DDMA Headline Animator

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Turkey may deport illegal Armenian immigrants

Turkey's prime minister has threatened to expel 100,000 illegal Armenian immigrants from his country, as the row over the World War I massacre of Armenians intensifies.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that action could be taken if foreign parliaments followed US suit by recognizing the massacre of Armenians by the Ottomans as genocide.

“In my country there are 170,000 Armenians; 70,000 of them are citizens. We are turning a blind eye to the remaining 100,000,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the BBC Turkish service late on Tuesday while on a visit to London.

“So, what am I going to do tomorrow? I may tell these 100,000 to go back to their country, if it becomes necessary,” he added.

Turkey recalled its ambassadors to Washington and Stockholm earlier this month after US and Swedish lawmakers passed votes branding the killing of Armenians as genocide.

Ankara reacted to the move by warning that the decision could hurt a fragile effort to reconcile with Armenia after a century of hostility.

In the interview, Erdogan said the Armenian diaspora has pushed the resolutions in the United States and Sweden and called on Armenia and other foreign governments to avoid being swayed by their lobbying.

Erdogan's Tuesday comments, however, did not go down well in Yerevan, where the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan described them as a “political statement” that could not help improve relations between the two neighboring states.

“I agree with the assessment that when the Turkish prime minister allows himself to make such statements, the events of 1915 immediately return to our memory,” he added.

Muslim Turkey and Christian Armenia signed historic accords last year to establish diplomatic ties and open their border, thanks to Erdogan's determination to champion a policy of reconciliation with Armenia in spite of domestic objection.

Analysts believe the Turkish prime minister's latest outburst probably has more to do with domestic political pressure than foreign policy, as he sees himself being accused of losing the genocide dispute.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121119§ionid=351020204.

Iran calls for firm action against Israeli provocations

Iran has called on the Islamic World to stop Israel's use of force against Palestinian protesters enraged by Israeli provocations in East Jerusalem al-Quds.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki made the request by forwarding official letters to Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC); Amr Moussa, the Arab League Secretary-General, plus Walid al-Muallem, Ali al-Shami, Nasser Judeh and Marty Natalegawa, the respective foreign ministers of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Indonesia.

On March 15, Israel reopened the Hurva Synagogue, as part of what Tel Aviv's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed as Israel's "heritage." The Hurva Synagogue is a ruined synagogue on Hurva Square in al-Quds.

The move has sparked protests by Palestinians who took to the streets in the holy city and elsewhere in the West Bank to protest against the move, which is seen as a threat to the sanctity of the al-Aqsa Mosque, which is Islam's third holiest place.

Israeli occupation forces fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse thousands of angry Palestinians.

Speaking today, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that "serious measures" were needed to stop Israel's inhumane and destructive acts at the holy site.

Mottaki said that the continued silence and inaction of Muslim and Arab countries would further embolden Israel in advancing its plans.

In his letter to Ihsanoglu, Iran's foreign minister called on the OIC to hold an emergency meeting on the issue.

He also suggested that Lebanon, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, propose an initiative at the Council to stop Israel's destructive measures.

Despite Israeli claim that there is no political motive behind the move, the reopening of the synagogue is widely regarded in the Muslim world as part of Tel Aviv's ploy to Judaize al-Quds.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121117§ionid=351020101.

Archeologists learn 'ancient synagogue' was 'Arab palace'

Ruins in northern Israel long thought to be of an 'ancient synagogue' have now been identified as the remains of a 7th Century palace built by Arab caliphs.

The study by archeologists show the place was used by the Umayyad caliphs, archaeologists said on March 16.

Arab historians have long described the site on the shores of the Sea of Galilee as forming a part of the al-Sinnabra Palace whose precise location had long been unknown.

Archeologists mistakenly identified the palace as a synagogue in the 1950s because of a carving of a menorah - a seven-branched candelabrum - on a stone.

However, the latest excavations in the site have confirmed it as a palace where the Umayyad rulers would spend the winter season. The Umayyads were the first Muslim dynasty and ruled from 661 to 750 CE.

Among the caliphs who used the palace was Abd al-Malik, who ruled from 685-705 CE and initiated the construction of the Dome of the Rock at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound which is Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121114§ionid=351020202.

Nigeria's acting president dissolves cabinet

Thu Mar 18, 2010

In a surprise move, Nigeria's acting president Goodluck Jonathan dissolves the cabinet one month after he took over executive powers in the African state.

The decision, which seems to be aimed at consolidating Jonathan's authority, has left the country's civil servants in charge of the cabinet until new ministers are selected.

"He did not give us any reason for the dissolution of the cabinet. Permanent secretaries will take charge of the ministries from tomorrow," outgoing Information Minister Dora Akunyili told reporters after a lengthy cabinet meeting.

This is Jonathan's first major act since he became the sole administrator of the country after Nigeria's ailing president Umaru Yar'Adua was deemed unable to discharge his duties due to health problems.

The dissolution of the cabinet comes amid reports of violence in the "Middle Belt" between its mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south, which has led to the killing of 400 people.

The 52-year-old acting president has been under pressure to move quickly and decisively in order to maintain security, fight corruption and organize transparent elections, since the country has a history of electoral fraud and violence.

Jonathan has vowed to hold a peaceful presidential poll in 2011 in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/121112.html.

Oldest temple in the world found in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey, March 17 (UPI) -- Archaeologists say a temple being excavated in southeastern Turkey is 12,000 years old and is likely the oldest temple ever uncovered.

The site was first identified in 1986 when a farmer tilling his field in Sanliurfa found a statuette in the soil, the Radikal newspaper reported Wednesday.

Since then, archaeologists have uncovered the foundation of the temple built in the Neolithic Age along with carvings of pigs, foxes, snakes, fawns and headless humans.

Officials with the Harran University Archaeology Department have yet to identify the culture that built the temple or their belief system, the newspaper said.

German teams were the first to excavate beginning in 1995, but the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry placed the site on its first-degree protection list in 2005, taking control of the research.

Prior to its discovery, the world's oldest known temple was in Malta, dating from 5,000 B.C.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/03/17/Oldest-temple-in-the-world-found-in-Turkey/UPI-74761268856609/.

Seoul's quick approval on Chinese envoy tightens diplomatic knot

Seoul - The South Korean government on Wednesday speedily approved Zhang Xinsen as China's new ambassador to Seoul amid signs of improving relations between the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's announcement of its endorsement of Zhang coincided with a three-day trip to China by South Korea's top diplomat.

Seoul's approval of the new Chinese envoy, a process that usually takes about a month, came 11 days after local media reported that Beijing had nominated Zhang for the post.

In addition, Zhang, a top diplomat at China's Foreign Ministry, has a higher rank than ambassadors China has previously sent to South Korea. Beijing had earlier been dispatching higher-level diplomats to its ally and fellow communist country North Korea while sending lower-ranking envoys to Seoul.

"I will work to further improve Seoul-Beijing relations during my tenure," Zhang, a director in the general office at China's Foreign Ministry, told South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan, according to local media in Shanghai.

Yu was visiting the city to tour the World Expo 2010 site and gauge the possibility of a trip by President Lee Myung Bak when the expo opens in May. Yu stopped in Shanghai en route to Beijing, where he was expected to discuss resumption of the six-nation talks on denuclearizing North Korea, in which China and South Korea are involved.

Zhang's appointment and approval came after Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited South Korea in December when he was hosted by Yu Woo Ik, who was the South Korean ambassador-designate to China at the time.

China's government was also quick to confirm Yu Woo Ik's appointment, in 17 days, in November.

The highest post at the Chinese embassy in Seoul has been empty since ambassador Cheng Yonghua's departure in February.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314538,seouls-quick-approval-on-chinese-envoy-tightens-diplomatic-knot.html.

Latvian government coalition collapses after a year

Riga - The Baltic state of Latvia faced political uncertainty Wednesday after the largest party in the ruling five- party coalition announced it was pulling out of government. The People's Party said it could no longer cooperate with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis of the New Era party after he refused to sign a four-point economic action plan drawn up by People's Party leader and former prime minister Andris Skele.

"We made the decision to leave because the prime minister did not give us a response of any substance to the points we raised," said Skele after a party meeting.

A statement released shortly afterward accused Dombrovskis of being "indecisive" and misleading the public.

The People's Party's serving ministers, which include Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins, would take no further part in government meetings and would tender their resignations, Skele said.

With general elections due on October 2, Dombrovskis and his remaining allies face the prospect of surviving for six months as a minority administration with control of just 47 seats in the 100-seat parliament or Saeima.

Earlier on Wednesday, Dombrovskis released the text of an open letter to People's Party members calling on them to put the good of the country before pre-election jockeying.

He also warned about the possible effects of a party political walk-out on the economy.

"Any contradictions in the government are immediately reflected in the financial markets, and they directly affect the fiscal stability our country...a policy that is truly responsible for the country cannot be self-centered," Dombrovskis said.

Dombrovskis was installed as prime minister on March 12, 2009 when the government of Ivars Godmanis collapsed after Latvia plunged into the deepest recession in the European Union.

One of Dombrovskis' first acts was to say Latvia was on the verge of bankruptcy, after which he managed to rescue a faltering 7.5- billion-euro (10-billion-dollar) loan package involving money from the European Union, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and regional governments.

In the intervening 12 months, Dombrovskis has successfully negotiated several crucial parliamentary votes to keep Latvia's assistance package on track despite rebellions by the People's Party.

However wage cuts and big reductions in public spending, plus continuing recession mean many Latvians are hard-pressed to make ends meet. The economy contracted by 18 per cent during 2009 and one in five of the working population is unemployed.

Asked on March 11 if he would still be in power at the time of the election, Dombrovskis said the probability was "more than 50 per cent" and that the public understood his program of austerity measures was necessary.

The People's Party is keen to promote itself as the party of an economic revival, even though many Latvians regard it as being largely responsible for the recession in the first place.

Even while it was still in government, the party was holding discussions with the opposition LPP/LC party about forming a new "Business party" that some have already branded the "Oligarch Party" owing to the involvement of both Skele and former transport minister Ainars Slesers, two of the richest men in the country.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314547,latvian-government-coalition-collapses-after-a-year.html.

Belarus police raid home of government critics

Minsk - Belorussian police on Wednesday raided the home of a high-profile government critic, and the offices of a human rights organization. Law enforcers entered the home of Andrei Sannikov, an outspoken opponent of authoritarian President Aleksander Lukashenko, and confiscated computer discs and books before leaving.

Twelve police officers also cordoned off and searched the editorial offices of the Minsk-based human rights group Charter 97, spokesman from the organization said.

Sannikov has announced plans to oppose Lukashenko in presidential elections scheduled in 2011.

"The regime is terrified of losing power. These coercive measures show the true face of leadership in Minsk - and not its supposedly moderate course toward the West," he said.

The Lukashenko regime in recent months has intensified efforts to control Internet access, and state monitoring of government critics, in a ramp-up to the upcoming elections, observers said.

A former collective farm boss, Lukashenko has repeatedly been called "the last dictator in Europe," by western critics.

Lukashenko has justified his tight control of Belorussian society as necessary to protect the former Soviet republic's economy from takeover by international capital, and to maintain living standards of average Belorussians.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314555,belarus-police-raid-home-of-government-critics.html.

Brussels piles pressure on Switzerland to end visa row with Libya

Brussels (Earth Times) - The European Commission piled pressure on Switzerland Wednesday, saying the country's visa row with Libya risks undermining "the overall coherence" of the border-free Schengen area. The move came a day after Malta announced its intention to defy Switzerland's request to its 24 Schengen partners to keep 188 Libyan officials - including leader Moamer Gaddafi - on a visa black list.

A spokesman in Brussels confirmed Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom called Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer- Schlumpf, urging her "to act rapidly to put an end to this bilateral controversy that risks undermining the overall coherence of the Schengen system."

The spat between Libya and Switzerland dates back to 2008 when Gaddafi's son, Hannibal, was arrested in Geneva, allegedly for mistreating his servants. The charges were later dropped but Libya retaliated by arresting two Swiss men on visa charges.

The crisis assumed a EU-wide dimension in early 2010. As Switzerland placed Gaddafi and other top officials on the Schengen black list, Libya responded by saying it would stop issuing visas to citizens from all Schengen-area countries.

After several failed EU mediation attempts, Malta said Tuesday it would by-pass the row by issuing "Malta-only" visas for Libyan citizens.

According to new rules entering into force on April 5, these so- called Limited Territorial Validity (LTV) visas could be extended to Schengen countries that wish to give their consent.

Malta has asked Spain, France, Italy and Portugal to join the LTV arrangement, and said it would extend the proposal to others at a meeting Monday in Brussels of the EU's foreign ministers.

If all Schengen countries from the EU agree, the Swiss visa ban would become practically worthless, as blacklisted Libyans would be allowed to travel in almost all of Europe.

The commission spokesman avoided commenting on the Maltese idea, but said Malmstrom was opposed to "any proposition or initiative (...) that would in effect call into question the very notion of solidarity between the countries that apply the Schengen rules."

He also declined to comment on a Libyan request for an official apology from the EU to end the controversy.

"I am not aware of any initiative of this kind," he stated.

All EU countries bar Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania take part in the Schengen agreements, plus non-EU members Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

France, Spain to redouble anti-ETA fight after cop slaying - Summary

Paris/Madrid - The killing of a French policeman late Tuesday by the Basque militant group ETA will intensify the cooperation between France and Spain in the fight against the group, Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Wednesday. "The murder of the police officer will lead the security forces in France and Spain to broaden their cooperation even more in the fight against ETA terrorism," Perez Rubalcaba said.

A man arrested shortly after the killing of the French police officer near Paris has admitted being a member of ETA, French media reported.

Citing judicial sources, the online edition of the weekly Le Point said that at least five other people, including one woman, were being sought in the murder, the first-ever killing of a French law enforcement official by the separatist group.

The dead policeman was identified as a 52-year-old father of four and a 30-year veteran of the police force.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero paid tribute to the victim by saying Wednesday in Madrid, "France has paid a high price for its support of the fight against ETA terrorism in Spain."

According to the sources, the incident began when a police patrol noticed four people filling four cars with petrol on a dirt road some 50 kilometers south of the capital.

The police officers accosted and disarmed the four when two more cars arrived on the scene, igniting a shootout. The police officer died shortly after being hit by a bullet from a. 357 Magnum handgun.

Police said the dead officer was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but the bullet struck him in the armpit, which the vest does not cover.

Shortly after the incident, French police arrested a suspect in the shooting. He was identified as 27-year-old Joseba Fernandez Aspurz, alias El Guindi, who is wanted in Spain on several charges of arson.

The six cars were reportedly stolen earlier Tuesday from a used- car lot.

French police and ETA have had numerous run-ins over the years, since members of the group often hide out and store their munitions on French territory.

In June 2009, two ETA members shot and wounded a gendarme as he approached them in their car. In November 2001, another gendarme was gravely wounded by ETA gunfire when he attempted to subject the driver of a minivan to a blood-alcohol test.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314564,france-spain-to-redouble-anti-eta-fight-after-cop-slaying--summary.html.

Rebuild Holy Mosque to keep sexes apart, Saudi cleric says

Riyadh - A hardline Saudi cleric has suggested demolishing the Holy Mosque in Mecca and rebuilding it in a drastic bid to prevent men and women from mingling during pilgrimages. Sheikh Youssef al-Ahmad told a Saudi satellite television channel Wednesday that the mosque should be demolished and replaced with a new one featuring "10, 20 or 30" floors.

The floors would then be divided between men and women, al-Ahmad said in video footage posted on the Internet.

The existing Holy Mosque has three floors and is the largest mosque in the world. It is built around the Kaaba, the most sacred place in Islam.

The Saudi cleric is known for his controversial religious views. He once issued a fatwa (an edict based on Islamic law) calling for the murder of anyone who allows unmarried men and women to mix.

Saudi Arabia's religious police enforces a rigid separation of unmarried men and women.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314566,rebuild-holy-mosque-to-keep-sexes-apart-saudi-cleric-says.html.

Sudan: Unamid Welcomes First Contingent of Female Police Officers From Namibia

17 March 2010

An advance team for the first ever all-female contingent of police officers to UNAMID arrived in Khartoum from Namibia yesterday to begin preparations for their deployment to Darfur.

The 17 newly-arrived police officers are expected to be joined later this month by 13 others, all of whom will be conducting patrols in and around IDP camps and training local residents in community policing.

To date, UNAMID Police force has 2,937 police advisers, representing over 77% of authorized strength of 3,772 of these, 257 are women. They are a vital asset as a great number of the victims of the conflict are women, many of whom will only approach female officers for assistance.

Source: allAfrica.
Link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201003170100.html.

Int'l donors pledge $3.8bn to fund Haiti reconstruction

Delegates of 28 countries at the preparatory committee for Haiti donors summit have pledged $3.8 billion to the quake-devastated nation for reconstruction.

"Donor countries and multilateral organizations on Wednesday approved a 3.8-billion-dollar fund the government of Haiti will receive over a period of 18 months," said the Dominican Republic's Minister of Economy Temistocles Montas in the Dominican capital.

“A governing committee integrated by Haiti's Government and the donors will administer the fiduciary fund, with the World Bank as an overseeing agent," said a statement issued in Santo Domingo on Wednesday.

At the meeting, which was jointly chaired by Haitian Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive and The Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez, the participants decided to add another $350 million to shore up Haiti's state budget.

Meanwhile, the Haitian government has estimated that the country requires $11.5 billion to rebuild after January's 7.0-magnitude earthquake ruined the impoverished Caribbean state.

Haiti's Tourism Minister Patrick Delatour said Tuesday the amount is only a rough estimate of the funds needed to completely reconstruct the nation.

However, details of the reconstruction plan, known as the Preliminary Damage and Needs Assessment, will be discussed at a major conference on Haiti due to be held at the end of March in New York.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121096§ionid=351020706.

Iranian bowman reaches Asian Archery finals

Iran's Nader Manouchehri has managed to enter the final stage of the 2nd Asian Archery Grand Prix, currently under way in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Iranian bowman advanced to the finals after defeating his Taiwanese rival in the semifinals of the event at the National Archery Range on March 17.

Manouchehri earlier beat rivals from Bhutan, Thailand and his countryman Keyvan Riazi to enter the semifinals.

The final match of the tournament is scheduled for today.

A total of 22 countries have taken part in the 2010 2nd Asian Archery Grand Prix, which is held from March 14 to 20.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121098§ionid=3510211.

Barca, Bordeaux reach Champions League quarters

Barcelona and Bordeaux reach the Champions League soccer quarterfinals after beating Stuttgart and Olympiacos respectively.

The defending Spanish champions Barcelona took the lead when Lionel Messi scored with a rising shot that beat goalkeeper Jens Lehmann just 13 minutes into the match at the Camp Nou late Wednesday, March 17.

Pedro Rodriguez doubled the advantage from Yaya Toure's centering pass in the 22nd minute of the game.

The Argentine soccer star Messi managed to find the net again with a low shot on the hour mark and the substitute Bojan Krkic made it 4-0 in the 89th minute.

"To reach the quarterfinals is very important. We were very, very intense in all facets, very aggressive. We played a great game," said Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola also praised the 22-year-old Messi for his great performance during the match.

"He was so decisive. Every great has a tendency to influence his team, like Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls. He's the best. We wouldn't trade him for anybody," he added.

Messi was also praised by Stuttgart boss Christian Gross through a translator.

"Messi's ability is incredible when you consider his age. I think it's fair to compare him to Diego Maradona."

“No discussion - Barcelona deserved to go on,” he added . “We started the game well but we couldn't stop Messi in the decisive moments.”

"Barcelona are strong individually and collectively and I think the elimination of Real Madrid gave them some extra motivation," he further explained.

Meanwhile, French champions Bordeaux cruised into the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Olympiakos, beating the Greek side 3-1 on aggregate.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121095§ionid=3510211.

Avalanche kills eight in Tajikistan

At least eight people have been killed after an avalanche struck a mountain road in the Central Asian state of Tajikistan.

The emergencies committee announced on Thursday that the avalanche hit several cars on a busy road between Dushanbe and Khujand.

"Eight bodies have been recovered so far," emergencies committee spokeswoman Munira Nazariyeva said.

"Rescue work is under way," Nazariyeva was quoted as saying by Reuters.

After heavy snowfalls during winter, the recent warm weather has caused avalanches in Tajikistan, where mountains account for 93 percent of the land area.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121091§ionid=351020406.

'9/11 panel was warned not to probe too deeply'

Leaked confidential documents have revealed that senior officials from the former US administration had warned a 9/11 investigation panel against probing too deeply into the terrorist attacks.

In a letter obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the 9/11 Commission was refused permission to question terror suspects, with the Bush administration arguing that by doing so the panel would "cross" a "line" and obstruct the administration's efforts to protect the nation.

Citing the need to "Safeguard the national security, including protection of Americans from future terrorist attacks," the government officials demanded the Commission not make further attempts at conducting a deeper probe into the September 11 terror attacks.

"As the officers of the United States responsible for the law enforcement, defense and intelligence functions of the Government, we urge your Commission not to further pursue the proposed request to participate in the questioning of detainees," the letter said.

The warning note dated January 6, 2004 has been signed by former Attorney General John Ashcroft, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and CIA Director George Tenet.

The 9/11 Commission was set up in November 2002 to prepare a full account of the circumstances surrounding the attacks, which still have an air of suspicion around them.

The revelation comes as according to a recent survey, one-quarter of US adults believe that the 2001 terrorist attacks were fabricated.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121085§ionid=3510203.

Israel plans massive settlement expansion

Reports say Israel planned to build hundreds of new housing units in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds as tensions mount in the city over the regime's settlement works.

Citing the Israeli media, Ma'an news agency reported Wednesday that the Israeli housing ministry plans to build 1,300 new buildings across the Pisgat Ze'ev, Nabi Yakov and Har Homa neighborhoods in East Jerusalem al-Quds.

The plan, however, requires an approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who had formerly vowed to continue settlement work in the occupied city "in the same way that has been customary over the last 42 years."

Based on the report, the construction plan has already received support from the regional construction committee and its execution only requires political backing.

Tension has been high in and around Old City in East Jerusalem al-Quds over the rebuilt of Hurva synagogue which was destroyed during the 1948 Middle East war.

Palestinians says the reconstruction is part of an Israeli plot to replace Palestinian mosques and churches with Jewish sites in the city.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121083§ionid=351020202.

Kucinich changes stance on health care, will vote yes

US lawmaker Dennis J. Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, dropped his long-standing opposition to President Barack Obama's health care reform plan, saying he will vote in favor of the bill.

Speaking at a news conference in the Capitol, Kucinich said "I've decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation. If my vote is to be counted, let it count now for passage of the bill, hopefully in the direction of comprehensive health care reform."

Kucinich made the announcement as he voted against an earlier version of the bill. The longtime congressman, however, stressed that he was still dissatisfied with key parts of the plan.

Meanwhile, President Obama described the turnabout as "a good sign," saying that he had thanked Kucinich for his decision to vote yes on health care.

Kucinich made an effort to explain influential factors in making his new decision, saying, "We have to be very careful that the potential of President Obama's presidency not be destroyed by this debate."

"Even though I have many differences with him on policy, there's something much bigger at stake here for America," he added.

Kucinich's decision to switch his vote comes as Republicans are still against the sweeping reform bill, arguing that it is the biggest government takeover of healthcare.

President Obama needs to round up 216 votes to secure the bill's passage as the vote is expected to be taken at the end of the week.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121080§ionid=3510203.

Russia seeks stronger Iran ties to confront threats

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin has called for stronger ties between the two neighboring countries.

Borodavkin held talks with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohammad-Mehdi Akhoundzadeh in Moscow on Wednesday and urged closer cooperation between Iran and Russia to confront existing regional and international threats, IRNA reported.

The Russian diplomat also called for cooperation between the two sides to tackle terrorism and extremism.

Borodavkin also noted that cooperation between Iran and Russia will also help resolve the current issues in the Caucasus and Caspian Sea region.

Akhoundzadeh, for his part, said that close cooperation between Iran and Russia will help confront challenges the two countries jointly face especially extremism and the rise of narcotics production in Afghanistan.

The Iranian official also described the presence of the foreign forces in Afghanistan as the reason behind the rise in drugs production.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121077§ionid=351020101.

Arab League ministers ask Swiss to end travel ban

18 March 2010

PARIS — Arab League interior ministers have asked Swiss authorities to end a travel ban on 188 Libyans and their families, including Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

Wednesday’s meeting in Tunis expressed solidarity with Libya in its dispute with Switzerland, which also has affected most of Europe as a result of retaliatory travel sanctions from Tripoli.

Switzerland is a member of the Schengen zone of open borders, so the ban means the Libyans can’t travel to any of the 25 countries in the group.

The dispute arose over the 2008 arrest of Gadhafi’s son Hannibal in Geneva on suspicion of beating servants in a luxury hotel.

Libyan Interior Minister Abdelfattah Younes Laabodo said the dispute will be discussed at a March 27-28 Arab summit in Libya.

Source: Khaleej Times.
Link: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/March/middleeast_March388.xml&section=middleeast&col=.

AL chief: Lebanon's participation in Libya's summit still under discussion

March 18, 2010

The visiting Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa Wednesday said Lebanon's participation in the Arab summit in Libya is still under discussion, adding that his meeting with Lebanese officials might lead to the country's appearance in the summit.

After his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman in the presidential palace near Beirut, Moussa told reporters that " the issue of (Lebanon's) participation in the Arab summit is under discussion."

Moussa refused to comment on Libya's invitation to Lebanon to the summit, which is slated for March 27-28, via the Lebanese embassy in Damascus, instead of delivering it directly to Suleiman.

However, he stressed through his discussions, there could be some hope for Lebanon's participation.

Moussa, who also met with Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Foreign Minister Ali Shami, announced that Lebanese officials have not asked "to include the issue of Imam Moussa Sadr in Libya's Arab Summit agenda."

The Shiite leader Moussa Sadr disappeared in Libya in 1978.

"If Lebanon wanted to enlist the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr as an item in the Arab summit agenda, it should have asked that," he added.

Last week, reports said Suleiman decided not to represent Lebanon in the summit.

However, local daily Al-Liwaa quoted Arab diplomatic sources as saying that Moussa is trying to ensure "adequate" Lebanese participation in the Arab summit in Libya.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6923436.html.

Hamas warns about Israel's conspiracy

Hamas has expressed concern over an Israeli conspiracy to empty Jerusalem al-Quds of its Palestinian residents after the inauguration of a synagogue in the Old City near the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Hamas deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzuk told Press TV that the Tel Aviv regime is determined to replace Palestinian mosques and churches with Jewish sites in East Jerusalem al-Quds.

He said Israeli police deployed thousands of forces to the city in a bid to force Palestinians into leaving it.

His remarks came amid international concerns over the regime's moves which threaten Christian and Muslim sites.

The US State Department's annual report on human rights denounced Israel for only protecting Jewish sites in Jerusalem al-Quds, saying Christian and Muslim houses of worship are neglected, inaccessible, or threatened by property development.

Israel reopened the Hurva synagogue which was destroyed during the 1948 Middle East war, on Monday.

The incident has been the latest to provoke tension between Israeli forces and Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.

Israel, which seized East Jerusalem al-Quds and the Holy City area in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it afterward, claims the city is its eternal and indivisible capital.

The claim, however, has not been recognized by the international community.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121076§ionid=351020202.

Gazans find glimmer of luxury in thriving gold bazaar

By Mai Yaghi (AFP)

GAZA CITY — Gaza's borders are closed and its economy in shambles, but the glittering alleys of the territory's centuries-old gold bazaar are packed with young brides to be.

The market has experienced an unlikely renaissance in recent years as Gaza's Islamist Hamas rulers have championed weddings and Israeli closures have crippled the local economy, making gold an attractive investment.

"Not only have we not been hurt by the Israeli blockade, but our business has actually gotten better," gold merchant Iyad Basal says as people cram into his crowded family-run shop.

"We have not stopped working since the blockade because the gold comes to us through smuggling and Hamas encourages marriage," he adds.

Israel and Egypt have largely sealed Gaza's borders since Hamas seized power in June 2007, but some merchants have survived and even thrived by importing products through smuggling tunnels beneath the Egyptian border.

Others have jewelry brought in through the Erez pedestrian crossing with Israel, which is usually open to foreign journalists, aid workers and Palestinians with special permits.

Hamas has encouraged marriage by holding mass weddings, running a matchmaker service for war widows and other poor girls and giving financial support to thousands of young men hoping to settle down.

Hassan al-Juju, a judge in the Islamic family courts run by the group, says the rate of marriage in 2009 was higher than any year in the last decade.

The effects can be seen in Gaza City's Qaisariya Market -- a 600-year-old covered bazaar largely destroyed by Allied shelling during World War I -- which on most days is packed with young brides-to-be.

"Gold has become expensive but there is no beauty in a bride without gold. Her joy just wouldn't be the same," says Amal, 25, as she tries on necklaces in gleeful anticipation of her approaching wedding day.

In Gaza the groom traditionally gives money to the bride-to-be, usually a few thousand dollars, part of which is spent on gold jewelry. The Muslim tradition is in part aimed at providing women with financial security.

As in other parts of the world struck by financial crises, ordinary Gazans have also turned to gold as a secure investment and an alternative to local banks which are frequently short on cash.

"Those who have money buy gold because they can't build and they can't put money in the banks because of the liquidity crisis," says one trader who asked not to be named.

Another trader, Mohammed Yunis, says his sales have gone up by 20 percent in the last three years, in part reflecting the improved security since Hamas solidified its control over the territory.

"Hamas has provided security since they took over, so we no longer fear the theft that used to be rampant," he says.

The merchants admit that prices have gone up, in part because of the heavy fees charged by smugglers, who can tack on up to 50 percent of the price of jewelry, but customers appear to be willing to bear the burden.

"I would have preferred not buying gold now and saving money until the price goes down a little, but my family insisted that I buy it now before the wedding," said Nisma, a 23-year-old bride.

"My mother said, cheap or expensive, the bride has to wear gold, even if only a little... It's better than going to your husband's house with nothing."

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