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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Poland names new environment minister

Warsaw - Polish president Lech Kaczynski named the country's new environment minister who was set to put climate at the top of the agenda, local media reported Monday. Andrzej Kraszewski was named for the spot during a ceremony in Warsaw. Kraszewski said his priority will be climate issues like selling Poland's surplus greenhouse gas emission rights, and noted the deals would give Poland funds for protecting the environment.

Under the Kyoto protocol, a country that is below its emission target can sell its surplus allowance as credits to other nations or governments that are set to exceed their limits.

Kraszewski is a professor at the Warsaw University of Technology, specializing in the role of infrastructure on the environment. He has led projects on waste incinerators and beltways in urban agglomerations.

Former Environment Minister Maciej Nowicki resigned on December 8 amid reported disagreements with his deputy.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk reportedly delayed announcing Nowicki's resignation because of the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306998,poland-names-new-environment-minister.html.

Hong Kong director John Woo plans to make film about Flying Tigers

Taipei - Hong Kong director John Woo plans to make a film about The Flying Tigers, the US volunteer group which helped China fight against Japan during World War II, a newspaper said Monday. The China Times, quoting an unnamed source, said Wu plans to spend 150 million US dollars on making the film to recall how The Flying Tigers helped the Chinese Air Force transport arms and supplies during WWII.

Animation of the film will be made in the United States, indoor scenes will be shot in Taiwan, and outdoor actions will be filmed in China, it noted.

Top picks for the leading role, General Chennault, include Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

Half of the budget will be used on recreating the warships and warplanes of the WWII era, the paper reported.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry on Monday admitted it has helped Wu gather material for the film, but denied it will contribute to financing the film.

"We helped Wu gather material from the military archive and air force academy in August, October and December last year, but it is too early to talk about our cooperation in the film," Defense Ministry spokesman Yu Si-tzu told reporters.

Wu, 64, is one of the few Chinese directors who can make English-language films for the Western audience. Wu's English films Windtalkers, Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306966,hong-kong-director-john-woo-plans-to-make-film-about.html.

Israel should be in European Union, Berlusconi says - Summary

(WARNING): Article contains propaganda!

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Jerusalem - Israel should be a member of the European Union, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Monday, as he kicked off a landmark three-day visit to the Jewish state and the Palestinian areas. "My greatest desire, as long as I am a protagonist in politics, is to bring Israel into membership of the European Union," he said at a formal welcoming ceremony in Jerusalem.

The Italian leader, accompanied by seven of his ministers, arrived in Israel Monday afternoon.

In the course of stay, he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni, and President Shimon Peres, and will also hold talks with Palestinian officials in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the first-ever joint Israeli-Italian cabinet session is slated to take place in Jerusalem and on Wednesday, in a rare gesture by Israel to a foreign leader, he is scheduled to address a special session of the Knesset.

Netanyahu said a series of agreements, including on energy, the environment and health, would be signed during the visit.

"We will work to strengthen and deepen the relations between Israel and Italy," he said at the welcoming ceremony, and called Berlusconi "one of the greatest friends of Israel."

"I can think of very few nations who have made such a contribution to Western culture as our two nations. In Rome and Jerusalem, the foundations for Western culture were laid," he added.

Iran's nuclear program - which Israel sees as an existential threat - and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process are also expected to feature in the talks Berlusconi will hold during his visit.

Speaking to the Ha'aretz daily ahead of his trip, he called Israel's settlement policy in the occupied West Bank a "mistake" which could be an obstacle to any peace settlement.

"It will never be possible to convince the Palestinians of Israel's good intentions while Israel continues to build in territories that are to be returned as part of a piece agreement," he said in an interview published Sunday.

"I would like to say to the people and government of Israel, as a friend, with my hand on my heart, that persisting with this policy is a mistake," he said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306965,israel-should-be-in-european-union-berlusconi-says--summary.html.

Armed Chinese soldiers guard Hong Kong ships from Somali pirates

Hong Kong (Earth Times) - Chinese army soldiers are being deployed on board Hong Kong-registered ships sailing off Africa to counter the threat of pirates, a newspaper reported Monday. The People's Liberation Army is providing special forces soldiers to patrol slower, vulnerable Hong Kong-registered ships as they sail through the Gulf of Aden, the South China Morning Post said.

Roger Tupper, director of Hong Kong's Marine Department, said the offer of armed soldiers had been accepted by ships registered in Hong Kong although it was not known how many escorts had been provided.

Naval officials involved in the operation off Somalia told the newspaper the teams of soldiers were drawn from China's deployment of three warships stationed off Somalia.

Other Hong Kong shipping companies operating bulk carriers have accepted escorts from the Chinese warships as they pass through the pirate-plagued seas but not armed soldiers on board their vessels.

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" arrangement and has a sizable but low-profile contingent of Chinese army soldiers stationed in the city.

Iran 'inspiration' for many countries, says Ahmadinejad

Tehran - Islamic Iran has become "inspiration" for many countries, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday at the start of festivities marking the 31st anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution. The late supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran on February 1, 1979. Ten days later, the Iranian monarchy was toppled and the Islamic Republic of Iran formed.

The 10-day festivities will culminate February 11 with state-run mass rallies staged nationwide to demonstrate support for the Islamic establishment.

State television quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that Ayatollah Khomeini's return was a "start of a new era which opened new windows to humanity, broke all dead ends and put an end to world imperialism."

The president added that the Islamic revolution has since become global, an "inspiration for many countries."

He said the Iranian system was stronger and more stable than ever, and that people were more determined to implement its goals.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306876,iran-inspiration-for-many-countries-says-ahmadinejad.html.

UN chief Ban to hold talks with rival Cyprus leaders

Athens/Nicosia - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will hold talks on Monday with rival leaders on Cyprus in the hope of giving peace talks aimed at ending the division of the eastern Mediterranean island a new thrust. The secretary general will meet with Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat separately. The two men have so far conducted 16 months of peace talks with no breakthrough in sight.

"I am here to show my personal support for the Cypriot talks to reunify the country ... I am here to encourage these two leaders to bring these talks to a successful conclusion," Ban said upon arriving at Larnaca airport Sunday evening.

"I am under no illusions that the Cyprus problem is easy to solve or about the difficulties that you face. At the same time. I am confident that solution is possible and within reach."

Cyprus has been been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern third of the island in response to a Greek-inspired coup.

Greek Cypriots currently live in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north. The two sides are divided by a UN-supervised buffer zone, which runs through the heart of capital Nicosia.

The UN chief's visit is seen as an effort to shore up the faltering negotiations which began in September 2008.

Intensive UN-led negotiations have so far resulted in leaders describing significant progress in a series of areas of governance and power sharing. The two sides have however failed to agree on the core issues of property, security and territorial adjustments.

Any agreement between the two leaders will have to pass a referendum on both sides of the island.

Experts have expressed fears that the two leaders have little time left, with April elections in the occupied northern part of the island expected to bring a hardliner to power.

European Union officials have said that progress at the Cyprus reunification talks are essential to helping Turkey's slow-moving EU accession process move forward.

Although the peace talks and Turkey's EU membership negotiations are separate processes, a breakthrough on one is likely to have a positive impact on the other.

Leaders have suggested that many of their differences lie on how to deal with the thousands of property claims from people uprooted in past conflicts.

Greek Cypriot leaders have also criticized recent proposals by the Turkish Cypriots for separate rights to sign international agreements and control the island's airspace

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306880,un-chief-ban-to-hold-talks-with-rival-cyprus-leaders.html.

Bosnia troops surrounded Gornja Maoca village, declaring it a 'Wahhabi'

Bosnia's law enforcement and various other agencies officers launched on Tuesday a major raid on the village of Gornja Maoca which is claimed to be a home to followers of the "radical Wahabbi" branch of Islam, targeting people whom authorities "suspect of destabilizing the country".

Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of three autonomous administrative entities - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Muslim-Croat), the Republic of Serbian and Brcko District. Brcko District is the de facto autonomous region around the town of Brcko, the de jure is a part of the Republic of Serbian and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The area of district is 493 square km, population is about 80 000 people (about 40 % - Serbs, 39 % - Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and 20 % - Croats).

"Operation codenamed "the Light", which involves all police forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina begin today morning throughout Tuzlanski canton and the Brcko District", said in public prosecutor's office.

The operation in northern Bosnia by 600 police officers is the largest since the end of the country's 1992-95 war, said Boris Grubesic, a spokesman for the public prosecutor.

"The activities are carried out with an aim to locate and prosecute individuals suspected of undermining the territorial integrity and constitutional order and inciting ethnic, racial or religious hatred and intolerance," he said.

Some foreign Islamic fighters or Mujahideen, who stayed on after fighting alongside Bosnian Muslims against Serbs and Croats in the war, formed their own community in the village. They were joined by some local followers of the "Wahabbi" branch.

Most foreign fighters have left the Balkan country under US pressure but the "Wahabbi" branch has attracted many young Bosnian Muslims in recent years.

Police are also "looking for items and evidence of criminal activities seen as important for ongoing criminal proceedings", Grubesic said.

A witness near the scene told Reuters that the police have blocked all entrances to Gornja Maoca so that nobody was allowed to enter the village.

In December a Bosnian court indicted a group of radical Muslims on charges of "terrorism" and arms trafficking. It said they purchased and possessed weapons, explosives and various products suitable for making improvised explosive devices.

Police also found video recordings of people being trained in the use of arms and combat activities to carry out an attack. The court did not name the possible targets.

Kavkaz Center + Reuters

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/02/02/11352.shtml.

Turkey stated it cannot watch Zionists killing innocents

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Sunday that "Turkey would not stand idly watching Zionists killing innocent people without mercy, destroying infrastructure and turning the Gaza Strip into a big prison".

During a televised interview with Euronews satellite channel, Erdogan warned "Israel" that it should reconsider its relations with its neighboring countries and be careful when dealing with other countries especially Turkey, which support the Palestinian people.

The Prime Minister demanded "Israel" to think twice before losing Turkey through its persistence in such practices, especially its latest attitude towards the Turkish ambassador that violated the norms of international diplomacy.

We would like to remind that about 1 year ago, it became known that "Israel" had planned the murder of Erdogan. "Mossad" had a clear intention to kill the Turkish Prime Minister.

This became known as a result of the publication of data by the Turkish secret services, as reported by TV PressTv and Al-Jazeera.

According to investigations carried out in connection with the activities of the group of Ergenekon, accused of trying to make a coup and overthrow the government formed by a democratically elected party of "Justice and Development", this organization has cooperated with the Zionist service of "Mossad".

According to intelligence, a certain "Israeli" journalist, having sent electronic messages to a group of suspects, informed them about the readiness of the "Mossad" to assassinate Prime Minister Erdogan.

The author of letters noticed that the head of "Mossad", Meir Dagan, was in contact with the head of one of the Turkish parties and his agents are ready to fulfill the mission in case of consent of this political structure.

We would remind also that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in protest against the massacre of Palestinians by the Zionists, demonstratively left the meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2009, which was attended by the so-called President of "Israel", and said that he would no more participate this forum.

"You know very well how to kill babies", Erdogan said after the speech of Shimon Peres, sharply condemned the actions of the Zionist gangs in Gaza.

Department of Monitoring,
Kavkaz Center

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/02/02/11350.shtml.

Russian KGB terrorists suffered casualties near Chechen village of Engenoy

A Russian invaders' URAL truck fell into a precipice near the village of Engenoy. One Russian KGB terrorist was killed and two his accomplices wounded. Foreign invaders allege, the driver suddenly lost control of the car.

What really happened on the road in the Nozhai-Yurt district and what caused the falling of the URAL truck with Russian invader terrorists into the precipice is not clear.

Kavkaz Center

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/02/01/11344.shtml.

Pentagon tells about its new military doctrine. U.S. wants to fight around the world

The Pentagon will no longer shape the US military to fight two major conventional wars at once, but rather prepare for numerous conflicts and not all in the same style, according to a draft of a new strategic outlook the Pentagon is announcing on Monday.

The new mantra for military planners will replace the almost 25-year-old combat planning style of fighting and winning two major conventional wars in two different locations in favor of a fighting force that is capable of protecting US interests around the world from a range of threats, from "terrorism" to cyber attacks.

The change will be addressed in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, a congressionally mandated document that looks at future threats and the military's requirements to mitigate them.

"It is no longer appropriate to speak of major regional conflicts as the sole or even primary template for sizing, shaping or evaluating US forces," according to a draft first obtained by Inside Defense.

The review will come on the same day the Pentagon presents its 2011 budget.

According to Pentagon officials, Defense Secretary Robert Gates will be asking for $ 708 billion, including funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- $ 44 billion more the 2010 budget of $ 664 billion.

The last major review was released in 2006 and the Pentagon's view of the world has changed dramatically in the four years since.

The 2006 review was heavily focused on the threat of a large-scale conventional war with China and that country's saber rattling over Taiwan. It also stressed the need for more of and a greater role for special forces troops for use in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 2010 review still stresses the threats from China, but will look at the need to defend against a growing threat of cyber attacks -- without directly tying China to past cyber attacks, according to Pentagon officials -- and China's focus on preemptively striking and crippling an adversary's ability to tell what it will do next ahead of a large attack.

"Prudence demands that future conflicts could involve kinetic and non-kinetic (use of explosive weapons and laser weapons) attacks on space-based surveillance and communications," according to the draft.

The review will put heavy stress on quenching the insatiable need for more unmanned aerial vehicles, including Predator and Reaper, the Air Force's premier UAV's used by the military for both reconnaissance and air strikes. The aircraft are used in Iraq, Afghanistan and over Pakistan and Gates has said the Pentagon needs more.

According to the draft review and US military officials, the Pentagon is looking at building up the number of aircraft in the air over combat zones from about 40 to 50 by 2013 and to 65 by 2015.

The review also stresses learning better and more efficient ways to use the drones by improving operating effectiveness and using new technologies.

The UAV category is just one way the Pentagon is shifting its priorities to position itself for current and future conflicts.

Roadside bombs continue to be the number one killer of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The QDR roadmap continues to recognize the need to protect US troops by enhancing training and intelligence.

Intelligence shows that "terrorists" have plotted to get their hands on biological, chemical or nuclear material to attempt and attack and the Pentagon foresees weapons of mass destruction to be a continued threat in the future and will push better WMD detection capabilities.

"The Department will expand capabilities to counter WMD threats, strengthen interdiction operations, refocus intelligence requirements, enhance and grow international partnerships and thwart proliferation," the draft says.

While special operations forces (SOF) continue to be a priority from the 2006 QDR, the new review places emphasis on improved support for the elite troops.

That support is expected to include new gunship aircraft to protect the troops during combat missions as well as additional support personnel who would improve intelligence and communications for the SOF troops.

The review will also push for more helicopters, something Gates has said the military never can have enough of. A key tool in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to move troops and equipment safely and faster across those countries, they are also a necessity in humanitarian efforts like those after Hurricane Katrina and most recently for the delivery of aid in Haiti.

With the main military effort focused on Afghanistan, the review says a priority will be put on helicopters there.

"As operations in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan grow in scope and intensity, more rotary wing lift capacity will be needed to ensure that coalition and Afghan forces can be resupplied at remote outposts and effectively cover their areas of responsibility," according to the draft.

But as the Pentagon looks to its new planning for future conflicts, the report also says it can be done in an environmentally responsible way by using more solar power, biofuels and overall energy independence as well as pointing out that the Department of Defense, "provides environmental stewardship" at hundreds of bases around the country.

However, a bigger challenge the Pentagon will face is future conflicts fought around and over reduced resources and environmental catastrophes.

The review calls these climate change scenarios, "accelerant of instability" and suggests the military will have to plan on operations where climate (rising sea levels, reduced ice in the Arctic) would be a factor in planning. In addition to what climate change effects could bring in terms of the spread of disease, mass migration and a scarcity of resources.

Source: Agencies

Kavkaz Center

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/02/01/11337.shtml.

Dubai officials crack down on pirates and pornography

by Andrew White on Monday, 01 February 2010

Dubai Municipality has seized and destroyed a huge haul of pirated films, pornographic movies and alcoholic beverages confiscated from individuals and shops in the emirate.

According to news agency WAM a total of 54,335 pirated DVDs, 1,701 pornographic movies and 998 bottles of alcoholic drinks were destroyed in a garbage dump in Al Qusais. The materials were destroyed after taking necessary legal action against the individuals involved.

During December Municipality inspectors caught 178 illegal street vendors, from whom 298 different items were confiscated including ready-made garments, perfumes, cameras, and fake watches. In addition, 205 foodstuff items including boxes of fruits and vegetables were confiscated.

Source: Arabian Business.
Link: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/580429-dubai-officials-crack-down-on-pirates-and-pornography.

First wild hyenas hit UAE tourist resort

by Andrew White on Tuesday, 02 February 2010

Two striped hyena cubs have been born in Abu Dhabi, the first to be born wild in the UAE.

The cubs, said to be in excellent health, have been born on Sir Bani Yas Island, part of Abu Dhabi’s Desert Islands destination. They are the result of a successful breeding program, and the animals will now roam free in the 4,100 hectare Arabian Wildlife Park along with cheetahs and some 4000 antelopes and gazelles.

The births are of particular significance to the UAE as the striped hyena is completely extinct in the UAE and is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘near threatened’ worldwide. IUCN is the official body which monitors the status of nature and wildlife across the world.

Source: Arabian Business.
Link: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/580581-first-wild-hyenas-hit-uae-tourist-resort.

Libya: Gaddafi Turns to Arab World After Failing to Win New Term

Argaw Ashine
1 February 2010

Addis Ababa — Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who failed to win a second term as African Union chairman, now eyes a similar post at the League of Arab states.

At a press conference Gaddafi called at midnight, he told reporters he is now preparing to take over chairmanship of the Arab League.

Gaddafi tried to explain his importance in African affairs stating that Libya is going to host three summits to link the African continent with the Middle East, Europe and Latin America.

At the end of this year Libya is scheduled to host the Afro-Arab summit. The Libyan leader is also to host the Africa-European Union summit. Another summit is the Afro-Latin summit set for 2011.

But a European diplomat said: "This is Gaddafi's attempt to shift the power of the continental organization to Tripoli."

An East African Foreign Minister said Gaddafi's failure to win another term as AU chairman is a relief for the continental body. "He may continue meddling here and there but I don't think that would help both Africa and his country," he added.

After losing the African Union chairmanship Gaddafi was seen restless and irritated and called an emergency midnight press conference at the summit venue.

Gaddafi blasted African leaders and dubbed the AU as a failed institution. "I am disappointed and all the African people disappointed because the AU failed to establish institutions to realize the unity of Africa," he said.

"There has been no notable achievement since the establishment of AU. I can't see real concrete and tangible results."

"I am a soldier of Africa and I will remain as a soldier at the fore front," he added.

He added that he is already "king of Kings" which he said is the highest position in Africa. "It's enough to be a head of Kings," he said. Gaddafi had hoped to stay on for a second term to see through his plan for greater political and economic unification.

Handing over

"I doubt we will be able to shoulder the responsibilities before us," he said after handing over to Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika.

"I doubt we can achieve something concrete in the future, because frankly speaking my experience of the African Union, the political elite of our continent lack political awareness and hence the political determination."

He said if he had known how little power the AU chairman has, he would have refused to take the position.

Mutharika suggested he agreed with at least some of his predecessor's criticisms.

"The way forward is for the AU Assembly to recognize that Africa is not a poor continent, but the people of Africa are poor," he noted.

"Let us reflect that Europe and the much of the Western world developed using wood, meat and fish from Africa, but Europe and the Western world did not develop through resolutions, and declarations. They took action - concrete action. So I appeal to you for action, action and more action."

According to diplomatic sources at the summit, Gaddafi spent a lot of money and energy to stay in the AU position. His ambition was thwarted in a very unpleasant way.

Libya is one of the five countries that contribute 75 per cent of the African Union budget.

Gaddafi named former Somalia President Siad Barre and former Congolese ruler Mobutu Sese Seko as unifying factor and peace maker of their county.

"We need such kind of leaders to avoid conflict and integration," Gaddafi said.

Earlier Gaddafi asked that traditional leaders be allowed to address the summit. The traditional leaders' representative told African leaders to respect him and his fellow rulers.

Source: allAfrica.
Link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201002011681.html.

Iran Celebrates Ayatollah Khomeini's Triumphant Return 31 Years Ago

Iran was awash in celebration on Monday, marking 31 years since the late Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile to lead the revolution that ousted the Shah of Iran. Festivities will continue until February 11th: the anniversary of the Shah’s fall. Khomeini remained in power until his death in 1989. Khomeini was also the power behind the 1979 kidnapping of U.S. Embassy personnel in Tehran, arguably contributing to the downfall of another leader: President Jimmy Carter. The Americans were held for 444 days and released only as Ronald Reagan became president. The anniversary celebrations come as the country is embroiled in the worst political unrest it has seen since the days of the Ayatollah.

Source: The Media Line.
Link: http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_mideast_daily.asp?Date=02/02/2010&category_id=8.

Iran: US missile system meant to sow Gulf division

By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran said Tuesday that the strengthening of U.S. missile defense systems in Gulf Arab countries is aimed at sowing regional divisions and that Tehran's neighbors should not be drawn into believing the country poses a threat.

U.S. military officials said over the weekend that the systems — involving upgraded Patriot missiles on land and more U.S. Navy ships capable of destroying missiles in flight — is intended to counter a potential Iranian missile strike.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met Tuesday with the crown prince of Qatar, one of four Arab nations were the U.S. has based Patriot missile systems, and told him the West was seeking to divide them.

"Westerners do not want friendly relations between countries in the region. Their life is dependent on rifts and insecurity," the president told the visiting crown prince, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

"The enemies intend to extend the fire of war in the entire region to solve their own political and economic problems," state TV quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in their meeting.

Ahmadinejad said Iran and Qatar should build closer links and develop a common understanding of what he called plots by enemies.

The predominantly Sunni Arab Middle East — and Gulf nations in particular — have been wary of the growing influence of Shiite Iran, especially because of international suspicions that its nuclear program has a military dimension.

Iran insists its nuclear work only has peaceful aims like energy production, but the U.S. and its allies in Europe are considering new sanctions to pressure Iran to make concessions meant to ease their concerns.

Iran's missile program has also generated worries. Iran has missiles with ranges of more than 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) that are capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in the region, as well as parts of southeastern and eastern Europe.

The U.S. Patriot missile systems, which originally were deployed in the region to shoot down aircraft have now been upgraded to hit missiles in flight.

In a January speech, Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. Central Command chief who is responsible for military operations across the Middle East, said the U.S. now has eight Patriot missile batteries stationed in the Gulf region — two each in four countries. He did not name the countries.

A military official said over the weekend, however, that the countries are Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because some aspects of the defensive strategy are classified.

In another speech, Petraeus said Aegis ballistic missile cruisers are now in the Gulf at all times.

Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, warned nations in the region not to be "deceived by U.S. anti-Iran policies" and talk of a growing Iranian threat.

"When in the past 31 years has Iran attacked any of its neighboring states or any other countries in the region?" Larijani said, referring to the length of time that the country's Islamic leadership has been in power.

Emphasizing the point, he noted that the 1980-88 war with Iraq was in defense against an attack launched by Saddam Hussein.

Larijani said the strengthening of the missile defense system would only bring more trouble for U.S. forces.

"Regional countries should know that this puppet show by the U.S., while claiming to create security in the region, is nothing except a new political ploy to increase the (American) military presence at the expense of others," Larijani said in a parliament session.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters that Iran believes the U.S. missile systems to be "ineffective," though he did not elaborate.

At his weekly news conference, Mehmanparast also denied claims by Thailand that a planeload of North Korean weapons seized there in December was headed to Iran.

"There is no link between the aircraft and our country," Mehmanparast said.

He said Iran had no need to import such arms due to its own weapons production, which includes rockets, tanks, jet fighters, light submarines and missiles.

Thailand said Monday that the aircraft, which was seized on a refueling stop, was heading to Iran, though it did not know the ultimate destination of the 35 tons of weaponry.

The shipment, which violated U.N. sanctions against North Korea, reportedly included light battlefield arms such as grenades — hardly the ones Iran's sophisticated military would need.

From the start there has been speculation that the weapons were to be shipped on to some of the radical Middle Eastern groups supported by Tehran.

The plane's chief pilot, among five crewmen detained in Thailand, maintains that the aircraft was headed for Kiev, Ukraine

Spain takes over UN peacekeeping command in Lebanon

01.28.10

Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas assumes command of UNIFIL, faces challenges such as IDF over flights, arms depots, rocket attacks

Spain took over command of the 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon on Thursday from outgoing Italian commander Major-General Claudio Graziano.

Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas assumed command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL at the force's base in Naqoura in southern Lebanon.

Graziano took command of UNIFIL in February 2007, six months after the war between Hezbollah guerrillas and Israel ended.

Security Council resolution 1701, which stopped hostilities between the two, called for the UN border-monitoring contingent to rise to 15,000 from 2,000.

Graziano's tenure has been marked by a relatively quiet but tense time on the southern Lebanese border, as both Israel and Hezbollah accuse each other of violating the UN resolution.

Cuevas inherits numerous challenges such as near-daily IDF over flights, in violation of resolution 1701, and allegations involving arms depots in the south as well as occasional rocket attacks, widely blamed on fringe militant groups rather than Hezbollah.

In addition to the over flights, Lebanon has complained about suspected espionage activities and the continued occupation of parts of the border village of Ghajar.

Israel has criticized the UN peacekeeping operation in Lebanon for not stopping weapons it says are still flowing to Hezbollah guerrillas in the south, the group's main bastion.

The United Nations says that is the responsibility of Lebanese authorities.

Source: Ynetnews.
Link: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3841166,00.html.

Libya to launch free trade zone

2010-02-01

Libyan legislators approved a law setting up a free trade zone on the Mediterranean coast, Reuters quoted Moamer Kadhafi's son Saadi as saying on Sunday (January 31st). Through facilitating the free movement of capital and goods, the zone aims to promote investments in sectors other than energy. Investors will reportedly receive tax exemptions for ten years. The new zone will also have its own stock exchange.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/01/newsbrief-06.

EU delegation to visit Algeria

2010-02-01

A 12-person European delegation will arrive in Algiers on Tuesday (February 2nd) to review the 2005 association agreement between Algeria to the European Union (EU). Delegation leader Tomás Duplá Del Moral of Spain, the European Commission's Southern Mediterranean and Middle East director, is expected to meet with Algerian officials to discuss trade and energy policies.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/01/newsbrief-04.

Hidden bomb injures 2 Algerian pedestrians

2010-02-01

A bomb blast injured two Algerian civilians Saturday (January 30th) in Azazga, east of Tizi Ouzou, El Watan reported. One of the victims remains hospitalized in serious condition after losing his leg in the explosion. The blast was reportedly triggered when the pedestrians walked across the hidden device.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/01/newsbrief-03.

Western Sahara talks ready to resume, UN chief says

2010-02-01

Negotiations between the parties in the Western Sahara conflict could resume by mid-February, MAP quoted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon as saying Sunday (January 31st) in Addis Ababa. UN Western Sahara Envoy Christopher Ross is in "active" contact with all parties concerned, Ban said, adding that the informal meeting last August in Austria between Morocco and the Polisario "proved very useful".

Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri and Polisario Front leader Mohamed Abdelaziz have recently voiced their willingness to participate in a new round of UN-brokered talks.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/01/newsbrief-02.

Kadhafi ends term as AU head

2010-02-01

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has ended his 1-year tenure as AU head, international press reported Sunday (January 31st). African Union members attending the annual summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday elected Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi to replace Kadhafi. The body's leadership rotates among African regions, with North Africa holding the AU chairmanship last year under Kadhafi.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/01/newsbrief-01.

Muslim inventions that shaped the modern world

By Olivia Sterns for CNN
January 29, 2010

London, England (CNN) -- Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind.

But in fact, Yemen is where the ubiquitous brew has its true origins.

Along with the first university, and even the toothbrush, it is among surprising Muslim inventions that have shaped the world we live in today.

The origins of these fundamental ideas and objects -- the basis of everything from the bicycle to musical scales -- are the focus of "1001 Inventions," a book celebrating "the forgotten" history of 1,000 years of Muslim heritage.

"There's a hole in our knowledge, we leap frog from the Renaissance to the Greeks," professor Salim al-Hassani, Chairman of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilization, and editor of the book told CNN.

"1001 Inventions" is now an exhibition at London's Science Museum. Hassani hopes the exhibition will highlight the contributions of non-Western cultures -- like the Muslim empire that once covered Spain and Portugal, Southern Italy and stretched as far as parts of China -- to present day civilization.
Hospitals as we know them today, with wards and teaching centers, come from 9th century Egypt
--professor Salim al-Hassani

Here Hassani shares his top 10 outstanding Muslim inventions:

1. Surgery

Around the year 1,000, the celebrated doctor Al Zahrawi published a 1,500 page illustrated encyclopedia of surgery that was used in Europe as a medical reference for the next 500 years. Among his many inventions, Zahrawi discovered the use of dissolving cat gut to stitch wounds -- beforehand a second surgery had to be performed to remove sutures. He also reportedly performed the first caesarean operation and created the first pair of forceps.

2. Coffee

Now the Western world's drink du jour, coffee was first brewed in Yemen around the 9th century. In its earliest days, coffee helped Sufis stay up during late nights of devotion. Later brought to Cairo by a group of students, the coffee buzz soon caught on around the empire. By the 13th century it reached Turkey, but not until the 16th century did the beans start boiling in Europe, brought to Italy by a Venetian trader.

3. Flying machine

"Abbas ibn Firnas was the first person to make a real attempt to construct a flying machine and fly," said Hassani. In the 9th century he designed a winged apparatus, roughly resembling a bird costume. In his most famous trial near Cordoba in Spain, Firnas flew upward for a few moments, before falling to the ground and partially breaking his back. His designs would undoubtedly have been an inspiration for famed Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci's hundreds of years later, said Hassani.

4. University

In 859 a young princess named Fatima al-Firhi founded the first degree-granting university in Fez, Morocco. Her sister Miriam founded an adjacent mosque and together the complex became the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University. Still operating almost 1,200 years later, Hassani says he hopes the center will remind people that learning is at the core of the Islamic tradition and that the story of the al-Firhi sisters will inspire young Muslim women around the world today.

5. Algebra

The word algebra comes from the title of a Persian mathematician's famous 9th century treatise "Kitab al-Jabr Wa l-Mugabala" which translates roughly as "The Book of Reasoning and Balancing." Built on the roots of Greek and Hindu systems, the new algebraic order was a unifying system for rational numbers, irrational numbers and geometrical magnitudes. The same mathematician, Al-Khwarizmi, was also the first to introduce the concept of raising a number to a power.

6. Optics

"Many of the most important advances in the study of optics come from the Muslim world," says Hassani. Around the year 1000 Ibn al-Haitham proved that humans see objects by light reflecting off of them and entering the eye, dismissing Euclid and Ptolemy's theories that light was emitted from the eye itself. This great Muslim physicist also discovered the camera obscura phenomenon, which explains how the eye sees images upright due to the connection between the optic nerve and the brain.

7. Music

Muslim musicians have had a profound impact on Europe, dating back to Charlemagne tried to compete with the music of Baghdad and Cordoba, according to Hassani. Among many instruments that arrived in Europe through the Middle East are the lute and the rahab, an ancestor of the violin. Modern musical scales are also said to derive from the Arabic alphabet.

8. Toothbrush

According to Hassani, the Prophet Mohammed popularized the use of the first toothbrush in around 600. Using a twig from the Meswak tree, he cleaned his teeth and freshened his breath. Substances similar to Meswak are used in modern toothpaste.

9. The crank

Many of the basics of modern automatics were first put to use in the Muslim world, including the revolutionary crank-connecting rod system. By converting rotary motion to linear motion, the crank enables the lifting of heavy objects with relative ease. This technology, discovered by Al-Jazari in the 12th century, exploded across the globe, leading to everything from the bicycle to the internal combustion engine.

10. Hospitals

"Hospitals as we know them today, with wards and teaching centers, come from 9th century Egypt," explained Hassani. The first such medical center was the Ahmad ibn Tulun Hospital, founded in 872 in Cairo. Tulun hospital provided free care for anyone who needed it -- a policy based on the Muslim tradition of caring for all who are sick. From Cairo, such hospitals spread around the Muslim world.

Source: Central News Network (CNN).
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/01/29/muslim.inventions/index.html?hpt=C2.

Israel returns Lebanese shepherd

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Israeli forces on Monday handed over a Lebanese shepherd who strayed across the border to U.N. officials, but not before cease-fire concerns were raised.

A 17-year-old Lebanese shepherd was detained by Israeli forces when he wandered across the southern border during the weekend. Israeli forces handed him over to U.N. peacekeepers, who in turn handed him over to the Lebanese military.

Lebanese media reports said he showed signs of abuse upon his return. Michael Williams, the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, said Monday that he was "pleased" the man was released by Israeli forces and returned to Lebanon, Lebanon's Naharnet news service reports.

He added, however, that the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon was investigating the detention, stressing "much more needs to be done" to respect a 2006 cease-fire.

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 brokered a cease-fire to a 34-day conflict between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in 2006. The measure stressed both sides need to respect their border agreements.

Border tensions between Lebanon and Israel escalated in 2009. Israel has come forward with statements saying that if Hezbollah, now a part of the Lebanese government, launches another attack, there would be no distinction between the Shiite resistance and Lebanon's infrastructure.

Hezbollah maintains it is prepared for any conflict.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/02/01/Israel-returns-Lebanese-shepherd/UPI-27891265046841/.

'United' Somalia rebels vow loyalty to Al Qaeda

(WARNING): Article contains propaganda!

* * * * *

Somalia’s hardline Shebaab insurgents have agreed to join forces with a smaller southern militia and both groups professed their loyalty to Al Qaeda.

The failed Horn of Africa state has not had an effective central government for nearly two decades, leading to the rise of warlords, heavily armed criminal gangs and pirates who have been terrorizing shipping off its long coastline.

Western security agencies say the country has also become a safe haven for Islamist militants, including foreign jihadists, who are using it to plot attacks across the region and beyond.

In a statement dated last Friday but seen by Reuters yesterday, Shebaab and the smaller Kismayu-based Kamboni rebel group said they had put their differences behind them.

“We have agreed to join the international jihad of Al Qaeda ... We have also agreed to unite Shebaab and Kamboni mujahideen to liberate the Horn of Africa community who are under the feet of minority Christians,” the statement said.

“We have united to revive the military strength, economy and politics of our mujahideen to stop the war created by the colonizers, and to prevent the attacks of the Christians who invaded our country.”

In this context, “Christians” is believed to refer to Ethiopian troops who invaded Somalia in late 2006 and then withdrew, and to Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers serving with the African Union’s AMISOM force in Mogadishu.

The statement appeared to have been signed by senior rebels including Sheikh Hassan Turki, commander of the Kamboni militia, and the reclusive Shebaab leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane.

Security experts believe Shebaab’s total manpower is no more 5,000, while there are a few hundred Kamboni militiamen.

In the capital Mogadishu, insurgents fired mortar bombs at the presidential palace overnight, prompting return fire by troops there that killed at least 16 people, medical officials and residents said.

“Our team collected eight bodies of civilians who were killed in the shelling and 55 others who were injured, some of them seriously,” said Ali Musa, the head of the war-ravaged city’s ambulance service.

Witness Abdulahi Nure said four other civilians were killed by the artillery fire in another neighborhood.

A police official accused the radical insurgents of using the civilian population as human shields.

“They (rebels) fired mortar shells from the civilian populated areas using them as human shields,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“The terrorist fighters fired mortar shells at the palace and the AU peacekeepers responded targeting where those mortars were coming from,” he added.

One witness, Mohamed Aban Ilbir, said around 20 heavy artillery shells hit his the district of Suqaholaha.

“We are still shocked at this indiscriminate shelling,” he said.

Violence has killed at least 21,000 people in the failed Horn of Africa nation since the start of 2007 and driven another 1.5mn from their homes, helping trigger one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies.

Shebaab rebels routinely fire at the white-washed hilltop Villa Somalia palace compound from other parts of Mogadishu. Troops at the palace often launch shells back.

Residents and medical officials said several bombs struck around the city’s northern Suqa Holaha, or livestock market. “At least 16 people died and 71 others were wounded in four districts of Mogadishu,” said Ali Yasin Gedi, vice chairman of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Organisation.

Shebaab rebels and Hizb ul-Islam, another hardline Islamist militia, have repeatedly attacked Somali government forces and the AU peacekeepers since launching an offensive last May.

Source: Gulf Times.
Link: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=340583&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21.

4 Filipino peacekeepers home from Haiti

MANILA, Philippines — The remains of the four Filipino peacekeepers who died in last month’s deadly earthquake in Haiti arrived Tuesday morning.

Government and military officials, led by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, joined the families of Air Force Sergeant Janice Arocena, Navy Data Processor-3 Pearly Panangui, and Army Sergeant Eustacio Bermudez of the 10th Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent in Haiti and United Nations staff member Jerome Yap in an emotional homecoming at the Villamor Air Base.

Romulo paid tribute to the fallen UN peacekeepers and said their sacrifice will serve as an inspiration for future generations of peacekeepers. He met and expressed his condolences to the families of each of the four victims, whose flag-draped remains arrived on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 103 from Los Angeles at 5:25 a.m.

The four remains arrived home exactly three weeks after the earthquake leveled the capital, Port-au-Prince, and left more than 112,000 people dead.

“Today, it is with heavy hearts that we welcome our fallen home. But it is with deep pride that we can say that this great loss will serve as a real inspiration, not just for future generations of Filipino peacekeepers, but for all those working towards world peace,” said Romulo, who also heads the Interagency Council on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.

“As we grieve over our loss and the devastating tragedy caused by the earthquake in Haiti, we comfort ourselves with the thought that our fallen comrades spent the final moments of their lives in the service of peace and humanity,” Romulo added, noting that all four were on duty at the UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake struck.

The four Filipinos were among those killed when the multi-story headquarters of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) collapsed after the capital was struck by magnitude-7.0 earthquake on January 12. The dead included Ambassador Hedi Annabi, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Haiti and his deputy, Luiz Carlos Da Costa.

Romulo also paid tribute to members of the 10th Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent in Haiti led by Lieutenant Colonel Lope Dagoy and the Philippine National Police component led by Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Fuentes for immediately responding after the earthquake by taking part in search and rescue efforts as well as in looking after members of the Filipino community in Haiti.

Two other Filipinas remain unaccounted for and are believed to be in the rubble of the Caribbean Supermarket in Port-au-Prince.

Romulo said the death of the three military peacekeepers is the single biggest loss suffered by the Philippines in the 46 years it has been participating in UN peacekeeping operations.

Captain Emmanuel Rabaya was killed when an improvised explosive went off while serving in the UN Guard Contingent in Iraq in 1996 while Staff Sergeant Antonio Batomalaque of the 1st Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent in Haiti was killed when gunmen attacked UN peacekeepers in Port-au-Prince in 2005.

Romulo said Yap was the fifth Filipino lost while in the service of the UN since 2003 when a terrorist attack at the UN Headquarters in Baghdad claimed the life of Ranillo Buenaventura.

Three other UN staff members from the Philippines were killed in terrorist-related incidents: Jossie Esto of the UN Volunteers Program in Kabul in 2009; Perseveranda So of the UN Children’s Fund in Peshawar, also in 2009; and Gene Luna of the World Food Program in Algiers in 2008.

Source: Global Nation Inquirer.
Link: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100202-250902/4-Filipino-peacekeepers-home-from-Haiti.

Filipino general to lead UN peacekeeping in Golan Heights

MANILA, Philippines — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday named a Filipino general as the new Force Commander for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, tasked with observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the region.

Major General Natalio C. Ecarma will succeed Major General Wolfgang Jilke of Austria as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof), the UN office in Manila said Tuesday.

Last month, the Security Council extended the mandate of Undof—established in May 1974 following the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces after the 1973 war—to run until 30 June 2010.

The secretary general thanked Jilke for his outstanding service and leadership of 1,040-strong force over the past three years.

Ecarma will bring extensive experience to his new UN command. Prior to his present assignment as deputy commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps and concurrent commander of Marine forces in the southern Philippines, the general served as combat and service support brigade commander and Marine brigade commander.

Source: Inquirer Global Nation.
Link: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100202-250882/Filipino-general-to-lead-UN-peacekeeping-in-Golan-Heights.

Iran urges Uganda to lobby UN Security Council on uranium enrichment

Iran on Monday requested Uganda to lobby the United Nations Security Council not to sanction the Middle East country over its nuclear enrichment program, a statement issued here has said.

A State House statement said that an Iranian delegation led by Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he is attending the 14th African Union summit.

The delegation told Museveni that the impending sanctions against Tehran would be disastrous to the country's economy.

"The Iranian delegation expressed concern over the pending sanctions, saying that they would adversely affect the Iranian economy," the statement said in part.

The Iranian request comes just after two days Museveni told an Organization of Islamic Conference meeting here that countries should be free to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

He told the over 300 delegates from 30 Islamic countries that Uganda had already communicated its position to the Security Council.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6884955.html.

Iran produces first unmanned helicopter

Iranian researchers of Amir Kabir University of Technology successfully manufactured the first light unmanned helicopter in the country, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

The helicopter weighs 10 kg and can fly for one hour with airplane fuel, according to the report.

It is equipped with automatic system and can be used for transmitting information, taking photos and movies, and, in the inter-city journey, can be used as a traffic controller and firefighter, the report said.

On Sept. 3 last year, Iran's Khaje Nasir Toosi University of Technology unveiled the first Iranian two-seat electric urban car, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Dubbed "Qasedak-e Nasir" (Dandelion of Nasir), the vehicle powered by rechargeable batteries was developed by a group of young university researchers.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6884965.html.

UN chief urges rival Cypriot leaders to reach a quick solution

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called upon the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on Monday to proceed quickly and with "more courage" to a solution of the Cyprus problem .

"The negotiations are not easy but the time is ripe for a solution," Ban said at a joint press conference after day-long meetings in Nicosia with Cyprus President Demetris Christofias, who is also the Greek Cypriot leader , and Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader.

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have been engaged in negotiations on a Cyprus settlement for the past 17 months, reporting significant progress on the thorny issue of governance and power sharing between their communities.

"I am here to show my personal support for the negotiations, which belong to the Cypriots," Ban said. "It is important to give more push to the process."

He called for "vision and flexibility" and added that he was given assurances by the two leaders that they will work for a comprehensive settlement.

Both Christofias and Talat said they were committed to continue their negotiations and find a solution in the shortest time possible, despite an upcoming vote to elect a "president" of the breakaway state in the northern Turkish part of Cyprus.

The United Nations and diplomats in Nicosia are concerned that the vote may lead to a deadlock of the negotiations if right wing nationalist Turkish Cypriot politician Dervis Eroglu replaces moderate Talat as leader of the Turkish Cypriots.

"The elections are important but the negotiations are more important. We must continue negotiating and I am ready to shoulder my responsibilities," said Talat, echoing a call by Turkey for the talks to continue despite the upcoming election.

Ban hailed "significant progress" achieved during intensive talks aimed at reuniting Cyprus, which has been divided into ethnically separate regions since Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north in 1974 following to a coup by Greek army officers.

The Republic of Cyprus, which only effectively controls the Greek south, entered the European Union in 2004. It holds the key to Turkey's accession to the EU, because it can block further negotiations in reaction to Ankara's posture on a Cyprus solution.

Christofias made an oblique reference to Turkey's role when asked to comment on the negotiating process. He said there have been convergences on the governance issue but there are still important aspects which have not yet been discussed, such as international guarantees and tens of thousands of Turkish mainland settlers in the Turkish Cypriot north.

Britain, Turkey and Greece are guarantors of the Cyprus Republic established in 1960, when the island became independent from Britain.

Ban read a joint statement by the two leaders committing themselves to negotiations on all aspects of the Cyprus problem.

"Good convergence has already been achieved in some Chapters. For the rest, we are determined to work hard to achieve the desired progress," the statement said.

It added that the Cyprus problem has remained unresolved for too long and that time is not on the side of a settlement.

"We express our confidence that with good will and determination, we can achieve a solution in the shortest possible time," said the two leaders.

The statement came at the end of separate meetings Ban had with Christofias and Talat and a joint session with the two.

The UN chief crossed through the buffer zone controlled by United Nations peace keepers in the morning for a meeting and lunch with Mehmet Ali Talat in the Turkish Cypriot sector of the divided capital, Nicosia.

The meeting was held in the office of Mehmet Ali Talat, in a building designated as "presidential palace". This soured the climate, provoking protests by President Christofias and the entire Greek Cypriot political leadership.

Well informed government sources said Christofias expressed deep dissatisfaction to Ban Ki-Moon when they met later, at what he described as a violation of agreed protocol arrangements.

Greek Cypriot parties deplored the meeting at Talat's office as an act denoting recognition of the breakaway state entity in the occupied part of Cyprus, contrary to UN resolutions.

Some of the parties boycotted a reception hosted by the United Nations for leaders of both communities this evening.

Alexander Downer, Ban's advisor on Cyprus made a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General saying that the meeting at Talat's office had no political undertones.

"The United Nations recognize only the Republic of Cyprus," Downer said.

He added that Ban met with Talat in his capacity of the leader as the Turkish Cypriot community, in the context of the negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

"The venue of the meeting has no political significance," Downer underlined.

Despite the bickering, which underlines the difficulties ahead in the road to a Cyprus solution, Ban was received enthusiastically by crowds of Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

They gathered on both sides of the dividing line to watch him unveil a plaque commemorating the beginning of restoration work on old and crumbling buildings.

They waved banners and chanted slogans exalting Ban to help the reunification process.

The buildings stand on both sides of a narrow street joining the two sectors of the old part of the capital, encircled by a mediaeval Venetian wall.

Ban said this part of the city, serving as a crossing point between the two sectors of the city, "is a symbol of the will of the community leaders to overcome whatever problems in their way to solution of the Cyprus problem and build a common future".

Restoration work on the buildings is funded by the European Commission in a gesture of EU support to reunification efforts.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6885052.html.

Gaza 'Star of David' carving probed

JERUSALEM, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A 200-foot Star of David was carved into a Palestinian field in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, satellite images reveal.

A report prepared by the U.N. Institute for Training and Research and given to a commission probing alleged war crimes during the operation included photos of the Jewish symbol, which experts said was likely created by driving Israeli army tanks across cultivated fields and paved roads, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The Post said the army wasn't familiar with the field carving, which it apparently missed while going over the findings of the Goldstone Commission, led by South African jurist Richard Goldstone. UNITAR officials said the satellite image was taken some time between Jan. 3 and 10, 2009.

The Goldstone Commission was aware of the satellite image but made no mention of it in the report, in which both Israel and Hamas are cited for possible war crimes in Gaza, the newspaper reported.

Military sources told the Post it's possible the symbol was carved to mark the location to show the air force that soldiers operating nearby were Israeli.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2010/02/01/Gaza-Star-of-David-carving-probed/UPI-18881265031079/.

OIC approves Iran's proposal for Gaza Day

KAMPALA, Jan. 31 (MNA) -- The Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference has approved Iran’s proposal to designate a day on the official calendars of Islamic countries as the Day of Gaza and Resistance.

On Sunday, the PUOIC delegates declared January 18 the official Day of Gaza and Resistance.

The sixth summit of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC was held in Kampala, Uganda to discuss various issues Islamic countries are facing.

The delegates at the summit, which ended on Sunday, described the Palestinian issue as the most serious challenge the Middle East is facing.

The conference condemned the human rights violations committed by the Zionist regime in the Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza, and called on the member states to form a united front to demand the recognition of the Palestinians’ legitimate right to establish an independent state.

The final statement of the conference insisted that the Gaza blockade be lifted immediately, called for the reconstruction of the coastal enclave, and condemned the continued construction of settlements in the West Bank.

The conference reaffirmed the legitimate right of all countries to access nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes and called for international cooperation in facilitating the exchange of nuclear expertise and equipment for civilian applications.

It also denounced certain states’ threats to deprive other countries of their right to nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes.

The countries participating in the conference reaffirmed their commitment to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, voiced concern about the nature of Israel’s nuclear program, and stressed the need for a thorough inspection of Israel’s nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The OIC members also called for the dismantlement of the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, calling them a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.

In addition, the final declaration denounced terrorism and underlined the need for a distinction to be drawn between terrorism and resistance.

The conference also condemned the desecration of religious sanctities and called on the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution banning such acts.

The OIC member states also called for efforts to increase cooperation among Islamic states and asked their parliaments to pass laws to facilitate economic transactions between Islamic countries.

Source: Mehr News.
Link: http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=1027463.

Expert: Hainan might become the next Dubai

China is not Dubai, but while the whole country is regulating the real estate market, Hainan has become the exception with more money flocking there, China International Capital Corporation (CICC) chief economist Ha Jiming said January 30, 2010.

As for China's future house prices, Ha Jiming said, "Some people believe that China's house prices have another 20 or 30 years to grow, but I do not agree with this. I think in five years prices won't fall, but in 10 years or 15 years they are likely to fall. Between that it is hard to tell."

Ha said, "take housing prices in Shanghai for example, the ratio between monthly mortgage payments and income has reached as high as 106 percent, which is the Government's problem, not the problem of the market. The Government's policy has indeed made house price growth in some big cities faster than second and third-tier cities, therefore, the Government should increase investment in low-rent housing. Now the policy is changing, I think the future of house price growth in the first-tier cities will be slower than the second and third-tier cities. "

Ha Jiming said in the future, as more and more people may be able to inherit houses from their parents, and people no longer need to buy a house, house prices in China will surely decline.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90778/90862/6884058.html.

Beijingers care more about environment after Olympics: poll

Drinking water and air quality are the top two environmental concerns for people in the former Olympics host city of Beijing, according to the results of a government poll released Monday.

Zhang Baosen, an official with the Beijing Bureau of Environmental Protection, said 71.8 percent of the 1,320 Beijingers polled listed drinking water as one of their top concerns, and 67.4 percent listed air quality as another.

The poll suggested 83.3 percent of the Beijing residents were more environmentally conscious since the 2008 Olympics.

He said the door-to-door polling was used for the bureau's policy consultation.

"We've found the top environmental concerns are the quality of drinking water, air quality, environmental hygiene, energy-saving and noise control," said Zhang, also head of the bureau's environmental education center.

More than 90 percent of respondents said they wanted more environmental protection knowledge, while only 23.3 percent had the experience of taking part in environmental activities. But 80 percent said they were willing to participate in such activities.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6884845.html.

Russia Willing To Restore Soviet Legacy in Afghanistan

Russia is ready to restore 142 industrial facilities built by Soviet specialists in Afghanistan.

This information was released after the meeting between Russian and NATO’s Chiefs of General Staff on January 27, the first meeting after the events in the Caucasus of 2008. Officially, Moscow’s proposal was released on January 28 at the London conference on Afghan issues. Russia was represented at the conference by Sergey Lavrov, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The list of objects built at the expense of the USSR includes power stations, factories, oil plants, roads, power transmission lines, and pipelines. The reconstruction will require huge amounts of money that the Afghan government does not have.

The financial issue is the main issue of the conference. Russia does not suffer from money surplus and has already written off $10 billion of Afghan debt. The West is not eager to pay from their pockets either. Russians have all technical documentation, often unique, and they are the first candidates for restoration orders.

Russia’s ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia had been proposing restoration of Afghanistan for a long time. He mentioned that it was an old initiative.

“In the recent years, the Western presence in Afghanistan was due to the conducted antiterrorist operation. When Obama came to office, he proposed a new strategy that allowed for both the increase of troops and restoration of civil objects. This method had been tried out by the USSR. Within 10 years of presence, Russians built 140 large facilities. It created jobs and brought money into the budget. As a result, Afghanistan received a stable government that survived independently for three years under the pressure of Islamic fundamentalists. Now both Americans and their European allies are thinking about collecting donations for restoration of the Afghan economy. Russia has its own interests. The objects we built should be restored by us.”

“We are not talking about sending thousands of Russian workers to Afghanistan. We need to send engineers, and the issue of safety must be the most important one. We need money collected from international donors. Rich countries like EU could give us money. Many countries – NATO members would like to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan in exchange for money.”

Source: Pravda.
Link: http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/01-02-2010/111963-russia_afghanistan-0.

Algerian court convicts 2 Moroccans on terror-related charges

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Canadian Press, 2010

ALGIERS, Algeria - A lawyer for two Moroccan nationals on trial in Algeria says they have been convicted on terror-related charges.

Attorney Leila Hadjersi says Echebba Abdelghani and Legrine Salaheddine were sentenced Sunday to five years in prison and each handed a fine of 100,000 Algerian dinars (C1,000). Both had pleaded innocent to charges of "defense of terrorism." It's unusual for citizens of neighboring Morocco to be convicted on terror charges in Algeria.

The two were arrested in August 2008 while traveling to Algeria's Kabylie region, where al-Qaida's North African branch is active. The prosecution said the two confessed to plans to join the al-Qaida group.

Hadjersi said both later retracted their confessions.

Iran favors judicial cooperation with Algeria

31 January 2010

Tehran - Iran's Justice Minister Morteza Bakhtiari called for expanding judicial and legal cooperation with Algeria. In a meeting with the Algerian Ambassador to Iran Sofiane Mimouni, he described the two countries' fighting against the arrogant powers as their religious commonalities and said that they suffered a lot from the then oppressors, said a report by the Public Relations Department of the Justice Ministry.

"What made them successful against the plundering of the US and France was the progressive and illuminating Islamic thought," he said.

During the 50 years of Pahlavi reign over Iran, looting the country's assets had reached its zenith but the nation cut the Americans' hands off their country in light of the guidelines of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Revolution.

© IRNA 2010

Source: Zawya.
Link: http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100201055002/Iran%20favors%20judicial%20cooperation%20with%20Algeria.