Web editor's arrest raises concern for civil liberties CAIRO, 9 December (IRIN) - The arrest of the editor of a local news website this week has raised fresh concerns among defenders of freedom of expression."Such practices reflect the government's lack of tolerance for freedom of expression and opinion," said Mahmoud Aly of the Egyptian Association for the Support of Democracy.Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud, the editor of Balady.net, a website devoted to local news and politics, was arrested on 5 December by state security officers. According to sources at the Egyptian Press Syndicate, his home was broken into by state security officers, who confiscated articles, books, CDs and hard discs containing written material. Mahmoud has not been informed of the charges against him.No one from the Ministry of Interior was available to comment on the issue.Mahmoud, who often writes under the name Abu Islam Ahmed, also works as a journalist for al-Haqiqa, Arabic for "the Truth," an independent weekly reputedly dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood political group. This is not the first arrest of its kind in recent history. In October, Abdel Karim Nabil Suliman, a student and writer, was also arrested, reportedly due to articles he posted on the Internet. Some observers suspect that Mahmoud's arrest is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood's successes in recently-concluded parliamentary elections and to the subsequent crackdown by the government on the group's supporters.According to Ibrahim Mansour of the Press Syndicate, the editor's detention "is related to the recent arrest of nearly 2,000 members of the Muslim Brotherhood." International press-freedom watchdog Reporters without Borders registered its disapproval of the arrest on Wednesday."Website journalists and bloggers should enjoy the same legal protection and respect as journalists working for traditional media," the rights group stated in a press release. "The decision to arrest a journalist or blogger is serious and should only be taken in the course of transparent judicial proceedings," the statement read.Despite a constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and opinion, journalists in Egypt continue to face "numerous forms of discrimination," including criminal prosecutions, death threats and even sexual assaults, according to a recent report by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights.   OIL-IOC CONSORTIUM SIGNS PSC WITH NATIONAL OIL COMPANY OF LIBYA Oil India Limited (OIL) – Indian Oil (IOC) Consortium yesterday evening signed the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the National Oil Company (NOC) of Libya at Tripoli. OIL & IOC the PSUs under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas formed a consortium last year to scout for opportunities in the E & P sector together leveraging respective strengths of the two companies. The agreement was signed by Shri R.K. Dutta, CMD on behalf of OIL & Mr. Badri, Chairman, NOC, Libya. OIL & IOC consortium had won the block in the EPSA Round -2 against fierce global competition. OIL and IOC with OIL as operator are the first companies to sign the agreement with NOC in this round of winners. The work programme for this block include 1000 line kilometers of 2D survey & 500 Sq. Kms of 3D survey and drilling of one well during a period of five years. JORDAN: Teenagers given airtime to speak out on AIDS and violence AMMAN, 4 December (IRIN) - Jordanian adolescents have been given the chance to speak on local and satellite television channels about critical issues, related to World AIDS Day and ahead of International Children's Day of Broadcasting.Some 25 young people, aged 12 to 17, have been working with UNICEF, in cooperation with the Jordanian government, to produce and broadcast a series of television programmes aimed at young audiences. Participants, coming from the capital Amman and the city of Zarqa in the east of the country, have researched, planned and produced a handful of shows focusing on contentious issues, such as HIV/AIDS and violence against children. A portion of airtime is also devoted to lighter issues, such as sports."It was a great experience," said 16 year-old Amal al-Emlah. "We had the chance to express ourselves and speak about the problems we face." Al-Emlah explained that she and other project participants researched cases related to abuse and neglect. "We hope that we can help through our shows," she added.The programme, called "Our Time has Come," will give young people the chance "to say what they want, in the manner they want," explained UNICEF spokesperson in Amman Hind Lara-Mango. The first episode was aired on local Jordanian television and on its sister satellite channel on 2 December, with two more to be broadcast every Friday at the same time for the following two weeks.Episodes feature discussions about critical issues and conversations with abused children. The show will be also include cameos by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, such as Egyptian actor Mahmoud Kabil and British footballer David Beckham. The last episode will coincide with the International Children's Day of Broadcasting on 16 December, when participants will go live to evaluate their experiences, host guest speakers and take phone calls from viewers.The International Children's Day of Broadcasting is commemorated every year. Through its 165 field offices, UNICEF encourages broadcasters to open their studios to young people, with the aim of airing programming presented from children's perspectives. Injazat Capital launches US$ 100 million Shari'a-compliant healthcare fund Shefa HealthCare Fund to invest in healthcare providers and ancillary services in the MENA region December 4, 2005 Injazat Capital, the leading investment bank, has announced the launch of Shefa Healthcare Fund, a Shari'a-compliant healthcare fund, to create a regional network of healthcare services and to meet the growing demand for affordable, specialized and high-quality healthcare services. The launch was announced during the "Investing in Healthcare in the MENA Region Conference" held today (Sunday, December 4, 2005) at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai, in the presence of major regional investors and leading healthcare professionals. A US$ 100 million venture, Shefa Healthcare Fund will invest in healthcare providers and ancillary services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with the objective of creating industry-dominant health groups with regional reach. Shefa Healthcare Fund is a unique investment vehicle, providing investors access to diverse markets in the MENA countries and offering them an opportunity to reduce risk by investing in a diversified portfolio of healthcare providers. "The launch of Shefa Healthcare Fund is in keeping with Injazat's commitment to provide high-quality yet affordable healthcare services in the Middle East," said Mr. Hussein Rifai, Chief Executive Officer, Injazat Capital. "The global healthcare sector is in the midst of an important phase, with breakthrough technologies and innovations radically altering conventional methods of medical services provision. In this regard, it is vital that the healthcare sector in the Middle East too reflects these changes by adopting best practices. Shefa Healthcare Fund will make judicious investments in the Middle East medical sector, with the aim of transforming the region into a high-standard healthcare services hub." "The US$35 billion Middle East healthcare industry is rapidly changing as a result of several factors such as the implementation of mandatory medical insurance in some countries, government initiatives to privatize the healthcare sector, increased participation of the private sector and insurance companies in financing healthcare activities, movement from general hospitals to more specialized units, and the growth in demand as a result of population growth," said Mohammed Al Salman, Vice President, Head of Investment Placement, Injazat Capital. "Shefa Healthcare Fund has already generated tremendous response from many leading investors in the region, whose names will be announced in the near future."Established under the rules of the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA), the Fund may hold Islamic debt not exceeding a 60/40 debt-to-equity ratio. Shefa is targeting the healthcare industry through acquiring a majority stake in healthcare providers in accordance with Islamic principles in the MENA region. The objective of the Fund is to create a network of healthcare providers and to raise the quality of regional healthcare services to match global standards. Injazat is currently managing Injazat Technology Fund, a US$ 50 million technology fund, successfully investing in technology, media and communication companies across the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).