Iran wants US nukes dismantled

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the United States should dismantle its nuclear bases around the world as a step to create a nuke-free world.

"Nuclear weapons stationed in military bases in the US and those in its allied countries such as Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands must be dismantled," President Ahmadinejad said in an address before the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday.

"Those who used nuclear weapons for the first time in history are the most detested and disgraceful people in the world," he said, adding that nuclear arms are "the most disgusting and shameful kind of weapons in the world."

The United Sates, despite being a signatory to the NPT, is the "main suspect" responsible for the stockpiling, spread and the threatening of other nations with nuclear weapons, the Iranian president said.

Ahmadinejad noted that "possessing nuclear weapons is nothing to be proud of," while criticizing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for adopting a double standard toward nuclear-armed countries and those seeking nuclear energy.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened the review conference, held every five years to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, at the UN headquarters.

Ahmadinejad, who is the only head of state attending the summit, said world powers should set a deadline to create a nuke-free world, calling on the UN to rebrand the NPT as the "Disarmament NPT."

The Iranian president, who described as "hazardous" the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons by world powers, criticized the United Nations for its inability to establish sustainable security for the world against nuclear weapons.

He stressed that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation have not materialized, saying that the US should be blamed for the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

World powers, he said, should live up to their obligations under the NPT.

Ahmadinejad also provided a comprehensive resolution to strengthen the non-proliferation treaty:

- Nuclear disarmament should be put at the core of the NPT mandate through "transparent binding and effective mechanisms."

- The establishment of an independent, international group to fully materialize Article 6 of the NPT; including planning and supervising nuclear disarmament and preventing proliferation.

"All these nuclear weapons should be eliminated within a timetable set by this group."

- The introduction of legally binding, comprehensive security guarantees, without discrimination or preconditions until the achievement of full nuclear disarmament by nuclear-armed states.

- The immediate termination of all types of research, development or improvement of nuclear weapons and their related facilities.

- The adoption of a legally binding instrument on the full prohibition of production, stockpiling and improvement proliferation, maintaining and use of nuclear weapons.

- The suspension of membership in the IAEA board of governors for states that use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.

"The presence of such members has allowed the agency to deviate from conducting its authorized missions."

- The secession of all kinds of nuclear cooperation with non-signatories of the NPT and the adoption of effective punitive measures against all those states which continue to cooperate with such non-member states.

- Considering any threat to use nuclear weapons or any attack on peaceful nuclear facilities as a breach of international law.

- Immediate and unconditional implementation of the resolution adopted by the 1995 Review Conference on the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.

- Collective effort to reform the structure of the (UN) Security Council as its current structure mainly serves the interests of nuclear weapons states.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125314§ionid=351020104.

Plan to keep US base angers Japanese

Angry residents of Okinawa have rejected a plan by the Japanese prime minister to keep at least part of a disputed US military base on the island.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said on Tuesday that removing the US Marines' Futenma air base from the southern island of Okinawa would be impossible.

"We have reached a conclusion that it is difficult to relocate all of Futenma's functions outside the country or the island because of a need to maintain deterrence under the Japan-US alliance," he said after a meeting with local officials in Okinawa.

Hatoyama went on to express hope that islanders would accept a plan to transfer some US Marines to the tiny island of Tokunoshima, located in northeast of Okinawa.

The Japanese official, however, was greeted by angry protesters who demanded him stick to his election promise of moving the airbase off the island altogether.

Some 47,000 US troops are currently based in Japan, with more than half of the soldiers stationed in Okinawa.

The issue has threatened the political future of Hatoyama with both Washington and his political allies putting him under pressure to find a solution to the deadlock.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125449§ionid=351020406.

Iran students to march to UN office

Iranian students plan to hold a gathering in front of the United Nations office in Tehran in protest to the US threat of a nuclear attack on Iran.

The Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), issued by the US administration early last month, purportedly restricts the use of nuclear arms against most states, except Iran and North Korea.

Iran has slammed the report and lodged an official complaint to the United Nations.

The student gathering will begin at 10 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) on Wednesday, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) quoted deputy head of the Iranian Students Center Gholamreza Khajesarvi as saying.

He added that the Center plans to collect signatures for a letter to the UN secretary-general in protest to US efforts to stop Iran's nuclear program.

The US and its Western allies accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has denied the allegations, stressing that its nuclear program is solely aimed at the civilian applications of the technology.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a Monday speech at the UN headquarters in New York that the United States should dismantle its nuclear bases around the world as a step to create a nuke-free world.

The United Sates, despite being a signatory to the NPT, is the "main suspect" responsible for the stockpiling, spread and the threatening of other nations with nuclear weapons, the Iranian president said in an address before the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125445§ionid=351020101.

Qajar artifact found in Tehran museum

Iranian experts have discovered an exquisite artifact in Tehran's Malek Museum, which they believe was crafted by a famous Qajar painter and miniaturist.

The lacquer pen-box caught the eye of art expert Ramin Merati during a restoration project at the museum.

Merati noticed the signature of renowned Qajar painter Saniolmolk, while he was working on the pen-box, which is made of papier mache and adorned with European-style lacquer painting.

The signature is in gold and includes a date, showing that the pen box was made in 1863. The artifact is one of the 96 luxury lacquer pen boxes housed at the Malek Museum

Mirza Abolhassan Khan Ghaffari, known as Saniolmolk, is one of the most famous painters of early 19th century Iran.

Saniolmolk studied art in different Italian academies and museums in Rome, the Vatican, Florence and Venice, making copies of Italian paintings, such as Madonna Di Foligno by Raphael.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125444§ionid=351020105.

Italy fines Muslim woman for veil

Officials in Italy's northwestern city of Novara have fined a Muslim woman 500 euros (650 dollars) for wearing a full Islamic veil on the streets.

The 26-year-old Tunisian woman, who was accompanied by her husband, refused on Monday to remove her burqa for the Italian police to identify her.

The woman named Amel Marmouri received a 500-euro (650 dollars) fine despite showing her face to a policewoman dispatched to the area later.

"City police ticketed her last night and she will have to pay a 500-euro (650 dollars) fine," Novara municipal police official Mauro Franzinelli told AFP.

"As far as I know this is a first in Italy," the official added.

Certain European countries are considering a controversial law that requires Muslim women to dismantle their burqa in public.

Right activists maintain that the move would challenge European Convention on Human Rights that claims to guarantee fundamental freedoms of individuals.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125443§ionid=351020606.

Ahmadinejad shrugs off US sanctions

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has shrugged off the US threats of sanctions, saying Iran is well-prepared against them.

"Iran is not worried about US sanctions; it is used to 30 years of sanctions," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Charlie Rose, published on May 3, according to ISNA.

"Sanctions are meaningless in the world of free trade," he added.

Ahmadinejad further criticized the West for "politicizing" Iran's nuclear program, which the US and its allies claim is aimed at developing atomic weapons.

Iran has categorically rejected the allegations and says it has the right to use nuclear technology for civilian purposes as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"We are opposed to nuclear weapons and we do not intend to make any. We are not afraid of any one and have the courage to publicly state out our intentions if we decide to develop a nuclear bomb," Ahmadinejad said.

"Nuclear weapons are the gravest danger that threatens our world. Iran has solutions for nuclear disarmament, preventing the Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and building a peaceful world."

The Iranian president's interview came before his address the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at the UN headquarters in New York, where he set out details of a comprehensive resolution to strengthen the NPT.

He said nuclear disarmament should be put at the core of the NPT mandate through "transparent binding and effective mechanisms."

Ahmadinejad further called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons within a timetable set by an independent, international group.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125442§ionid=351020104.

Congo to step up war against rebels

Tue May 4, 2010

Congolese President Joseph Kabila is planning to intensify military operations against rebel groups instead of resorting to diplomatic efforts, his top aide says.

"The president does not believe in a political solution," Kabila's diplomatic adviser Seraphin Ngwej said on Monday.

"For the president, the only solution is an intensification of military operations," Ngwej told Reuters.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been struggling with violent conflict caused by rebel groups -- the Rwandan Hutu, local Mai-Mai in the east and Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) -- for almost two decades.

"We need to intensify the current operations," Ngwej said about the conflict in the east.

Congo launched a new wave of military operations against the rebels in the east in March, committing 18 battalions to a series of targets in north and south Kivu provinces.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/125441.html.

UK refuses entry to new Mossad agent

The UK refuses to accept a new representative of Israel's Mossad spy agency after Israeli operatives used fake British passports in the killing of a Hamas leader in Dubai.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday that despite a former agreement to replace a former agent expelled in March, London refused entry to a new operative.

"We have had no approach from the Israelis about a replacement. However, we look to Israel to rebuild the trust we believe is required for the full and open relationship we would like," a Foreign Office spokesman told the daily.

The Israeli diplomat -- believed to be a Mossad agent in London -- was expelled after Israeli operatives used British passports in the assassination of senior Hamas commander Mahmud al-Mabhuh in Dubai on January 19.

The assassination was carried out by a terror team comprised of twelve British, six Irish, four French, three Australian and a German passport holder believed to have been Mossad agents, according to Dubai police.

According to the Foreign Office spokesman, officials in London expect Tel Aviv to provide "specific assurances" that it would never use British passports in its operations.

"Any Israeli request for the diplomat to be replaced would be considered against the context of these UK requests," he added.

The report comes as Israel is mainly concerned about its ties with the United Kingdom ahead of the country's general elections scheduled to be held this week.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125437§ionid=351020606.

Police rejects new statue theft reports

Tehran's deputy police chief Hossein Sajedinia has dismissed media reports about more statue thefts over the past two days in the Iranian capital city.

“There have been reports of new statue thefts in the media, which are not true,” Sajedinia told Mehr News Agency.

“One of the reports was about the bust of Persian poet Abu-Said Abul-Khayr, which was not stolen but set on fire during the post-election unrest,” he added.

A police investigation has been launched into the serial theft of bronze statues across Tehran.

A total of ten bronze busts of social, cultural and literary figures have been stolen in the capital, since the start of Nowruz (Persian New Year) in late March.

The bust of contemporary Persian poet Mohammad Hossein Shahriar was the first to be stolen from the courtyard of Tehran's City Theater. The last stolen statue belongs to Persian polymath, Avicenna.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125430§ionid=3510212.

Iran summons UAE envoy

Iran has summoned the United Arab Emirates charge d'affaires in Tehran over UAE foreign minister's recent claims on the ownership of the three Persian Gulf islands.

In late April, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan raised eyebrows when he compared Iran's ownership of three islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, to Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands.

The UAE's charge d'affaires, in the absence of the country's ambassador, has been summoned and was issued a stern warning to his country because of the "brazen and impudent words of UAE Foreign Minister," Ramin Mehmanparast, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

“There was also a meeting held in the UAE, and they were conveyed the displeasure of our officials towards their unmeasured statements,” he said.

The three Persian Gulf islands have long been owned by Iran, the proof of which is found and corroborated independently of each other in countless historical, legal and geographical documents in Tehran and other parts of the world.

The islands temporarily fell under British control in the 1800s, but were nevertheless returned to Iran on November 30th 1971 through legal procedures long before the statehood of the United Arab Emirates was declared and the al-Nahayan clan assumed leadership.

UAE and Iran have strong trade relations; however, in the wake of the UAE foreign minister's controversial remarks, the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) has instituted measures to lower the level of relations between Iran and the tiny Arab sheikhdom.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125429§ionid=351020101.

China, Turkey want diplomacy on Iran

UN Security Council member states China and Turkey have reiterated commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the impasse over Iran's civilian nuclear program.

"We will do everything possible to build trust between Iran and the United States and Iran and the West to avoid a military confrontation and possible sanctions," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying by London-based Al-Hayat newspaper.

Davutoglu went on to call for "more diplomatic efforts to engage with Iran in order to build trust between (all) sides.”

The remarks come one day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in an address before the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at the UN headquarters in New York, confronted the United States for refusing to exclude Iran from the list of countries that could become the target of US nukes.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters on Tuesday that the permanent UNSC member state was in favor of “relevant measures” to help resolve the issue through talks.

"Dialogue and negotiations are the best way out to resolve this issue and relevant discussions are still under way," she added.

Washington and its allies are rallying support for tougher UNSC sanctions against Iran. However, the imposition of sanctions requires nine affirmative votes including those of the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council.

Permanent UNSC member China and temporary members Turkey and Brazil are among the countries that support Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program.

While the West accuses Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program, Tehran has repeatedly rejected the allegation and argues that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it is entitled to the peaceful use of the technology for electricity generation and medical research.

President Ahmadinejad offered an itemized proposal to the NPT review conference, calling for measures to limit the power held by nuclear armed states in the UNSC.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125428§ionid=351020104.

Army capt. convicted of theft in Iraq

A US army captain in Iraq has been convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the funds allocated to humanitarian work in the war-torn country.

Michael Dung Nguyen, 28, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to theft and money laundering charges in December.

The Oregon man, a graduate of West Point, admitted to stealing more than $690,000 from Commander's Emergency Response Program funds entrusted to him. The currency was intended as payment for security contracts as well as humanitarian relief and reconstruction programs.

US District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty also ordered Nguyen to undergo mental health treatment and serve three years of supervised release after his term in jail.

The convict is also required to pay back $200,000 he spent on luxurious cars and other items in an attempt to hide the embezzled money.

Federal investigators say Nguyen, a purchasing officer in Muqdadiya, Iraq, stole bills from the bundled stacks and mailed them in boxes to his family home in Beaverton, Ore.

Nguyen reportedly tried to hide the money shortly after his return from Iraq in 2008 by depositing it at banks around Portland, bought a BMW, a Hummer, electronic equipment and furniture.

The investigators also found $300,000 cash hidden in the attic of his house.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125426§ionid=351020201.

Iran Navy plane 'was filming US carrier'

Iran's navy commander has confirmed the flight of an Iranian aircraft near a US warship in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

On Tuesday, CNN quoted a senior US military officer as saying that an F27 aircraft of the Iranian Navy flew as low as 300 feet near the USS Eisenhower on April 21.

"US warships tread the free waters of the Gulf of Oman and it is Iranian navy's duty to conduct routine surveillance flights in the region," Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the Iranian Navy commander, said in a Tuesday news conference.

"The F27 plane of the navy flew above this aircraft carrier and took a thorough film," he added.

According to US military officials, the Eisenhower was on duty in the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea when the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft flew within 1,000 yards (915 meters) of the vessel.

The Iranian aircraft was an unarmed Fokker F27 and remained in the vicinity of the Eisenhower for about 20 minutes before leaving the area, US army officials said.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125423§ionid=351020101.

Iran ready to supply oil to Pakistan

Iran has expressed willingness to supply crude oil to Pakistan on a deferred payment basis, stating optimism that the deal would take effect in the near future.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Ameer Mansoor said Monday that the country's oil minister was quite positive on a proposal to sell oil to Pakistan on a deferred payment basis.

The Iranian official raised the issue in a meeting in Islamabad with Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Gilani said Pakistan desires to strengthen brotherly relations with Iran and cement ties into concrete economic linkages through commerce and trade.

Both countries, he added, have the capabilities to face and resolve economic and security challenges at bilateral and regional levels.

Regional cooperation is one of the issues that will be discussed in Borghei's upcoming two-day trip to Pakistan.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is to attend the Iran-Pakistan 18th joint economic commission to be held in Pakistan within the next two months.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125414§ionid=351020103.

Iranian Navy to hold major drill in PG

The Iranian Navy plans to stage a massive military exercise in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, according to a senior naval commander.

Navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said that the drill code-named Velayat 89 will kick off on Wednesday.

He said that the major exercise will be carried out in six phases and last eight days.

The commander said that the drill would cover an area of 250 thousand square kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz to the northern Indian Ocean.

The drill aims to display Iran's prowess in defending the country's territory and carries the message of “peace and friendship” for regional countries, Sayyari said.

The major naval drill comes less than two weeks after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps held a massive military drill in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz with the main aim of preserving the security of the region.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman. Nearly 40 percent of the world's crude oil passes through this waterway.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125412&sectionid=351020101.

Iran unveils new anti-cruise system

Iran unveils an advanced anti-cruise missile artillery system in line with a plan to boost the country's defensive capabilities.

Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi told reporters Saturday that the domestically-developed system dubbed Mesbah I can be used against low-altitude targets, including cruise missiles, choppers and drones.

He said the new system, capable of firing "four thousand shells per minute,” features unique properties that differentiates it from similar air defense systems in the region.

In addition to its fire power combined with high precision, the minister said, the new system is equipped with a three-dimensional interception radar as well as an optical guidance system.

According to the minister, the system can also conduct aerial reconnaissance and destroy unmanned aircrafts.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125411&sectionid=351020101.

Tehran to open 23rd int'l book fair

Iran is to hold the 23rd Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) to provide a venue for international publishers to offer their latest published works.

The TIBF is regarded as one of the important international gatherings in the publishing industry and the most significant publishing event in Asia and the Middle East.

The book fair will play host to around 2,000 publishers exhibiting 200,000 books. Some 980 foreign publishers from across the globe are gathered together to put 170,000 titles on display.

The international event provides an opportunity for book dealers to negotiate for their business in future years .

Held in a 120,000 square meter venue, the 23rd Tehran International Book Fair is scheduled to be held from May 5 to 15, 2010 on the premises of the Iranian capital's Mosalla Site.

The public may find further details on the event at the fair's official website at: www.tibf.ir.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125410§ionid=3510212.

Railway strike strands Mumbai commuters

New Delhi - A strike by drivers on Mumbai's suburban railway network stranded more than 6 million commuters in India's financial hub Tuesday, news reports said.

The Western and Central railways, which run the local train services that are the lifeline of commuters in Mumbai, were running just 15 per cent of its trains, NDTV news channel reported.

The drivers began the strike Monday evening to demand higher wages and allowances.

The dispute spilled over into parliament, which adjourned for an hour amid heated arguments between opposition and ruling alliance members.

Mumbai's western and eastern express highways were jammed with commuters looking to reach their destination, NDTV reported.

At least 170 striking drivers were taken into custody for unlawful assembly and obstructing rail employees from reporting for work, Government Railway Police Commissioner Tukaram Chavan was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

"We have deployed adequate police force at all the stations in Western and Central railways to avoid any violent situation," Chavan said.

Ten drivers were dismissed for refusing to work and the government was considering whether it should invoke the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act, which would make the strike illegal, PTI reported.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan called an emergency meeting with police, railway and transport officials to discuss the situation.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321873,railway-strike-strands-mumbai-commuters.html.

Spain's jobless rate declines slightly in April

Madrid - Spain's unemployment rate declined slightly in April, after soaring past 20 per cent in the first quarter, the Labor Ministry said Tuesday.

The number of officially registered unemployed people went down by 0.58 per cent to about 4.1 million people, thanks to job creation, mainly in the construction, services and industry sectors.

However, the statistics body INE did not release the precise level of the unemployment rate.

The statistics body INE announced last week that the jobless rate had soared to 20.05 per cent in the first quarter, twice the European Union average. It was the first time in 13 years that Spain's unemployment had exceeded 20 per cent.

The effects of the global crisis have been worsened by the collapse of Spain's important construction sector, plunging the country into its deepest recession in 60 years.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321876,spains-jobless-rate-declines-slightly-in-april.html.

Greek protesters unveil banner on ancient Acropolis - Update

Athens - The ancient Acropolis became the latest stage for the country's financial crisis on Tuesday when protesters draped it with a huge banner calling for the "people of Europe" to "rise up" against austerity measures by the Greek government.

The most recent in a series of protests in Greece came just days after the cash-strapped government unveiled a series of budget cuts in exchange for a 110-billion-euro (145-billion-dollar) bailout package by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

EU leaders agreed on Sunday to activate the three-year rescue program.

The new measures, in exchange for the bailout, will consist of deeper cuts in pensions and public servants' pay as well as a hike in consumer taxes.

Approximately 200 protesters from Greece's communist union cut through the locks in the gates of the ancient site and unfurled the large banner from the stone walls of the ancient hilltop citadel, Greece's most famous ancient monument, which looms over Athens.

The banner reads "Peoples of Europe Rise Up," in Greek and English.

Public servants, including teachers and doctors, launched a 48- hour strike on Tuesday, with marches planned later in the day.

Hundreds of flights are expected to be disrupted Tuesday after the country's civil aviation authority said it would only allow airlines to carry out one flight per destination.

Greek airspace is also to be completely closed to international flights on Wednesday, stranding thousands of travellers.

Clashes broke out in front of the Education Ministry early Tuesday after teachers attempted to break through a police barricade and occupy the building in central Athens.

On Wednesday, a 24-hour strike called by the private sector is due to shut down all services, including shops, across the country. Public transport will also grind to a halt.

Union leaders say the austerity measures are unfair because they target low-income Greeks.

Late Monday, protesting school teachers forced their way into Greece's state television building, disrupting programming.

Many Greek teachers work for years on part-time salaries as low as 450 euros a month, with no benefits, the teachers' union said.

Greece's Socialist government rushed to push a fresh round of spending cuts through parliament on Monday in accordance with the terms of the bailout, despite the public backlash.

Running a debt of more than 300 billion euros and a budget deficit of 13.6 of GDP, Greece is in urgent need of funds before May 19 in order to refinance a 9 billion euro 10-year bond.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321881,greek-protesters-unveil-banner-on-ancient-acropolis--update.html.

Malaysia approves plans for first nuclear power plant

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia has approved plans for its first nuclear power plant to begin operations in 2021 to help meet rising energy needs, a minister said Tuesday.

The economic council gave the go-ahead to identify possible sites for the plant, Energy Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui said.

"Building the first plant needs a lead time of at least 10 years," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper. "We need to look at the safety aspects, human resources and the location."

He said final approval would have to be given by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Malaysia currently relies on fossil fuels and hydroelectric power.

"Nuclear energy is the only viable option toward our long-term energy needs," Chin said. "Our energy mix is rather unhealthy. We are depending too much on coal and oil."

He said the technology and expertise for the plant would likely come from South Korea, China, France or Japan.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321891,malaysia-approves-plans-for-first-nuclear-power-plant.html.

Taiwan opens tourism representative office in Beijing

Beijing - Taiwan opened its first tourism representative office in Beijing on Tuesday, marking another indication of improving ties between the island and the mainland.

The office is located in a high-rise across the street from Beijing's the famous silk market, a popular tourist spot in the Chinese capital.

"Everybody can find us," Taiwan tourism officials were quoted as saying by Beijing newspapers.

Taiwan Tourism Minister Janice Lai was present at the opening of the representative office in Beijing.

The chairman of China National Tourism Administration, Shao Qiwei, is scheduled to open a tourism office in Taipei on Friday.

Both offices are to promote tourism and handle tourists' problems, but will not issue visas.

Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

Tension eased in the late 1980s when Taiwan allowed its citizens to visit China. Relations improved sharply after Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou took power in 2008 and allowed Chinese tourists to visit the island.

Last year, some 4 million Taiwanese visited China, while 970,000 mainlanders visited Taiwan.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan has risen from the daily average of 300 in 2008 to 3,219 in 2010, officials said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321892,taiwan-opens-tourism-representative-office-in-beijing.html.

Protest leaders consider Thai premier's reconciliation offer

Bangkok - Leaders of anti-government protests on Tuesday mulled Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's national reconciliation proposal, including his pledge to hold elections by November 14.

Abhisit announced the five-point proposal Monday night hoping to end the two-month protest by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), better known as the red shirts, who demand the dissolution of parliament and new elections.

UDD leaders met Tuesday to discuss the proposal, which was reportedly accepted by fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a key supporter and leader of the protest from afar.

"Thaksin called in to say the timing of the proposal was right, but he's leaving it up to the red shirts to negotiate the details," UDD spokesman Sean Boonpracong said.

Thaksin, a populist prime minister during 2001-06, has been living abroad since August 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence for corruption.

The proposal raised hopes for a peaceful solution to the political crisis, which has claimed 27 lives and left more than 900 injured.

"The prime minister has offered an election timetable, so the onus is now on the protesters to accept this proposal," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University.

Under Thai law, Abhisit must dissolve parliament 45 to 60 days before an election, meaning he would sacrifice more than a year of his term which was slated to end in December 2011.

"What we don't want is acts of bad faith, and manipulations behind the scenes and then a breakdown of negotiations," Thitinan warned.

Abhisit broadcast an appeal to the UDD Monday night, saying that it would be appropriate to end the protest by Wednesday's Coronation Day holiday for 82-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The first step of Abhisit's proposal was a commitment by all sides to uphold the monarchy, and prevent the institution form being drawn into politics.

The protest, the first popular uprising against the establishment since the communist threat of the 1960s and 70s, has raised issues of class struggle, income disparity, injustice and the role of the centuries-old monarchy.

The government said it would guarantee press freedom and establish an independent investigation of the April 10 clash between troops and protesters that left 25 people dead and nearly 800 injured.

The social issues raised by the unusual protest, which has seen the heart of Bangkok seized by protesters since April 3, would also be investigated. All sides would have to agree to mutually acceptable political rules for free, fair and peaceful elections.

The UDD has been drawing between 5,000 to 10,000 supporters daily to its main site in a posh commercial district.

The protesters have barricaded themselves behind rubber tyres, barbed wire and sharpened bamboo stakes, and a military crackdown would lead to heavy casualties, observers said.

Some protesters strongly opposed Abhisit's proposal.

"November 14 is too long," said Pon Pochana, a motorcycle taxi driver from Buriram province. "I think we should only give him one to two weeks to get out."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321893,protest-leaders-consider-thai-premiers-reconciliation-offer.html.

Ptolemic granite statue unearthed in northern Egypt

Cairo - A headless granite statue, believed to be of King Ptolemy IV, has been unearthed in northern Egypt by archeologists who were searching for Cleopatra's tomb, the ministry of Culture said Tuesday.

Behind the Taposiris Magna temple, built by Ptolemy IV, a huge Greco-Roman cemetery was unearthed.

All the heads of the bodies were laid to point towards the temple, indicating the burial of someone important inside, antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said.

Egyptian archaeologists, aided by Kathleen Martinez from the Dominican Republic, began their search for the tombs of the famous Egyptian queen and her Roman lover and political ally Mark Anthony five years ago.

Hawass said that the temple, located some 50 kilometers west of the coastal city of Alexandria, might be the final resting place of Cleopatra and Anthony after evidence showed they were not buried in the royal cemetery, now sunk beneath the Mediterranean Sea.

Last year, archeologists found a mask thought to belong to Mark Antony, a bust of Cleopatra and 24 coins that had her name and picture engraved on them.

The Ptolemaic era began when Ptolemy I declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended in 30 BC, when Cleopatra and Anthony were defeated by Roman Emperor Octavian in the Battle of Actium and supposedly committed suicide.

Iran slams Clinton's 'irrational' words

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman denounces as "irrational" remarks by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in New York.

"The points made by Clinton were not based on logic and global realities," said Ramin Mehmanparast on Tuesday in a press conference.

He added that Clinton's statements were mostly aimed at dealing with issues raised by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his address to the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

"Countries that have stockpiled thousands of nuclear weapons in their arsenals and have deployed them against nations or threaten to use such arms seek to change the subject (of disarmament)," he said.

The spokesman added that these countries level fabricated allegations against independent countries to "justify their own possession of nuclear weapons."

On Monday, Clinton accused President Ahmadinejad of presenting "false" and "wild accusations" against the United States and other Western powers.

"This morning Iran's president offered the same tired, false and sometimes wild accusations against the United States and other parties," Clinton told the NPT Review Conference.

Mehmanparast advised Western countries to take "practical and serious" measures to establish a world free from nuclear weapons.

He pointed to the "transparent and sincere" speech by President Ahmadinejad at the NPT conference and said his remarks reflected the views of other like-minded, independent and free countries.

All free nations demand that the NPT should contain the necessary articles to allow universal use of nuclear technology for peaceful applications, Mehmanparast emphasized.

The spokesman also lashed out at those countries whose envoys walked out of the conference during the president's address.

He suggested that Western countries exercise greater tolerance in hearing opposing views and added, "They had better given a more appropriate response to words of logic."

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125402§ionid=351020104.

NATO chopper crashes in Afghanistan

A NATO helicopter has crashed in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan, but the military alliance has denied that anyone was killed in the mishap.

The military helicopter went down Monday afternoon, wounding several people onboard. NATO blames technical failure for the incident, a Press TV correspondent reported on Tuesday.

Last month, A US Air Force CV-22 Osprey helicopter crashed in Afghanistan's southeastern sector, killing at least four people and wounding numerous others.

Also last week, Taliban militants claimed to have shot down a US unmanned aerial vehicle in the Kajaki district, east of Afghanistan's Helmand province.

The militants said that the drone was flying at low altitude and shots were fired at it from anti-aircraft guns installed on a mountain peak.

In late January, the Taliban claimed to have shot down another US drone in the village of Hamzoni near Miramshah in North Waziristan and recovered the wreckage. The militant who claimed responsibility for downing of the drone was reportedly awarded a new car by Taliban leaders for the act.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125384§ionid=351020403.

US deploys 1000s drones in Afghanistan

The US is deploying thousands of drones in Afghanistan, raising suspicions as to whether the move is aimed at monitoring militants or targeting another country.

Regional defense analysts believe that the unmanned aerial vehicles could be brought into play against regional countries in the wake of mounting tensions with Iran over its nuclear activities, the Pakistan Observer newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Deputy Director for Resources and Acquisition for the Pentagon's Joint Staff, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Glenn Walters, recently said that the American military has sent a host of its 6,500 drones to the Middle East region.

He further noted that even though the US Pacific Command, Southern Command and Africa Command are in dire need of more UAVs, they are obliged to wait until the demand is met at the Central Command.

Walters also pointed out that the American military, whose UAV fleet has grown from about 200 since the beginning of the US-led war in Afghanistan, will have to specify as to what to do with the drones, as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan allegedly come to a close.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125382§ionid=351020403.

Israeli guard tears inmate's Quran

The tearing of Islam's holy Book of Quran by Israeli prison guards has sparked new outrage across Palestine against Tel Aviv regime's religious bigotry.

A detainees' society reported the sacrilegious measure, asserting that an Israeli prison guard in Ashkelon jail seized a prisoner's Quran during a cell search and tore it into pieces.

Palestinian Authority Chief Justice Sheikh Tayseer al-Tamimi issued a statement on the incident on Monday and strongly condemned recurring insults on Islamic sanctities by Israeli forces. The move reveals the extent of "extremism, religious hatred and racism in Israel," he said.

The sheikh said it was not the first occasion during which "Israeli forces have disrespected the Noble Quran, having done so in the al-Arroub refugee camp and in Megiddo prison."

Tamimi stressed that religious books, including the Quran, should be respected by followers of all religions. "But Israeli guards do not do so," he regretted, saying he held the Israeli regime and Israeli Prison Service responsible for the insult.

Last month, assailants who looked like Israeli settlers broke into the Bilal Ben-Rabah Mosque in the village of Hawara, near Nablus. They sprayed graffiti, including a Jewish Star of David, on the walls of the mosque alongside the name of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in Hebrew and set fire to two cars outside the building.

Extremist settlers also vandalized a mosque in the West Bank village of Yasuf in December. The vandals attacked the holy site overnight and burned prayer mats and a book stand with sacrosanct, Islamic texts. They also sprayed threatening messages on the mosque walls reading, "Get ready to pay the price" and "We will burn all of you."

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125383§ionid=351020202.

PFLP warns Abbas against US-led talks

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has called for a delay of peace talks with Israel until assurances are made on a settlement halt.

No written or oral guarantees on a settlement freeze have been received by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from the US or the Arab Follow-Up Committee, the PLFP said on Monday, prompting the group to call for an end to the peace talks.

The movement -- the PLO's second largest party after acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah -- warned that the lack of assurances as reference points for talks made the negotiations a dangerous endeavor in which Palestinians had a lot to lose.

The group's Executive Committee issued a statement, calling on Abbas to "respect the decision of national consensus and refuse to bow to pressure."

The PFLP said that US promises "made for the media cannot be taken seriously" and denounced the decision by the Arab Follow-Up Committee to endorse entering talks.

It "would only serve Israeli interests," the PLFP statement added, stressing that the movement rejects all decisions to resume negotiations with Israel.

Meanwhile, the Gaza-based Hamas has also voiced strong opposition to the talks -- slated to begin on Wednesday -- saying Abbas' conciliatory move would only serve as a cover for Israel to "Judaize" al-Quds (Jerusalem), confiscate more Palestinian land and mistreat Palestinian prisoners.

Abbas announced on Sunday that the PLO endorsed re-entering US-brokered indirect talks with Israel a day after the Arab League approved the talks in Cairo.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125388§ionid=351020202.

Indonesia calls on Israel to join NPT

Indonesia has urged Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) voicing grave concern on the threat of nuclear proliferation across the globe.

"We must prevail on Israel to come into the NPT fold," Indonesian Foreign Minister Raden Mohammad Marty Muliana Natalegawa said Monday in New York at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Israel possesses a nuclear arsenal of at least 250 warheads and has never allowed IAEA inspections of all its nuclear facilities.

The Indonesian foreign minister also demanded the establishment of new nuclear weapon-free zones, particularly in the Middle East.

"Nuclear proliferation threats, wherever their source, must be effectively addressed without discrimination and double standard on the basis of multilateralism and international law.

"We certainly find it difficult to rationalize nuclear energy cooperation involving those who have openly chosen to add to the proliferation momentum," Natalegawa noted.

187 member countries of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) have gathered in New York for the 8th NPT Review Conference which runs between May 3 and 28.

The Review Conference is held every five years to evaluate and ensure that NPT provisions are being realized. The 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was held from May 2 to May 27 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The conference proved a failure since it could not adopt a final document.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125390§ionid=351020406.

Raul to coach Real Madrid in due course

Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano has said striker Raul Gonzalez or former midfielder Michel could coach the Spanish club in due course.

"Real Madrid has never copied another club's model, but it is not inconceivable that someday a player with Raul or Michel's characteristics could give us an option as coach," Valdano said on Monday.

Valdano further pointed out that it was premature to speak of the Blancos bringing a home-grown tactician up through the ranks as Barcelona has done with its current manager Pep Guardiola.

Raul has played for Spanish club Real Madrid his entire career and is the club's all-time top goal scorer. The 33-year-old Spanish soccer ace is a three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and has long been the competition's all-time leading goal scorer.

Michel, a Real Madrid legend, is currently serving as Getafe's boss this season. His side is vying for a Europa League spot.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125378§ionid=3510211.

Iran slams PG distortion in sport events

The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran has urged the Asian Football Confederation to look into any distortion of the Persian Gulf's name at arenas.

The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) has sent a letter to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) urging the confederation to investigate any alteration of the Persian Gulf's name at sporting venues.

Vice President of the FFIRI Mehdi Taj sent the letter to the AFC just before he announced his resignation.

“The move was made after the UAE misrepresented the name 'Persian Gulf' during a match between Iran's Sepahan and the UAE's Al Ain,” Taj told IRNA.

“The Emirate television displayed various banners showing a fictitious name for the Persian Gulf during the match between Iran's Sepahan and the UAE's Al Ain,” he said.

An AFC observer said Iran's Zob Ahan and Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad had been ordered to bring down a banner reading Forever Persian Gulf.

“The AFC must take serious measures to deal with UAE actions of the sort,” Taj added. “The UAE side must be fined for showing a fictitious name for the Persian Gulf during the live broadcast of the match.”

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125379§ionid=351020101.

Iran police probes serial bust thefts

Police in Tehran has initiated investigations into the serial theft of statues and Iranian social celebrity busts amid reports of the theft of another bust.

“The Tehran attorney general is looking into the capital's serial statue thefts,” Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi told reporters on Monday.

Jafari-Dolatabadi made the comment amid the deluge of statute thefts in Tehran. The latest report gives the tenth statue as being stolen from a busy part of the metropolis.

The Avicenna was the 10th statue to be stolen in center of Tehran. Ibn Sina -- also known by the Latinized version of his name Avicenna -- was a celebrated physician, astronomer, alchemist, chemist, logician, mathematician, metaphysician, philosopher, physicist, poet, scientist and theologian.

The bronze sculpture of the Iranian contemporary poet, Mohammad Hossein Shahriar, was the first bust to be stolen from the courtyard of Tehran's City Theater.

Busts of Sattar Khan and Baqer Khan were the next targets to be taken off their pedestals in the streets of Tehran. The two figures are Iranian freedom fighters and key figures in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.

Tehran houses 500 statues of which industrious thieves have stolen ten so far.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125374§ionid=351020105.

FIFA gives African workers free tickets

Football's ruling body FIFA has kept its promise to give construction workers who built South Africa's stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup free tickets.

The organizers provided more than 200 South Africa's World Cup workers with double tickets, including the June 11 opening match at the 95000-seater Soccer City, on Monday.

"Today we recognize your contribution," FIFA local organizing committee CEO Danny Jordaan told workers at Soccer City stadium.

"My office is just next to the stadium. I saw flood lights going up at night and the workers working long after sunset to make sure the stadium is complete," he added.

The 2010 World Cup begins on June 11 and ends on July 11, with matches to be played at 10 stadiums in nine South African cities.

This is the first time an African country is to host the soccer World Cup.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125372§ionid=3510211.

Obama calls Syria a threat, renews ban

US President Barack Obama has renewed the country's sanctions against Syria, branding it as a source of threat to Washington.

In a letter to the US Congress on Monday, extending the nearly six-year-old embargo against Syria, Obama claimed Damascus was "continuing support for terrorist organizations and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and missile programs," AFP reported.

Such alleged activities, he added, “continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States."

The former George W. Bush administration had also accused Syria of “sponsoring terrorism” before burdening it with economic sanctions.

Washington has adopted harsh anti-Syrian rhetoric since Israeli President Simon Peres accused Damascus last month of supplying Russian-made Scud missiles to the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

The allegations of the Israeli regime have been fiercely rejected by the governments of Syria and Lebanon as well as the Hezbollah movement.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem have likened the accusations to Washington's claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which was used as the main pretext to attack and occupy Iraq in 2003.

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that no evidence had been presented — by Israel or the US — to support their claims.

Lebanese officials have, meanwhile, have warned that the Israeli accusation is yet another psychological warfare aimed at launching another war against its territory. The country lost about 1,200 of its citizens to the 2006 Israeli offensives.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125367§ionid=351020206.

Algeria to open new border control posts

2010-05-03

Algerian Customs plans to launch 48 new border control and surveillance units, APS reported on Sunday (May 2nd). The new control stations, which come as part of the country's border security modernization initiative, will be equipped with technology allowing customs agents "to operate at night in the fight against smuggling", Algerian Customs chief Abdelmajid Mehareche said Sunday at the Oran Customs Academy graduation ceremony.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/05/03/newsbrief-04.

UN: Postal services restored in Haiti

Geneva - Haiti was reconnected Monday to international postal services, a United Nations agency said.

The first connections since the January 12 quake that destroyed much of the country's capital city and surrounding area were established with the United States and France, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) said.

More links with other countries would be established over time, noted the UN agency, which is based in Bern, Switzerland.

The UPU estimated that a backlog of some 3,500 kilograms of mail was waiting to be sent from Miami, Florida to Haiti, with more to come in from other locations.

The postal service in Haiti saw its headquarters demolished in the earthquake. Other key offices were partially or totally destroyed, preventing all mail deliveries to the country for the last three months.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321780,un-postal-services-restored-in-haiti.html.

Thai prime minister announces November 14 election date

Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday announced plans to hold a general election on November 14, in a bid to end the country's political crisis, media reports said.

The election date, announced on state-run television, was part of a "roadmap" designed to end the country's deepening political crisis brought on by a seven-week protest calling for a dissolution of parliament, said The Nation online news service.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), better known as the red shirts, has been staging a demonstration in Bangkok since March 12 to pressure Abhisit into dissolving parliament and holding new elections.

The increasingly aggressive protests have already led to clashes with authorities that have claimed 27 lives, including six soldiers, and left more than 900 wounded.

Abhisit, leader of the Democrat party, has vowed to clear the red shirts from their main protest site on Ratchaprasong Road, in the heart of Bangkok's chief commercial district, and to restore law and order but has also promised a political solution to the crisis.

The UDD has been calling for the dissolution of parliament within one month. Its response to the November 14 deadline was not immediately known.

The protest, described by observers as the first popular uprising against the Thai establishment since the communist threat of the 1960s and 1970s, has raised issues of class struggle, the country's huge income gap, injustice and the role of the centuries old monarchy.

Abhisit said one of the preconditions for a reconciliation process will be that all parties concerned must join forces to uphold the monarchy, said The Nation.

The government will guarantee a free press and set up an independent body to investigate the confrontation between troops and protesters on April 10th that left 25 people dead and more than 800 wounded.

The social issues raised by the unusual protest, which has seen the heart of Bangkok seized by protesters since April 3, would also be investigated.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321782,thai-prime-minister-announces-november-14-election-date.html.

Lebanon leaders set rancor aside for local elections - Feature

Weedah Hamzah

Beirut - Rival politicians in Lebanon had set their differences aside and reached a consensus in many areas, the first round of the country's municipal elections, which began at the weekend, showed.

Lebanese voters will continue to cast their ballots over three Sundays in May, during which some 963 local councils and nearly 2,800 mayors are due to be elected.

Sunday's elections were described by many observers as "consensus elections" since in many areas political parties were able to reach an agreement together on a list of candidates.

Lebanon's 4-million-strong population is divided between Christians, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims, with around a third each, as well as a number of other smaller religious groups.

The political system decrees that the Lebanese president be a Christian Maronite, the house speaker a Shiite Muslim and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim.

The lists put to the vote on Sunday were therefore a good reflection of Lebanon's spirit of consensus, since they included representatives of all the major religious communities and parties.

Relations were also seen to have improved between the western- backed majority headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the Syrian and Iranian backed Hezbollah opposition.

"Mainly we saw consensual lists among the rival political parties in most towns and villages," political analyst George Alam said.

"I think the political leaders either from the majority or the opposition wanted to show the Lebanese that there is a kind of unity over some political issues in the country and the Lebanese national unity government is here to work for the people's need," Alam said.

After securing 71 of parliament's 128 seats in June elections last year, it was not until November 9 that Hariri managed to form a national unity government following months of tough negotiations with his Hezbollah-led rivals.

The line-up includes 15 ministers from Hariri's parliamentary bloc, 10 from the opposition alliance and five nominated by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

The candidates on the lists for the municipal elections were intended to stay in line with the Lebanese system and respect the delicate Christian-Muslim power-sharing agenda that ended the 1975-1990 civil war.

The mayors and councilors which are elected by voters every six years have no legislative powers, but deal with day-to-day affairs such as education.

President Michel Suleiman on Monday praised the interior and defense ministries for guaranteeing safe polls.

But despite the so-called consensual lists, in some areas such as the Jbeil region, north of Beirut, a consensus could not be reached and a heated race took place between followers of Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun and others loyal to Christian leader Samir Geagea, who is backed by the majority.

According to initial results issued on Monday, the list of the western-backed majority was victorious in Jbeil.

But in the Baabda region, northeast of Beirut, the list backed by Aoun, managed to squeak to victory over others backed by the majority.

Around 466,000 of 790,000 voters in the Mount Lebanon district cast their ballots on Sunday, according to Interior Minister Ziad Baroud.

The final results were to be announced later on Monday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321799,lebanon-leaders-set-rancor-aside-for-local-elections--feature.html.

Ahmadinejad defies nuclear powers at UN nuclear conference - Summary

New York - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad set a defiant tone for his government's participation in the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty on Monday, accusing the United States and its allies of monopolizing nuclear issues.

Ahmadinejad was addressing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference at the UN General Assembly in New York, and stole the spotlight as the only head of state attending the opening of the month-long meeting.

Speaking against countries that accuse Tehran of scheming to produce nuclear weapons, Ahmadinejad said, "The first atomic weapons were produced and used by the United States."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened the month-long UN review conference by challenging Iran to provide proof that its advanced nuclear programs are for peaceful purposes.

"I encourage the president of Iran to engage constructively," Ban said. "Let us be clear: the onus is on Iran to clarify the doubts and concerns about its programs."

"I encourage Iran to accept the nuclear fuel supply proposal put forward by the agency," he said. "This would be an important confidence-building measure."

Ahmadinejad said Ban's request on nuclear fuel was not necessary because Tehran has already accepted the deal and the "ball in on the court of those who would provide the fuel."

He strongly defended his government's quest for nuclear energy for civilian uses. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN and most Western governments said they were not convinced of Iran's ultimate intention.

The White House said Ahmadinejad's remarks failed to address concerns his country has not met its obligations under the treaty.

"Those that are involved in the NPT conference and are living up to their obligations would have wanted to hear the Iranians discuss wanting to live up to their obligations," spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

IAEA director general Yukiya Amano, who also addressed the conference, said Tehran has so far failed to clarify that its nuclear activities were solely for peaceful purposes.

UN and disarmament officials fear that the 2010 review could fail if the dispute over Iran's and North Korea's nuclear programs were not contained. The dispute over Iran's nuclear issues jeopardized the outcome at the last review conference in 2005.

"Nuclear energy is among the cleanest and cheapest sources of energy," Ahmadinejad said.

He said it would cost 500 million dollars a year in oil at current market prices to maintain a 1,000-megawatt power plant compared to 60 million dollars for a nuclear power plant generating the same capacity in nuclear energy.

"One of the gravest injustices committed by the nuclear weapon states is equating nuclear arms with nuclear energy," he said. "As a matter of fact, they want to monopolize both the nuclear weapons and the peaceful nuclear energy, and by doing so to impose their will on the international community. The aforementioned issues are all against the spirit of the NPT and in flagrant violation of its provisions."

Ahmadinejad said the United States was the first country to use an atomic weapon, against Japan in 1945, and he accused the US of "continuing to threaten use of nuclear weapons against other countries, including Iran." He accused the US of stockpiling half of the estimated 23,000 warheads in existence in the world.

"The Zionist regime, too, consistently threatens the Middle East countries," he said.

Ahamadinejad's attacks against the US and Israel have made regular headlines in past years. But his remarks appeared strongest at the UN meeting as they dealt with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, which could make it more difficult for the NPT review conference to work out a consensus on nuclear issues that have defied solutions in past meetings.

Ban pleaded for decisive action to move forward the UN agenda of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation as he opened the conference.

"The world's people look to you for action," Ban told the UN General Assembly packed with government envoys. He said eliminating nuclear weapons is a possibility, but the UN agenda has been "asleep for too long."

"Sixty five years later, the world still lives under the nuclear shadow," Ban said referring to the atomic bomb set off by the United States over Hiroshima, Japan in August 1945, which put an end to World War II in the Pacific. Ban said he will travel to Japan this year to mark the 65th anniversary.

"How long must we wait to rid ourselves of this threat?" he said in an address opening the conference. "How long will we keep passing the problem to succeeding generations?"

Ban proposed a five-point plan to make the NPT conference a success, including a demand for the world's nuclear powers - the United States, Russia, China, France and China - to unequivocably undertake to eliminate their arsenals of nuclear warheads. There are an estimated 23,000 warheads in the arsenals of those five countries and other countries with nuclear capability.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said the NPT conference should reject the policy of nuclear deterrence because it has so far failed to bring peace and security around the world.

"As long as some states continue to possess nuclear weapons, there will always be a tendency for others to also possess those catastrophic weapons," he said.

Philipino Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo said the review conference is held at a time of renewed hope for nuclear disarmament because the US and Russia have agreed to further reduce their strategic nuclear arms. The two countries signed on April 8 a New START and pledged to make a stronger NPT.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321805,ahmadinejad-defies-nuclear-powers-at-un-nuclear-conference--summary.html.

EXTRA: Western diplomats walk out of Ahmadinejad's speech

New York - Diplomats from at least nine governments walked out of the UN General Assembly on Monday when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Diplomats from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium left the assembly hall when Ahmadinejad began his speech, accusing the US and its allies of monopolizing nuclear issues.

French Ambassador Eric Danon said the walk-out was prompted by Ahmadinejad's provocative remarks.

"This is a collective message," Danon said. He said diplomats from other governments also left, but it could be independently confirmed.

"The message is that we cannot accept that the president of Iran has continued to have a defiant attitude toward the international community," Danon said.

Western governments have accused Iran of violating its obligations as a party to the NPT.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321810,extra-western-diplomats-walk-out-of-ahmadinejads-speech.html.

Ansar al-Islam chief captured, US says

The United States military claims that Iraqi forces have captured the leader of the Kurdish militant group Ansar al-Islam in Baghdad.

Abu Abdullah al-Shafil and several of his fellow militants were captured "during a series of joint security operations conducted in [the Baghdad areas of] Mansour and Adhamiyah," the US forces said in a statement, AFP reported.

The group, formed in 2001, is blamed for a 2003 bombing which killed an Australian journalist.

Shafil "is believed to have served the terrorist organization since its inception" and "held association with Osama Bin Laden," the statement added.

Prior to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Washington claimed the group was linked to the Baath Party of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Ansar al-Islam is also said to run a European network.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125357§ionid=351020201.

VP reveals Ahmadinejad's UN message

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his address in New York will foil US efforts to isolate Tehran over it civilian nuclear program, says his vice president.

Ahmadinejad's message to the UN nuclear disarmament conference is that "Iran will not give up even a portion of its inalienable nuclear rights," Vice President Lotfollah Forouzandeh was quoted by Fars News as saying on Monday.

He added that the president's New York visit also "conveys the Iranian nation's message of peace and friendship to the world and shows that the Islamic Republic is empowered more than ever, while the global arrogance is weakened."

President Ahmadinejad arrived in New York early on Monday to take part in the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The conference, which will run from May 3 to May 28, aims to monitor global progress in fulfilling disarmament obligations set out in the NPT.

"The participation of Ahmadinejad in the NPT Review Conference shows that Iran seeks lasting peace and security in the world and it is the colonialist countries that threaten others with nuclear bombs," Forouzandeh said.

The US and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful enrichment program and are trying to rally support for UN Security Council sanctions against the country.

Iran, a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the NPT, has repeatedly dismissed the allegations, maintaining that its nuclear program is solely aimed at civilian applications of the technology.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125296§ionid=351020104.

Leader appoints IRGC's navy chief

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed the new commander of the naval forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The Commander in Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, in a decree on Sunday, assigned Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi to take over as the new IRGC navy chief.

The Leader cited the admiral's wealth of experience, invaluable services and relevant qualifications as the reason behind his appointment.

Ayatollah Khamenei also expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by Rear Admiral Morteza Saffari, the former IRGC navy commander.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125291§ionid=351020101.

'Israel may need to expand govt.'

Israel's defense minister has said it may be necessary to expand the hawkish government of Benjamin Netanyahu to make a breakthrough in the Middle East peace talks.

Addressing Knesset (parliament) members on Monday, Ehud Barak said the parliament has to consider every way to achieve a breakthrough in the upcoming peace talks with the Palestinians, Ynet reported.

"If it turns out that the government must be expanded; (we) will have to seriously consider an expansion," he added.

Barak "hopes and believes proximity talks would lead to direct negotiations and results."

He had previously called for the resumption of peace talks, saying the world would not tolerate the continuation of the current situation for the Palestinian nation.

He had also raised the prospect of reshaping the government of Netanyahu so that it could resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

"This will require an effort from all parties… we are committed to moving forward. I believe that the tests will be in the coming months, and we will have to apply our influence in the government to get the ties with the United States on the right track," he stated.

The US-mediated negotiations have been halted due to Netanyahu's refusal to freeze settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.

However, the negotiations are likely to resume next week after an Arab League committee on Saturday approved the US offer to hold "proximity" talks between the two sides.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125356§ionid=351020202.

Rain, hailstorms cause chaos in Riyadh

Heavy rain and hailstorms have struck Riyadh, causing traffic jams, accidents, and school closures.

There were no official reports of injuries after Monday's meteorological surprise caused the flooding of some of the main roads of the Saudi capital, AFP reported, citing witness accounts, television broadcasts, and videos posted on the internet.

Gloomy forecasts have prompted the Riyadh region's governor to order schools to remain closed on Tuesday.

"Due to heavy rains in Riyadh and warnings from the Department of Meteorology of the possibility of more heavy rains, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz ordered the suspension of schools Tuesday," read a statement, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

Floods in November killed over 120 people in the seaport of Jeddah.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125354§ionid=351020205.

Erdogan vows to press on with reforms

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will press on with his reform package, despite a setback in a parliamentary vote on a constitutional amendment.

"We will continue on our path. Withdrawing the constitutional draft is not on the agenda," Erdogan said shortly after lawmakers rejected a constitutional amendment to protect political parties in a second round of voting on Monday.

The proposal to make it harder to ban political parities was scrapped from a reform package after it got support from 327 lawmakers in the 550-seat parliament, falling short of the 330 votes required for approval, Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin said.

However, Erdogan said he would call a referendum if he fails to secure the necessary number of votes for the reform package.

Under the article, the chief state prosecutor would be stripped of his power to initiate cases to ban parties before the constitutional court, requiring the approval of a parliamentary commission first.

The 27-article reform package was drafted by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) in March.

The AKP says the reforms are needed to control the power of judges and prosecutors and to pave the way for Turkey's accession to the European Union.

However, some judicial officials have called the move "unconstitutional."

And the opposition says the campaign for a constitutional amendment is part of the AKP's quest for more power.

The reform package also includes an article that would make the army accountable to civilian courts.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125347§ionid=351020204.

Humanoid robot heads to space in Sept.

NASA plans to deliver a humanoid robot to the International Space Station (ISS) in September.

The Robonaut 2 or "R2" is designed to use the same tools as humans, which will allow it to work safely side-by-side with humans on Earth and in space.

It will perform routine maintenance tasks on the space station, "freeing up the station crew for more important work," said Ron Diftler, Robonaut Project Manager at the Johnson Space Center, SpaceDaily reported on Monday.

R2, developed jointly by NASA and General Motors, will become the first humanoid robot to travel and work in space like any other astronaut.

It can see objects it's going after, feel the environment, and adjust to it as needed, Diftler said.

R2 will be taught to do all kinds of things, especially delicate tasks like setting up science experiments for the crew, except operating the ship, he added.

Initially, the new robot will be fastened to one location in the station's Destiny Lab. It will begin with simple jobs like monitoring its own health and then switch over to more complicated jobs.

The ground team and the ISS crew will control the robot with identical systems, each comprising a GUI (graphical user interface) on a computer screen and pushbutton navigation.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125341§ionid=3510208.

Protesters hold rally in Egypt

Mon May 3, 2010

Opposition groups and social movements in Egypt have protested against the country's President Hosni Mubarak in the capital city of Cairo.

About 400 people gathered near the government headquarters at the Tahrir square in Cairo on Monday, Reuters reported.

Police used batons and splintered wooden sticks to disperse the protesters. At least one person was detained in the clashes.

The demonstrators called for an end to an emergency law that permits indefinite detentions and to rules that make it difficult for candidates to challenge Mubarak in any vote.

Egypt enforced an emergency law following the assassination of former President Anwar Sadat in 1981 that allows for indefinite detention of detainees and strips them the right to appeal sentences they are handed.

"Bypassing justice by referring sensitive cases to emergency courts undermines the criminal justice system and encourages human rights abuses," Amnesty International has said about the law.

The protesters also called for raising the minimum wage, unchanged for more than a quarter of century and now worth the equivalent of just USD 6 a month.

The 82-year-old Egyptian leader has yet to announce whether he would run for another six-year term in the 2011 presidential election.

Many Egyptians believe his son Gamal, who is a politician, will stand for presidency, should Mubarak choose not to run for the office again.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/125336.html.