GCC says Lebanon unsafe for travel; KSA seeks end to fighting

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Gulf Arab states have advised citizens not to travel to Lebanon, a popular summer tourist destination that is becoming increasingly engulfed in neighboring Syria’s civil war, the Saudi Press Agency reported. “Most GCC states have urged their nationals to avoid traveling to Lebanon due to the instability of the security situation there,” Gulf Cooperation Council’s chief Andullatif Al-Zayani was quoted as saying late on Wednesday. Lebanon is “unsafe” for citizens of the GCC, made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Zayani said.

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FNC okays changes in human trafficking law

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

Victims of human trafficking in the UAE would have better protection and their tormentors would face stiffer penalties as the Federal National Council (FNC) approved amendments to a federal law against the crime on Tuesday. Under the amended provisions in Federal Law No. 51 of 2006 on combating human trafficking, victims would be briefed about their full rights and they would be given medical attention if they request so or if they appear to be in need of medical or psychological treatment.

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GCC: Hezbollah terror group

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

The Gulf Cooperation Council yesterday unanimously declared Lebanon-based Hezbollah a terrorist organization and said it would take measures against the group’s interest in the Gulf countries. “All GCC countries are convinced that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization,” Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Ghanim bin Fadl Al-Buainain told reporters following a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Jeddah. He said the GCC countries had always tried to establish better ties with Iran and asked Tehran to stop its provocative actions including meddling in the internal affairs of Bahrain and espionage against Saudi Arabia.

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Gulf countries may place Hezbollah on terror list

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

Gulf Arab states will consider placing Lebanon’s Shiite party Hezbollah, which is openly involved in the Syrian conflict, on its terror list, Al-Rai daily quoted highly placed diplomats yesterday as saying. Bahrain will ask foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss “placing Hezbollah on the terror list” at a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the newspaper said. Bahrain currently holds the GCC’s rotating presidency. The paper did not say whether this referred to the party as a whole or just its militia, whose men are fighting alongside government troops in a fierce battle to retake the Syrian town of Qusayr from rebels.

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GCC Foreign Ministers to meet in Jeddah

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

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Al-Zayani added that the GCC Ministerial Council will review issues related to the progress of GCC joint action in all fields. The Secretary General said that the meeting will be preceded by a joint meeting with GCC Ministers of Finance and Economy, noting that the council will discuss a number of memoranda and reports referred by the ministerial committees, especially those related to strategic dialogues, negotiations between the GCC and economic blocs, as well as other topics related to regional, Arab and International conditions of concern to the GCC.

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Saudi charities face funding crisis over terror fears

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Credible Saudi charities are facing a funding crisis because of recent measures aimed at clamping down on terrorists using charities as fronts to raise funds and launder money. A number of charity workers here are now concerned that their work in the community will suffer as wary donors hold on to their cash, and charities are limited in what they can take from donors. Mohammad Al-Samri, an administrator at a charity in Makkah, said that projects have suffered because of a lack of money and not the “weakness of its professional staff.”

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UAE slams Iran for Bahrain interference

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

The UAE on Sunday condemned Iran for its interference in Bahrain’s domestic issues, accusing Tehran of trying to distract from its forthcoming elections. Addressing a joint Press conference, UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with his Australian counterpart Bob Carr, said Iran had no right to interfere in GCC regional affairs. “Our Iranian neighbors have a real problem in understanding and identifying the way in which they deal with their neighbors,” Shaikh Abdullah said.

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