US cables claim Turkish PM Erdoğan has eight Swiss bank accounts

Monday, November 29, 2010
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

If Turkish-U.S. relations manage to remain unscathed by American officials’ descriptions of senior figures in Ankara as “dangerous,” the damage might still be done by their claims about the Turkish prime minister’s personal assets.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s financial assets and the way he made “his fortune” were the subjects of two of the cables sent by the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, documents leaked as part of a release late Sunday by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

“We have heard from two contacts that Erdoğan has eight accounts in Swiss banks; his explanations that his wealth comes from the wedding presents guests gave his son and that a Turkish businessman is paying the educational expenses of all four Erdoğan children in the U.S. purely altruistically are lame,” Eric Edelman, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, wrote in a cable sent to Washington on Dec. 30, 2004.

Edelman, who has been outspoken in his criticism of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, argued that the widespread corruption would be an important factor that could degrade Erdoğan’s ability to run the country.

In a separate cable sent in July 2004, Edelman claimed that “an anonymous source told [him] that Erdoğan and [the source] benefited directly from the award of the Tüpraş privatization to a consortium including a Russian partner.”

The Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation, or Tüpraş, is the state petroleum refinery. A Russian-Turkish consortium paid nearly $1.3 billion for the privatization of the country’s largest-capacity refinery in 2004.

“[The] AKP rode to power on the common citizens’ revulsion against corruption. Charges that Erdoğan amassed his fortune through kickbacks as mayor of Istanbul have never been proven, but we now hear more and more from insiders that close advisors such as private secretary Hikmet Bulduk, Mücahit Arslan and Cüneyd Zapsu are engaging in wholesale influence peddling,” Edelman said in the cable.

Another claim by the ambassador put prominent AKP officials in the spotlight; Edelman listed former ministers Abdülkadir Aksu, Kürşat Tüzmen and Istanbul provincial chairman Mehmet Müezzinoğlu as the most corrupt politicians in Turkey.

Source: Hürriyet.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=us-cables-argue-erdogan-has-eight-accounts-in-swiss-banks-2010-11-29.

WikiLeaks reveals reality of Abbas & Egypt

29-11-2010,14:17

Al Qassam website- Famous WikiLeaks website revealed on Sunday November 28th a shameful documents exposing the dirty role of Abbas, the senior leader of Fatah movement and the Egyptian government in the Zionist war on Gaza 2008-2009.

WikiLeaks revealed that Zionist occupation forces (ZOF) has cooperated with Abbas and Egypt before the Zionist war against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Most of the documents simply confirm reports previously published in media by Hamas and Palestinian media sources, but the significance of the leaked cables is that they offer hard evidence.

It is generally assumed that Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, would be happy with any Israeli action that would weaken Hamas.

Documents of WikiLeaks explained why Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas was silent during the Zionist war on Gaza in 2008-2009.

In telegrams to U.S. deputy ambassador Luis Moreni, Occupation Minister Ehud Barak “explained that the GOI [government of Israel] had consulted with Egypt and Fatah prior to Operation Cast Lead(war on Gaza) , asking if they were willing to assume control of Gaza once "Israel" defeated Hamas.”

Barak added that the answers were “not surprisingly” in the negative. The crowded and poor Gaza region has been considered an unwanted area even before the Six-Day War in 1967 when it was part of Egypt, which happily refused offers to take it back, WikiLeaks revealed.

All previous evidences provided by the Hamas movement relating to Zionist war on Gaza confirm that Abbas authority and Egypt were aware of the Zionist war that what so-called "Israel" intending to wage against the innocent people in Gaza at that time.

No doubt that Egypt and Abbas played an essential role in consulting the Zionist occupation who committed bloody massacres against the civilians in Gaza, and now their hands are stained with the blood of the Palestinians in Gaza.

Source: Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades - Information Office.
Link: http://www.qassam.ps/news-3844-WikiLeaks_reveals_reality_of_Abbas__Egypt.html.

Somali parents panic over missing children

Monday 29 November 2010
Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya

Dozens of Somali children were lured away from the safety town of Nairobi to fight back in Somalia in August this year, AfricaNews has uncovered. Parents said in different interviews that 13 Somali children disappeared between 11 and 23 August, triggering the worst panic among Somali parents in Nairobi.

Some of them vanished from their homes in South C and South B in Nairobi, where most of Somalis from abroad and rich families live.

Sources indicated that some of the children were recruited from their Islamic Schools in Nairobi. They were all aged between 13 and 20 years who were born in Mogadishu originally and recently came to Kenya.

AfricaNews indentified some of the disappeared children as two brothers Ali and Osman Jama. The others are Abdul karim Nur, Ayanle Ahmed, Abdirahman Ali, Ahmed Elmi, Fuad Omar, Hassan Ahmed and Abdullahi Mohamed.

A widowed mother Anab Osman is one of the parents brave enough to share full details about her elder son Abdullahi Mohamed. He was aged 10 years old when his family fled from their house in Mogadishu in 2007.

Her husband who was a teacher at a private school in Mogadishu died after a mortar hit him four years ago. Then she decided to leave the country with her son and three other children.

Sleepless nights

Mohamed aged 13 did not arrive home early on August 14, 2010. When He came home late he told his mother that he was playing a video game with his neighboring friends.

“In the next night (15 August), he did not come home again and his phone was switched off. We called some of his friends and told us that they have not seen him. I didn’t sleep all night, waiting for him,” the mother told AfricaNews.

She said the next morning, she searched for her son in the village and made a report to the police at the Pangani Police station near Eastliegh.

“Five days after, the phone rang. It was my son, calling from Somalia. He said he is in Dhobley – a town near Kenya and Somali border. I felt a bit of joy for hearing his voice but when I asked what he is doing there, he answered ‘I am home to defend my religion and my country. I am going to pull out Allah’s enemy and will be back when we finish all infidels and enemies,’” Anab noted.

She said the line dropped when she probed further to know her son’s intentions.

Other parents have taken it upon themselves to go to troubled Mogadishu in search of their children but to no avail.

Amina is one of such who just returned to her Nairobi base some few days back. She declined to speak to us but one of her relatives Sheikh Ibrahim Moalim Noor, a moderate cleric said Amina was allowed by Al-Shabaab to meet her son but he refused to return with the mum.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: Unavailable (Interesting)...

SA to use drone against rhino poachers

Monday 29 November 2010
Mtheto Lungu, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi

South Africa is considering using its national defense force unmanned drone helicopter to "target" rhino poachers, Defense Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said.

The South Africa National Defense Force (SANDF) will get a state weapons company Denel manufactured unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to be used to help SA National Parks (SANParks) catch rhino poachers.

"The issue of rhinos is one we recognize as particularly brutal, and we have committed ourselves to SANParks in dealing with this matter. We also want to take advantage of the fact that Denel has a particular UAV that is able to assist us," she told SAPA.

Sisulu described the UAV as "like a (model) helicopter that your 8-year-old sons use". It is unmanned and able to take photos.

"They say it is so good it is able to detect the color of the poacher's shirt. In the long term we can build on it. We want to develop it to the point where we can target the poacher.

"Initially we might just paint him red and arrest him, but as time goes on we will take more drastic measures," she said, but did not elaborate on what these measures might be.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: http://www.africanews.com/site/SA_to_use_drone_against_rhino_poachers/list_messages/36305.

Algeria to intensify oil exploration

28 November, 2010

ALGIERS - Algeria will intensify exploration of oil and gas to increase its hydrocarbon reserves, the basis of its economy, and "guarantee the country's energy security in the very long term," said Sunday the Algerian Minister of Energy Youcef Yousfi.

"The Permanent Mission of our industry is to ensure the country's energy security in the very long term and ensure sufficient revenue for its development," said Mr. Yousfi in an interview with APS.

According to the minister, Algeria, which derives 98% of its revenue from oil, plans to increase "its national capacity of oil and oilfield services."

It also intends to emphasize partnership "based on a long-term by multiplying the tender, while being attentive, said the minister, to the evolution of conditions to meet and be able to attract potential investors."

Mr. Yousfi said that despite the current slump in oil and gas markets, state-owned Sonatrach maintained its long-term investments.

Sonatrach group plans to invest up to 2014 some 63 billion dollars to expand its capabilities of gas export.

Mr. Yousfi said that the current gas market in Europe, with an abundant supply of Russia and the arrival of other suppliers on this very buoyant market, where demand is constant, was not likely to endanger the Algerian gas exports.

Algeria is currently providing the European Union about 12% of its natural gas through two pipelines with Italy and Spain, and supplies more important liquefied natural gas (LNG).

A third pipeline, Medgaz, should be commissioned shortly and will deliver to Europe about 8 billion m3 of gas, according to Mr. Yousfi.

Algeria gas exports are expected to reach 100 billion cubic meters by 2015 against 62 billion today, according to official forecasts.

Source: Ennahar.
Link: http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/economy/5277.html.

Sudan boycotts EU-Africa summit in Libya

Monday 29 November 2010
Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya

Sudan is boycotting African-European summit that begins in Libya on Monday in protest at EU pressure on President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir not to attend, foreign ministry said. "Mr Bashir will not attend the summit and Sudan pulling out of at any level," said Sudanese foreign Minister Ali Ahmad Kari.

The minister who walked out of the closed door meeting after declaring Khartoum’s decision told reporters that Bashir’s no-show was to avoid embarrassment to Libya that hosting the summit gathering 80 nations.

The minister said the decision was taken "under pressure from Europe" and that he had received instructions to pull out of the pre-summit ministerial talks.

African Union commission president Jean Ping said at the close of the discussions that the Sudanese minister had been "absolutely limpid and clear.

He deplored certain attitudes and notified us that President Bashir will not come," Ping said.

Sudan president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and genocide in Sudan's Darfur province.

The move has isolated Sudan and restricted the movements of the president to friendly nations in the region.

The Sudanese leader denies the charges and denigrates them as part of a Western ploy to topple his regime.

The European Union which strongly backs The Hague-based ICC had asked Libya for assurances that Bashir would not attend.

It seems that Sudan has disappointed that Libya, a considered ally, did not insist that Bashir be invited to the Nov. 29 summit.

The two countries relations have been in a shadow since Tripoli agreed to host Darfur rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim despite Sudan's request that Tripoli expel him.

Speaking in Khartoum after meeting the Sudanese leader, South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki said Saturday that Bashir has to go there for that summit which will be followed immediately by the summit meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

Last year, a Franco-African summit was postponed and moved from Egypt to France after Cairo insisted to invite Al-Bashir that French refused.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: http://www.africanews.com/site/Sudan_boycotts_EUAfrica_summit_in_Libya/list_messages/36338.

Uganda president visits Somalia

Monday 29 November 2010
Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni was on a brief visit to Somalia on Sunday where thousands of his forces are participating in African Union peacekeeping mission in the capital Mogadishu.

Museveni met his counterpart Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, prime minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed with his cabinet and parliament speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden at the Mogadishu international airport.

He later toured camps of Amisom soldiers and held discussion with mission commanders in Halane, Amisom’s largest base in Mogadishu near the airport.

"I came to check on our troops and also to consult his Excellency President Ahmed. I am very pleased they formed a new government, have a new Prime Minister and are united. Our troops' morale is very high," said the president accompanied by his wife Janet Museveni.

He accused the international community for not taking Somali problem seriously and not providing enough support.

"We want more troops, from Uganda or from anywhere in Africa. Uganda is a country of 33 million people so we could mobilize three million people. But who will pay for it?" the president queried.

His visit was unannounced although the surroundings of the airport - where Al-Shabaab bombers had previously hit a number of times – were under tight security.

It was his first visit to Somalia where six AU peacekeepers were arrested last week for allegedly shooting civilians in Mogadishu.

Uganda and Burundi provide all the 7,200 African Union soldiers in Mogadishu helping a Western-backed government that has failed to expand its authority in the capital.

The two Islamist insurgent groups are controlling most of southern Somalia and much of the capital. The African Union troops are defending only key sites in Mogadishu including the presidency and the airport.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: http://www.africanews.com/site/Uganda_president_visits_Somalia/list_messages/36337.

Islamic Jihad 'shells' Israeli tanks in Gaza

29/11/2010

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The armed wing of Islamic Jihad said Monday that it fired several mortar shells at Israeli tanks that entered the Gaza Strip east of the town of Beit Hanoun.

In a statement the group, Al-Quds Brigades, reaffirmed its right to "resist any Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people."

An Israeli military spokeswoman said, "We're not familiar with the incident."

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=337021.

Israel consulted Egypt, Fatah on Gaza war: WikiLeaks

JERUSALEM — Israel discussed its planned war on Gaza with the Palestinian leadership and Egypt ahead of time, offering to hand them control of the strip if it defeated Hamas, US documents released by WikiLeaks showed.

The attempt to coordinate its devastating offensive against Gaza's Islamist rulers was revealed by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak whose remarks were included in a telegram sent in June 2009 by then deputy US ambassador Luis Moreno.

"He explained that the GOI (government of Israel) had consulted with Egypt and Fatah prior to Operation Cast Lead, asking if they were willing to assume control of Gaza once Israel defeated Hamas," he said, referring to the Fatah party of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

"Not surprisingly, Barak said, the GOI received negative answers from both," it said.

Israel launched its massive offensive, dubbed "Operation Cast Lead," on December 27, 2008 with the stated aim of halting rocket attacks from Gaza.

During the 22-day war, some 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in the fighting. Thirteen Israelis were also killed, 10 of them soldiers.

Barak also "stressed the importance of continued consultations with both Egypt and Fatah," over reconstruction of the tiny coastal enclave which was devastated by the operation.

The Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have long been bitter rivals, but their divisions came to a head in June 2007 when Hamas drove its Fatah rivals out of the Gaza Strip and seized control of the impoverished territory.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

Hamas: PA detains 8 supporters

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Hamas movement accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of detaining eight of its members in the West Bank Monday.

In a statement, Hamas said the detentions took place in Nablus and Jenin.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=336936.

Leaked cable: Israel could strike Iran without US help

29/11/2010

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States has told France that Israel could strike Iran without US military support but the operation might not be successful, according to a leaked document published Sunday.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave his assessment at a meeting on February 8 in Paris with former French defense minister Herve Morin, according to a secret summary of the session that was posted on the WikiLeaks website, part of a massive document dump of classified cables.

Asked by Morin if Israel had the capability to strike Iran without US assistance, Gates "responded that he didn't know if they would be successful, but that Israel could carry out the operation," it said.

But Gates downplayed the value of any military operation against Iran, according to the document.

The American defense secretary told Morin that he "believed a conventional strike by any nation would only delay Iranian plans by one to three years, while unifying the Iranian people to be forever embittered against the attacker," it said.

Gates has made the same point in public remarks, underlining the potential risks of any military action against Iran over its nuclear program and arguing in favor of economic sanctions and diplomacy.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=336949.

'WikiLeaks revelations reflect consistency of Jordan's policies'

By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - Documents pertaining to Jordan released by WikiLeaks on Sunday do not contradict the Kingdom's stated positions on regional issues and reflect only the opinions of US officials, a statement issued by the government on Monday said.

"Jordan's policy on regional issues, which the documents referred to, is clear and has been reiterated publicly by His Majesty King Abdullah in his meetings with US and international officials. This declared policy has been restated by several government officials who alone represent the official positions of Jordan," the statement quoted a government official as saying.

The unnamed official said Jordan has always called for a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and the need to have a Middle East zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, provided that all countries in the region abide by the relevant international laws and conventions in that regard.

The official highlighted "Jordan's consistent position, which has been stressed by the King on multiple occasions, stating the Kingdom's rejection of any military action against Iran, and warning of the disastrous results of such an act on regional security and stability".

"Jordan has always stressed the importance of having relations among nations based on mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of the other, which will ensure good neighborly relations prevail in accordance with these principles," the official said.

With regards to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the official said Jordan's position has and will always remain that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of a two-state solution that ensures the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state as part of a comprehensive regional peace.

"These stances and positions are reiterated and made clear in all meetings between Jordanian officials and Americans or any other international officials. Everything indicated or interpreted by the American officials and mentioned in the documents reflect their personal readings and analysis," the statement concluded.

The whistle-blowing organization Wiki-Leaks on Sunday began publishing more than 250,000 US State Department documents on its website and through reports in selected newspapers in the US and Europe.

The documents, which contain confidential correspondence between Washington and US missions around the world, shed unusually bright light on US foreign policy strategy and its communications with the governments of other countries.

Included among the leaked material is alleged correspondence between US Ambassador to Jordan Robert. Beecroft and the State Department in Washington regarding meetings with senior Jordanian officials, as well as those of other US officials visiting the Kingdom.

In a cable sent in April 2009, the leaked document says, Beecroft confirmed the Kingdom’s opposition to US military action against Iran.

“Jordan’s leaders believe such engagement would reward regional hardliners while undermining Arab moderates - without convincing Iran to cease its support for terrorism, end its nuclear program or drop its hegemonic aspirations,” Beecroft was quoted as saying.

“Jordanian officials argue that the best way to counter Iran’s ambitions is to weaken the salience of its radicalism on the Arab street by fulfilling the promise of a ‘two-state solution’, resolving other Arab-Israeli disputes, and making sure that Iraq’s political and security institutions are not overwhelmed by Iranian influence when the US drawdown is complete,” the document continued.

The US government has strongly condemned the publication of the documents by WikiLeaks, and the US embassy in Amman declined to comment on their content.

“As a matter of policy, the Department of State does not comment on allegedly leaked documents,” embassy spokesman Karl Duckworth told The Jordan Times yesterday.

“The disclosure by WikiLeaks of classified information is an irresponsible attempt to wreak havoc and destabilize global security. It potentially jeopardizes lives and we condemn it,” he added.

Shortly before the documents were published on Sunday, the White House press secretary said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times that the release of the documents was “reckless” and put US diplomatic and intelligence staff at risk.

The UK Foreign Office also condemned the unauthorized leak.

Leaks of classified material “can damage national security, are not in the national interest and, as the US has said, may put lives at risk. We have a very strong relationship with the US government. That will continue”, said the statement, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times by the UK embassy in Jordan.

30 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=32211.

King attends Oman festivities

MUSCAT (Petra) - His Majesty King Abdullah and Sultan Qaboos of Oman on Monday attended part of the official festivities held by Oman on the occasion of its 40th national day.

The festivities included military parades, music and dance performances which were held at Al Fath Square in Muscat.

King Abdullah, who arrived in Oman earlier in the day, is scheduled to hold talks with Sultan Qaboos on bilateral cooperation, regional developments and issues of mutual concern.

During his trip, His Majesty will also visit Bahrain, where he will deliver the keynote address at the “Manama Dialogue” conference on regional security.

In his address, the King will focus on the most important challenges facing the Middle East region.

King Abdullah is accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Feisal and Prince Ghazi, the King’s special adviser and personal envoy, Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. General Mishal Zaben.

Yesterday, HRH Prince Hashem was sworn in as Regent.

30 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=32209.

Discovery of 271 undiscovered Picasso works has art world astir

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Paris - A retired electrician in France has come forth with 271 previously unknown works by Spanish artist Picasso - a claim which, if true, would set the art world astir.

The newspaper Liberation reported Monday that the man, PIerre Le Guennec, 71, claims he purchased the works personally from Picasso. Picasso died in 1973, but his influence looms large in modern art. If the find is authenticated, the pieces could be worth 60 million euros (78.5 million dollars).

The works include nine rare Cubist collages, which would be worth 40 million euros alone, and a portrait of Picasso's first wife, Olga.

Charges that the works are stolen were already filed by Picasso's family in September, reported Liberation. Family members claim Picasso did not like to part from his works and would have never let them leave his workshop without a signature and date.

"It would be unusual for him to just give away that amount of works," Picasso's son Claude told the newspaper. "Many of the pieces are not dated, which means they never should have left my father's workshop."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355760,works-art-world-astir.html.

Egypt's opposition reports losing seats in election - Summary

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Cairo - Egypt's main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, said Monday that it appears to have lost most of its seats in the lower house of parliament in the previous day's election.

The group, which had 88 seats, was unable to confirm victory in even one constituency.

"This cannot be called an election, this is a farce directed by the regime," Brotherhood spokesman Gamal Nassar told the German Press Agency dpa.

The group, in a claim echoed by human rights groups, alleged that fraud took place, saying many of its supporters were refused entry at polling stations to cast their ballots.

President Hosny Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) appears to have ensured its continued grip over the People's Assembly following the election, which was seen as a key indicator ahead of next year's vote for the presidency.

The Muslim Brotherhood, whose candidates run as independents because the group is outlawed, won nearly a fifth of the total in the People's Assembly in 2005, making it the largest opposition bloc in the 518-member lower house.

A representative of the liberal party al-Wafd said it appeared to have retained its six seats and possibly picked up another.

Sunday's vote was marred by violence which spread into Monday. At least seven people died and dozens were arrested for rioting.

Two people were killed and three injured when a car plowed into a crowd which gathered near a polling station in the eastern Sharqiya province while votes were being counted on Monday.

Passengers inside then took out guns and opened fire on supporters of an independent candidate. The driver was arrested by police, security officials said.

In another incident, the son of a candidate was stabbed to death on Sunday during clashes between supporters of several candidates.

The Interior Ministry said some of the violence was not related to the election itself.

Officials say the two people who attacked the candidate's son have confessed that they came after him for harassing their sister.

Another woman died of diabetes inside a polling station in Alexandria, officials said.

Rights groups meanwhile charged that fraud was rampant.

"The repeated exclusion of opposition representatives and independent monitors from polling stations, along with reports of violence and fraud suggest that citizens were not able to partake in free elections," Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East division, said in Cairo.

"We did not find a single indication across the constituencies that the election process took place in a transparent and fair environment," said Magdy Abdel-Hamid, chairman of the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement.

The official High Elections Commission said that there were "a limited number of instances of violence" but that the breaches did not undermine the electoral process as a whole.

A group of human rights advocates rejected an official turnout rate of 25 per cent, and said that it was perhaps half that figure showed up to the polls out of Egypt's 42 million eligible voters.

Official results are to be announced on Tuesday, the election commission said. A run-off vote where needed will be held on Sunday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355762,seats-election-summary.html.

Palestinians say WikiLeaks documents are proof of transparency

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Ramallah - A senior Palestinian official said Monday that the latest US documents released on WikiLeaks are proof of the transparency of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The the confidential papers said Israel tried to coordinate with the PA regarding its December 2008 war on the Gaza Strip, telling the Palestinians to be ready to take over Gaza after Israel defeats Hamas. The Palestinians rejected the Israeli offer, said the documents.

"We are a transparent authority with nothing to hide," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in statements to the media in Ramallah.

President Mahmoud Abbas, he said, urged Hamas to sign a paper put forward by Egypt in order to avert the Israeli war, which, he said, Abbas was strongly against.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355766,wikileaks-documents-proof-transparency.html.

Turkey's Erdogan questions WikiLeaks legitimacy - Summary

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Istanbul - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday downplayed the publication of secret US diplomatic cables that described him as ill-informed and sympathetic to Islamists.

Speaking in Istanbul before traveling to Libya for an Africa- European Union summit, Erdogan said the credibility of the WikiLeaks website that leaked the documents was "questionable", Turkey's news agency reported.

"That's why we are waiting to see what comes from Wikileaks. Then we can evaluate it and give an opinion," he said.

Three international news outlets - the New York Times, Britain's Guardian daily and Germany's Der Spiegel news magazine - began leaking the messages at the same time as Wikileaks.

They show US diplomats as being skeptical about Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development (AKP) party, believing it to be pushing an Islamist agenda, to be ill-informed and advised by a foreign minister with little appreciation of politics outside Ankara, the leaked cables said.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was in Washington Monday to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and said the documents were among the topics. He pledged that no damage had been done in the relationship and that his country would continue to work with the United States on "the same principled foreign policy to achieve regional and global peace."

Davutoglu also was grateful that the United States briefed Turkey days in advance of the release of the documents. Turkey was one of many countries the United States reached out to before the release.

The dispatches were particularly harsh on Davutoglu. He was characterized as "neo-Ottoman" with little awareness of what went on outside Ankara, according to Der Spiegel. A cable quoted a senior Turkish official who told the embassy that Davutoglu exercised Islamist influence on Erdogan and that "he's dangerous."

Clinton did not mention the cables but said the United States and its NATO ally Turkey are committing to strengthening relations.

"Turkey and the United States have one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world," Clinton said. "We are very committed to continuing to strengthen and deepen that relationship."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355770,wikileaks-legitimacy-summary.html.

Barcelona slaughter Real Madrid in one-sided Clasico and go tops

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Madrid - Barcelona cruised to the top of the Spanish Liga on Monday by thrashing historic rivals 5-0 in a delighted Camp Nou.

David Villa scored twice for the Catalans, who are now two points above Real. Barca's other goals were put away by Xavi, Pedro and supersub Jeffren. Real had Spain defender Sergio Ramos sent off at the end.

It was the biggest thrashing suffered by Real in Barcelona since 1994 and is their first defeat under new coach Jose Mourinho. Barca have beaten the whites in all five Clasicos since Pep Guardiola was appointed coach in 2008.

Mourinho's tactic of playing with an advanced defense dramatically back-fired on him, as time and again Xavi and Andres Iniesta played through-balls for Villa, Pedro and Lionel Messi to run onto.

Indeed, the result would have been even more embarrassing for the Portuguese coach had it not been for Messi's uncharacteristically wasting several clear chances.

Barca dominated from start to finish, enjoying almost 70 per cent possession. After just six minutes, Messi hit Iker Casillas' far post with a clever curling shot.

The capacity crowd did not have to wait long for the first goal. In the 10th minute Iniesta exquisitely played Xavi through. The veteran playmaker scuffed his first shot but then calmly chipped Casillas to make it 1-0.

Eight minutes later, with the Camp Nou on fire, Villa took a pass from Xavi down the left and skipped past Sergio Ramos. His center was fumbled by Casillas, allowing Pedro to make it 2-0 from close range.

It was men against boys from then on, with Mourinho's young team looking hopelessly out of its depth. The white cause was not helped by Gonzalo Higuain's missing out due to a back injury. This left Cristiano Ronaldo alone in attack and the Portuguese striker looked nervous and overawed by the occasion.

Barca started the second half as they had started the first - with speed, precision and penetration. Villa scored two similar goals within the space of three minutes by finishing calmly after after being played through by Messi on both occasions.

The elegant hosts then eased up, as if not wanted to humiliate Real. But in injury time Jeffren made it 5-0 by turning in a center from fellow substitute Bojan.

The fifth goal caused Ramos to lose his discipline and he was sent off for an awful, needless foul on Messi.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355794,one-sided-clasico-go-tops.html.

Ahmadinejad urges Lebanese government, Hezbollah to unite - Summary

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged the Lebanese government to unite with the militant anti-Israeli group Hezbollah for the common good, the state television network IRIB reported on its website Monday.

"If the Lebanese government and the resistance (Hezbollah) were in one front, then the country could pursue the path of dignity and development and there would be nothing the Zionist regime (Israel) and its allies could do anymore," Ahmadinejad was quoted as having told Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Sunday.

He said all countries should support national unity in Lebanon to ensure security.

Tehran supports the militant Shiite Hezbollah, which leads the opposition in Lebanon. Hariri's government is backed by the West, which regards Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

Divisions have widened after reports that the United Nations- backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father, former premier Rafik Hariri, is ready to indict Hezbollah members.

Other Iranian officials also made it clear to Hariri that Tehran would not drop its support for Hezbollah or the group's campaign against Israel.

"The theory of peace in the region has failed and resistance is the only way to confront [Israel]," Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said.

"Resistance and unity are the two main factors for realizing progress in Lebanon and whatever would harm the Lebanese resistance would target the interests of the Lebanese people," Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeid Jalili told Hariri.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki meanwhile said the "Iran- Lebanon connection would create the optimal cooperation potential."

Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said that Tehran was ready to cover Lebanon's defense needs and also that of Hezbollah.

Hariri on Monday also met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who also reiterated Iran's support for Hezbollah.

"As long as the criminal Zionist regime (Israel) exists, Lebanon will need the resistance (Hezbollah)," said Khamenei who has the final say on all state affairs in Iran.

"The resistance is the only force the enemies cannot confront and (the government of) Lebanon should therefore appreciate the resistance and further strengthen relations (with Hezbollah)," the ayatollah added.

The Iranian leader further said that Tehran would not hesitate to help Lebanon in any possible way to move towards progress and development.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/355674,hezbollah-unite-summary.html.