Ehud Barak is perceived, at least by the Americans, as pushing for an attack.

Peres told officials that there is no point in what he called the “unceasing self-intimidation” being voiced by senior Israeli spokesmen. This is what he intends to tell Obama.

Peres has told officials that the recent threats by Israel are unnecessary warmongering and that Israel should leave the Iran issue to the superpowers, first and foremost the United States.

Peres leaves for the United States on Tuesday, and the following Sunday he is to meet with Obama in Washington on the sidelines of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference.

Peres’ meeting with the U.S. president will take place a day before Netanyahu meets with Obama. Netanyahu will arrive in Washington after a visit to Canada.

The meeting between Peres and Obama will deal mainly with Iran, but also with the stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

When Obama meets with Netanyahu, he will already know what Peres thinks – information he will use in his meeting with Netanyahu.

Peres is expected to tell Obama that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is still the best Palestinian partner with whom to reach a peace agreement.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in an interview yesterday that Israel will not bow to U.S. and Russian pressure in deciding whether to attack Iran.

Speaking on Channel 2, Lieberman rebuffed suggestions that warnings against striking Iran would affect Israeli decision making, saying the decision “is not their business.” …source

Features of sickle-cell disease in Bahrain
Volume 1, Issue 1, 1995, Page 112-119
Sheikha Salim Al Arrayed1 and Neva Haites

Genetic disorders of haemoglobin are prevalent in Bahrain. In a study of the hospital population covering 56 198 Bahrainis, we found that 2% of newborns have sickle-cell disease (SCD) and 18% have sickle-cell trait, while 24% are carriers of the (-thalassaemia gene. In a study of the presentation of SCD among Bahrainis it was found that the mild form of the disease predominates, but a wide clinical variability is apparent. It was also found that their haematological values are similar to those of patients from Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, where the mild form of the disease predominates.

Introduction

The state of Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands, with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and Qatar to the east. The 1991 population was 500 000, one third non-Bahraini. Falciparum malaria was endemic in Bahrain until 1970 and so the malaria-associated genetic defects of red cells (sickle-cell disease [SCD], thalassaemia and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency) were found to be common [1].

In 1990 it was found that hereditary anaemias were the third most frequent diagnosis at the Salmaniya Medical Centre, which is the main hospital in the country [1].

Sickle-cell disease (SCD) drains a country’s health resources and dramatically affects family and personal life. Accordingly we decided to study sickle-cell disease among Bahrainis.

The aims of these studies were to:

1. ascertain the incidence of genetic disorders of haemoglobin in the hospital population in Bahrain

2. ascertain the natural history of sickle-cell disease among Bahrainis

3. investigate the haematological characteristics of the Bahraini SCD patient

4. identify the haplotype associated with SCD mutation among Bahrainis.

We present here a summary of four studies performed on sickle-cell disease among our population.

1. Prevalence of genetic disorders of haemoglobins in the hospital population of Bahrain

Blood samples of 56 198 Bahraini nationals were analysed over a six-year period (1982-

1987). Of the total, 5 503 were neonatal samples (see Table 1) and the rest non-neonatal. Abnormal haemoglobin was detected in 44.35% of neonatal samples (24.2% were a-thalassaemia cases, 18.1% showed sickle-cell trait [SCT] and 2.1% had SCD). Hb Barts was the most common abnormal haemoglobin seen.

In the non-neonatal cases, the overall frequency of SCD was found to be 10.44%, and the frequency of those with SCD and Hb F present was 8.75%, which means that nearly 84 % of the SCD patients had Hb F present. Table 2 shows the distribution of quantitation of fetal haemoglobin (Hb F) in SCD patients with Hb S/F. Hb F varied between 2% and 40%. The majority of cases (about 76%) had Hb F in the range between 4.1% and 20%. The favourable protective role played by Hb F in sickle-cell disease is well-recognized by several workers [2-8], with the severity of the disease being inversely proportional to the quantity of Hb F.

The high incidence among the non-neonatal cases is due to the fact that a good number of cases were referred for Hb electrophoresis from outpatient clinics and hospital wards, and from health centres after getting positive results from a sickling test. …more

Bahrain’s internal coup, Iain Lindsay out of his depth
Dr Mike Diboll – 23 February, 2012

Two items from today’s English language propaganda sheet the Gulf Daily News. The first is today’s front page story, about spending cuts in Bahrain:

Gulf Daily Article

Unelected Khalifa Al Khalifa, at 41 years in office the world’s longest-serving prime minister, apparently “issued directives to downsize official delegations for events which do not require high-level participation”. The high-level meeting also “discussed Bahrain’s financial policies and the current fiscal situation” and “stressed the necessary to engage radical structural reforms….”

Not perhaps the most riveting story. However, I’m wondering exactly what public spending the PM might have his eye on. I suspect this spells the beginning of the end for the EDB, 2030, and the range of structures parallel to the official Bahrain state which the Crown Prince tried to erect to see through his reform agenda. Of course, nothing will can be seen to have failed or been wound down, I’m sure the 2030 institutions will continue to live on in the shadowland of websites, logos, and PR. But this is, I suspect, their death-knell as effective institutions. Ditto Gulf Air, which is disliked for sectarian reasons.

Thus, the hardliners’ internal coup against reform continues, a coup the beginning of which I witnessed during 2010. Who’s there too stop it? Certainly not Our Man in Manama Iain Lindsay, who seems to have confused his role as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Bahrain with that of regime PR man. Lindsay’s eyes aren’t on the internal coup that’s currently doing so much harm to Bahrain, but on the regime’s fantasy coup, you know, Bahrain-is-not-part-of-the-Arab-Spring-it’s-all-an-Iranian-backed-coup-against-a-pro-Western-ally. Yawn…: …more

Full speed ahead for Bahrain GP, says Ecclestone
23 February 2012 – Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – Formula One teams and sponsors have no concerns about racing in Bahrain this year and the grand prix is definitely on despite continuing unrest, the sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Thursday.

“Nobody is saying we’re not going or we don’t want to go or anything. Everybody is quite positive,” the 81-year-old told reporters after a news conference to announce a technology partnership with India’s Tata Communications.

“I’ve told all the teams it’s no problem at all, I’m absolutely 100 percent sure we’ll go there and there will be no problem.

“Pity I’m not going to be there myself but don’t worry,” he joked, adding after a pause: “No, I shall be there, don’t worry.”

Tickets for the April 22 race at the Sakhir circuit went on sale at the start of the week. Last year’s grand prix was postponed and then cancelled after a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Teams have said they are happy to leave any decision to Ecclestone and the Paris-based International Automobile Federation (FIA).

Egyptian-American human rights lawyer Cherif Bassiouni, who headed an independent commission of inquiry that last year found security forces had used excessive force to suppress protests and tortured detainees to extract confessions, has also endorsed the race going ahead. …more

Saudi regime forces arrest protesters in Awamiyah
23 February, 2012 – By shiapost

Saudi police have arrested a number of demonstrators after anti-regime protesters took to the streets in Eastern Province, despite threats of crackdown on pro-reform protests in the kingdom.

Demonstrations were held on Thursday in several towns and villages in the oil-rich region, including the towns of Qatif and Awamiyah.

The protesters demanded that their rights be upheld, and also called for the prosecution of those who opened fire on demonstrators a week ago.

They also expressed solidarity with the revolution in neighboring Bahrain.

Saudi regime forces attacked the protests and arrested several protesters in Awamiyah.

The Thursday demonstrations are the latest in a wave of anti-government rallies in Eastern Province.

Saudi officials in Riyadh have recently threatened to crack down on any dissidents in the region. Activists have, however, vowed to continue their movement.

Security forces have killed several anti-regime protesters since last November. …more

Call It Democracy
November 1985 – Bruce Cockburn

Padded with power here they come
International loan sharks backed by the guns
Of market hungry military profiteers
Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared
With the blood of the poor

Who rob life of its quality
Who render rage a necessity
By turning countries into labour camps
Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom

Sinister cynical instrument
Who makes the gun into a sacrament —
The only response to the deification
Of tyranny by so-called “developed” nations’
Idolatry of ideology

North South East West
Kill the best and buy the rest
It’s just spend a buck to make a buck
You don’t really give a flying fuck
About the people in misery

See the paid-off local bottom feeders
Passing themselves off as leaders
Kiss the ladies shake hands with the fellows
Open for business like a cheap bordello
And they call it democracy

See the loaded eyes of the children too
Trying to make the best of it the way kids do
One day you’re going to rise from your habitual feast
To find yourself staring down the throat of the beast
They call the revolution

IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there’s one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt.

There is a “dangerous possibility” of civil war in Bahrain unless the government starts opening a dialogue to democracy and discussing the serious qualms of the people, an analyst tells us.

Bahrain uprising may lead to civil war
ABNA – 22 February, 2012

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – The comments come a few days after the first anniversary of popular protests in Bahrain that have been repressed by the Saudi-backed regime forces.

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds more arrested or fired from their jobs since the beginning of Bahrain’s popular uprising in February 2011.

We have conducted an interview with Dominic Kavakeb, coordinator for Bahrain Justice and Development movement from London to discuss the situation.

The video also offers the opinions of two other guests, Beirut-based political analysts Sara Marusek and Jihad Mouracadeh. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview:

Q: I want to ask you about the importance of your campaign, what you are doing of course in the case of the Bahraini people, the fact that international organizations, human rights organizations have said that the regime, the Bahraini Kingdom has not lived up to its promises.

What can you tell us about that and how come you don’t see more efforts to pressure the Bahraini Kingdom as we see for example in the case of Syria?

Kavakeb: Well, in terms of the work we do here in London, we try very hard to convince politicians- to work with the different politicians, the media people, to try and convince them that there does need to be some action taken on Bahrain.

I think there quite clearly does. The problem we’ve seen so far is that as the previous person alluded to the western governments are trying to basically create stability in Bahrain at any cost. That seems to be their main concern.

And I think there has been a sustained attempt to try and pull the will over the eyes by the Bahraini government, of the rest of the world to try and portray this conflict as being, you know, two equal sides or a sectarian divide, when I think the reality is the people in Bahrain are looking for democracy.

It’s not a question of just Tunisia; it’s not a question of Iran involvement as has been said in this discussion; it’s a question of democracy and that’s the real issue. That’s what the people are looking for in Bahrain. They’re looking to have an elected government.

Bahrain has got the same prime minister for the last 42 years. This is not appropriate in 2012. This needs to be changed. They need to have a complete overhaul, a democratic system. And I think that’s what the Bahraini people are looking for.

I think we need to try and make that clear, here in the West or anywhere else, to our politicians, to the media, that that’s the real antagonism that exists in Bahraini society. …more

Bahrain police disperse march with water cannon
By Andrew Hammond – Reuters – 20 February, 2012

(Reuters) – Bahraini police used water cannon and tear gas to break up a march chanting anti-government slogans after a funeral Monday, while protesters were arrested for approaching a roundabout at the center of an uprising last year.

Bahrain, a U.S. ally and home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since protests erupted on February 14 last year, inspired by demonstrations sweeping the Arab world.

The country has a Shi’ite Muslim majority, but is ruled by a Sunni ruling family. The government imposed martial law last year and crushed demonstrations after inviting troops from other Gulf states, led by Sunni power Saudi Arabia, to help restore order.

The anniversary of last year’s protests has seen an increase in demonstrations, mainly by Shi’ites who say they seek more democracy. The past week has seen police use water cannon to disperse protests for the first time in 11 months.

Monday’s clash took place in Jidhafs, an area just outside the capital Manama, after the funeral of Hussein al-Baqali, 19, whose family says he died this week from burns sustained last month during a tire-burning at anti-government protests.

His family says he was unable to go to state hospitals for fear of arrest. The Interior Ministry said he set himself alight with intent to commit suicide.

“After the burial of Hussain al-Baqali in Jidhafs, groups of vandals rioted. Police legally dispersed them,” the Interior Ministry said in its Twitter feed.

Police moved in on a group of over 500 people who marched down to a traffic junction inside the town, using two water cannon lorries backed up by helicopters and dozens of riot police in armored vehicles and on foot firing tear gas.

OPPOSITION TRIES TO RECLAIM ROUNDABOUT

The ministry also said “vandals” were later arrested for trying to block traffic on the highway near the former Pearl Roundabout, a traffic junction occupied by anti-government protesters for a month last year until the movement was crushed.

The junction’s pearl monument, once a national landmark, was razed after the protests last year. Opposition figures have said they wanted to mark the anniversary of the protests by re-occupying the area. There have been clashes in nearby Shi’ite villages all week.

Said Yousif Almuhafda, an opposition activist, said different groups totaling around 30 people had tried Monday to approach the roundabout, which is under heavy guard. Some were arrested after tear gas was fired.

He said that earlier Zainab Al-Khawaja, a prominent activist whose father is one of 14 opposition leaders in jail, had been released following her arrest when she approached the roundabout with a group of people last week.

Police say protesters are not permitted to block highways and point to permits granted to opposition parties for marches and rallies in areas that will not disrupt traffic. The opposition says it is the closure of the roundabout that is holding up traffic.

Shi’ites, who say they face political and economic marginalization, have dominated the protests seeking reforms to allow parliament to form governments and reduce the powers of the ruling family. The government has begun contact with opposition parties on a possible dialogue to end the crisis. …source

URGENT ACTION – DETAINED ACTIVISTS AT RISK IN BAHRAIN
Amnesty – 21 February, 2012

Scores of activists were arrested on 14 February 2012 at a protest to mark the first anniversary of the beginning of the unrest in Bahrain. Dozens remain in detention and are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Several were badly beaten during their arrest.

Amin Jaffar Swar (22), Mutaher Saeed Taher Ahmed (18) and Mohammed Makky (22) were arrested on 14 February 2012 from their car, in the Seif district in Manama, Bahrain’s capital. They were driving towards the GCC roundabout (also known as Pearl Roundabout), the heart of the demonstration. According to witnesses, the three
men were beaten with batons by the police during their arrest, first inside and then outside their car. The police also smashed the windows of the car. A policeman reportedly kicked Amin Jaffar Swar several times while he was lying on the floor. The three men were taken to al-Ma’aridh police station in Manama where they are currently held. An official from the Public Prosecution Office questioned them on 15 February in the police station in presence of a lawyer. According to the lawyer, marks of beatings were visible on their faces and legs.

Hundreds of people were driving and marching along the highway to join the protest but the police fired large amounts of teargas at the crowd to break it up. Naji Fateel, a human rights activist working for the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Hassen Jaber, a blogger and Abdullah Abdulkarim al-Fardan, another activist, were among those who were caught in the teargas and then arrested. Hassan Jaber and Abdullah Abdulkarim al-Fardan were taken to al-Nu’aim police station and questioned there by an official of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and charged with ‘illegal gathering’. They were later transferred to the Dry Dock Prison in Manama, where they are currently held. Naji Fateel was sent also to al-Nu’aim police station but then transferred to a clinic within the Ministry of Interior where he was questioned by a representative from the Public Prosecution Office. His lawyer was not present during the interrogation but another lawyer who was in the same clinic representing others agreed to attend his questioning. He was also charged with ‘illegal gathering’. According to his lawyer between his arrest and interrogation he was forced to stand up for many hours and deprived from sleep. He has been given a 15 day arrest order and his family has not been allowed to visit him. …more

Syrian Authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Mazen Darwish and other detained activists
23 February 2012 – Reporters without Borders

The undersigned Organisations call on the Syrian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mazen Darwish, a prominent Syrian human rights defender and Director of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) – an organization that enjoys UN ECOSOC consultative status -, as well as seven of his colleagues and a visitor, who were arrested on 16 February 2012 during a raid on their Damascus offices.

In total 16 people were arrested during the raid at SCM offices in Damascus, which was carried out by officers from Air Force Intelligence (AFI) who were assisted by a group of plain-clothed armed men, according to a statement from the SCM. Seven people have been conditionally released and have to report to the detention centre every day for further interrogations.

SCM has played a key role in getting out information about daily developments in Syria as international journalists have only limited access to the country. Mazen Darwish has previously been repeatedly subjected to interrogation by Syrian security services regarding his human rights related activities, including his work with SCM. The arrest of Mazen Darwish and his co-workers is apparently related to their peaceful activities as human right defenders, bloggers and journalists.

“The raid on SCM offices and the detention of Mazen Darwish and his colleagues is a further attack by Syrian security services on Syrian human rights defenders and their rights to freedom of association and expression. This represents the latest attempt to silence those who have been witnessing, documenting and reporting on the ongoing gross human rights violations committed by the Syrian security forces in Syria,” said the Organisations. “The Syrian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release these individuals”, the Organisations added. …more