Azeri elite demands to ban headscarves

11 December 2010

Elite of Azerbaijan has demanded a total ban on hijab in the country.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Culture, Nizami Jafarov, said he supports a ban of the hijabs in educational institutions:

"Hijab wearing must be totally forbidden at secondary schools. Girls have not been well-formed to have any religious ideas. A school has its own rules".

"We are not to become independent to wrapping up in a yashmak. The society has to struggle against such cases", said Secretary General of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers Rashad Majid.

According to him, he is against any woman wearing a headscarf:

"If someone wears hijab in private, at home, we have no right to oppose to it. However, Azerbaijan is a secular state. Parents' demand to girls to cover their heads is a provocation against Azerbaijan. It's like opposing the Constitution. Azerbaijani intelligentsia fought for freeing people from bigotry for years".

Chairman of the United Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev, noted that hijab contradicts to the "Constitution": Hijab are religious clothes and attributes. So, the law forbids its existence at educational institutions. Unfortunately, the majority was in due time against adopting an article in the Constitution that openly bans the hijab".

Hasanguliyev also stressed, he supported the position of the Ministry of Education in this matter.

A professor at Baku State University, political analyst Rustam Mammadov noted that the attitude towards Islam changed after the collapse of the USSR, and due to that, women started to wear hijab: "I see an increase in hijab wearing girls in classrooms each year. It confuses our with Europeanized society. Propaganda of religious ideology will lead to serious conflicts".

Kavkaz Center

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/12/11/13120.shtml.

Message from Supreme Judge of the Caucasus Emirate to Muslims

12 December 2010

Below is an English translation of the latest message from Ali Abu Muhammad al-Dagestani (ha), the Qadi, or supreme judge, of the Supreme Sharia Court of the Caucasus Emirate. The message has been sent to the Guraba website staff specifying that it was intended "for distribution among Muslims", like the previous messages.

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, peace and blessing be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions and all those who follow him until the Day of Judgment, and then ...

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you.

As we all know, our Emir, Dokku Abu Usman, appointed me as the Qadi of Caucasus Emirate after the martyrdom of our brother Seyfullah, although I do not deserve this charge, because our Faqih (scholars expert in Fiqh) specified conditions and defined the qualifications that a Sharia Qadi should have.

One of these conditions is that he must be a Mujtahid scholar (who is able to perform Ijtihad - the interpretation of the Koran and Sunnah). I am not one of them. Due to the lack of such people, not only in the CE, but also outside of it, I was forced to accept this heavy burden, may Allah forgive me. In this regard, I would like to make the following statement:

Dear brothers and sisters, our Lord requires from us that we resolve all our differences through His Sharia, otherwise, we are not Muslims.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

"O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 59)

In this verse, Allah clearly indicates the responsibility of solving our problems through the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessing be upon him. And those who do not want to ask for the decision to Allah and His Messenger, these people just say, they believe, although they are not. Allah the Almighty said in His Book:

"Have you not seen those who claim to have believed in what was revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 60)

And after that, Allah describes such people as hypocrites:

"And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger", you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 61)

And then Allah amplifies and swears by His own Lordship that they are not believers.

The Most High says:

"But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verse 65)

In this verse, Allah indicates not only the obligation to apply for a trial to Him and His Messenger, but also the need for a full agreement with the decision taken [by the court], without any constraints in heart and with a complete submission to this decision.

This is a legislation issue (al-Hakimiyyah), and it is directly included into the Tawhid-ar-Ruboobiyyah wal- Uloohiyyah, i.e. the doctrine of Oneness of Lordship and Worship. With the help of Allah, we will examine in detail the issues of Tawhid and of al-Hakimiyyah in our upcoming messages.

In this appeal, I want to talk about disagreements that arose between our brothers from the Wilayah Nokhchicho and the leadership of the Caucasus Emirate. On this occasion I want to say: the Sharia does not give anyone the right to voice their assumptions and speculations, until a decision on a Sharia issue has not yet been issued by competent persons, and this is in order to avoid Fitna, or discord. Because some assumptions are sinful.

On this regard, Allah says:

"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 49. "The Walls", verse 12)

And Allah calls us to reconcile with our brothers. Allah says:

"The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 49. "The Walls", verse 10)

So, here, I want to say that at the moment, our only legitimate leader, as recognized by all Mujahideen in the Caucasus, is Emir Dokku Abu Usman, and we are all obliged to obey and submit to him so far as he leads us by the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him), even if it is hateful to our souls.

And this is indicated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a hadith transmitted from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

"One who dislikes a thing done by his Emir should be patient over it, for anyone from the people who withdraws (his obedience) from the government, even to the extent of a handspan and died in that conditions, would die the death of one belonging to the days of jahiliyyah (paganism, ignorance)".
(Sahih Muslim, 4560).

Although this hadith refers to the ruler of all Muslims (the Caliph), it does not preclude our position.

Likewise, in a hadith which is transmitted from Ubadah ibn as-Samit:

"The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) called us and we took the oath of allegiance to him. Among the injunctions he made binding upon us was: Listening and obedience (to the Emir) in our pleasure and displeasure, in our adversity and prosperity, even when somebody is given preference over us, and without disputing the delegation of powers to a man duly invested with them except when you have clear signs of his disbelief in (or disobedience to) God-signs that could be used as a conscientious justification (for non-compliance with his orders)".
(Sahih Muslim, 4541).

I urge again all brothers and sisters: do not speak on this subject and do not spread your assumptions, which may alienate you from Allah. And if somebody hears from the others various accusatory statements, then let him know that whoever does this, consciously or not, only contributes to further propagation of the fitna and does not contributes to reconciliation between Muslims. I also urge all the brothers involved this fitna to take no actions and to refrain from any statements on this subject while the matter is reviewed according to the Sharia and until a Sharia decision is issued.

In conclusion, praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Qadi of the Caucasus Emirate,

Ali Abu Muhammad al-Dagestani

Kavkaz Center + Kavkaz-Jihad Blog

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/12/12/13124.shtml.

John McCain: Russia should be punished for crimes in Chechnya and North Caucasus

11 December 2010

John McCain has proposed to introduce sanctions against Russia as punishment for crimes and human rights violations in Chechnya and the North Caucasus.

According to him, the White House should influence Russia, using its desire to join the WTO.

The senator believes that the Obama administration should cease to participate in the US-Russian working group Civil Society, which in his view, resembles a farce.

It is to be recalled that the US-Russian commission was created by Medvedev and Obama in the summer of 2009.

The first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, Vladislav Surkov, heads it from the Russian side, and the U.S. presidential adviser Michael McFaul from the U.S. side.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate is going to adopt a resolution in connection with the occupation of Georgia by Russia. The draft resolution reflects important issues such as territorial integrity, de-occupation and ethnic cleansing.

The senators' document urges Russia to fulfill the cease-fire agreement, to carry out the de-occupation and to promote a dignified return of refugees. It recognizes sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

As stated by the Georgian Acting Ambassador in the United States and Canada Batu Kutelia, the document recognizes sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia as integral parts of Georgia under Russian occupation.

"This is the main message, which is directed not only at Russia, but at the entire civilized world," Kutelia said.

Georgian minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Structure Georgi Baramidze, who is currently on a working visit to the United States, noted that "the resolution on occupation would strengthen Georgia's position in the struggle for de-occupation".

It is to be recalled that earlier, U.S. Senator John McCain said that the administration of President Barack Obama should reassess relations with Russia and start selling defensive arms to Georgia.

"Our allies in Central and Eastern Europe view Georgia as a test case for whether the United States will stand by them or not", said the Republican nominee at the presidential election of 2008.

"Russia views Georgia as a test case, too - of how much it can get away with in Georgia", said McCain.

"It is the policy of our government to support Georgia's aspiration to join the NATO. And yet for two years, mostly out of deference to Russia, defensive arms sales have not been authorized for Georgia. This has to change. At a minimum we should provide Georgia with early warning radars..." The Washington Post quoted senator as saying.

Department of Monitoring
Kavkaz Center

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/12/11/13122.shtml.

Gbagbo orders UN troops out

Incumbent Cote d'Ivoire president tells UN peacekeepers to leave the country after 'interference' in internal affairs.

18 Dec 2010

The government of Cote d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo has told the United Nations and French peacekeeping missions to leave the country, escalating tensions after last month's disputed presidential polls.

"The government demands the departure of the UNOCI [United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire] and LICORNE [The French military's 'Operation Unicorn'] forces in Ivory Coast and is opposed to any renewal of their mandate," said spokesperson Jacqueline Oble, reading a statement on state television on Saturday.

"UNOCI has interfered seriously in the internal affairs of Ivory Coast," she added.

The UN mission has told Al Jazeera that they are still awaiting receipt of a formal letter regarding this request.

Earlier on Saturday, masked men in military uniforms opened fire on a UN base, after following guards back from a patrol, according to a UN statement. There were no casualties after the attack, in which six armed men in a civilian vehicle shot at the patrol as it entered the UN compound.

The men continued firing along the wall of the compound, and UN guards returned fire, according to the statement.

The UN has 10,000 soldiers and police in the country following the 2002-03 civil war, and former colonial power France's LICORNE force supports the UN mission in the country.

Cote d'Ivoire was thrown into crisis after its November 28 presidential runoff, with both candidates claiming victory. Alassane Ouattara has been recognized by the international community as the winner and has formed a parallel government holed up in an Abidjan hotel.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Patrick Achi, spokesman for Ouattara, said that Gbagbo had no right to ask the UN to leave, as he is no longer President.

"The population is the hostage of someone who lost the election," Achi added.

He asserted that the international community must now step in and turn their words of support into action, as Gbagbo remains in control of the army and the media.

The current UN mandate, however, is limited to protecting civilians, and does not allow peacekeepers to interfere with local politics.

Sylvain Touati, Research Fellow for the Africa Program at the French Institute for International Relations, told Al Jazeera that the UN can choose to ignore the request from Gbagbo, as it no longer recognizes him as head of state.

He added that the UN may be forced to intervene if hostilities escalate, as an armed conflict between the two sides could lead to much bloodshed.

International pressure mounts

The move to eject UN and French peacekeepers comes just a day after Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga called on African nations to oust Gbagbo by force if necessary.

"Mr Gbagbo must be forced even if it means using military means to get rid of him because now he is just relying on military power, not the people's power, to intimidate the people," Odinga told a news conference in Nairobi on Friday.

"The African Union should develop teeth."

France has issued a weekend deadline for Gbagbo to surrender his presidential post or face international sanctions and Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, has called on the incumbent to step aside for Ouattara.

The United States has said it is ready to impose travel sanctions on Gbagbo, his inner circle and their families within days, while at least one African nation is said to have offered him exile.

"There is at least one African offer of a soft landing, but it is up to him to take it," William Fitzgerald, the state department official in charge of West African affairs, told the Reuters news agency in an interview.

'Little effect'

But Al Jazeera's Ama Boateng, reporting from Abidjan, said that Gbagbo has "heard these threats before".

"We've heard them from the African Union, we've heard them from the United Nations, we've heard them from pretty much every international voice," Boateng said. "And so far, that has had very, very little effect."

A spokesman for Gbagbo told the Reuters news agency that the presidential claimant would not step down after being handed the runoff victory after the constitutional council annulled hundreds of thousands of votes in pro-Ouattara areas.

"President Gbagbo is going nowhere. He was elected for five years and he will only leave power in 2015," Alain Toussaint said in London.

"France, the United States, the EU want to carry out a plot, a constitutional coup d'etat, and we say 'No' ... we can't allow foreign governments to interfere in our affairs."

The election has been followed by violent protests in Abidjan and other cities. Ouattara's camp said 30 people died in clashes on Thursday while Gbagbo's spokeswoman said 20 died, including 10 police officers killed by protesters.

Source: al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/12/20101218143415519240.html.

Poland seeks 'closer cooperation' with Kingdom

By Jakob Jessen

AMMAN - Krzysztof Bojko, head of mission at the Republic of Poland’s embassy in Amman, said he wants to use his country’s EU membership as an “opportunity” to “make Polish-Jordanian cooperation closer”, noting that Jordan could use “many of our experiences... for its benefit”.

“We Poles are very happy” about the “excellent” relations between Jordan and the EU,” which Poland became a full member of in 2004, he told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.

Bojko noted that a conference last week, where a delegation of Polish diplomats and scholars met with Jordanian counterparts to discuss further cooperation between the EU, Poland and Jordan, was the first step towards strengthening bilateral economic, educational and cultural ties.

Last Wednesday’s conference titled, “Poland. Jordan. European Union: Future Aspects”, covered a broad range of aspects such as intercultural communication, aviation technology, the potential for enhanced trade and lessons Jordan can learn from the modern history of Poland.

“There is a lack of information in Poland about Jordan and in Jordan about Poland. So, inviting good panelists from Poland to speak about Poland, you could show to the Jordanian people that Poland is a country of very great potential,” the diplomat said.

Bojko added that only when “you learn more about the other country” is it possible “to make the economic exchange between the countries higher”.

In his address at the conference, Artur Dabkowski, who heads the office dealing with non-EU countries at the Polish ministry of economy, presented recent figures on trade between Poland and the Kingdom.

In 2008, bilateral trade amounted to $95.71 million, while in 2009 the figure was $27.69 million, which Bojko described as “not a satisfactory level”.

The conference, however, did not only touch upon matters of economic and diplomatic cooperation. Several speakers, Jordanian and Polish alike, emphasised the lessons to be learned from the reforms Poland has undergone since the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.

Following World War II, Poland was ruled by the pro-Moscow Communist Party, but since the peaceful revolution in 1989 that ousted the Communist regime and put in place liberal democracy, Poland has undergone a sweeping political and economic transition and in 2009 it enjoyed the highest GDP growth among all EU states.

Bojko also pointed to the obstacles on the road towards enhancing the level of economic, political and cultural exchange.

“One of the obstacles in this cooperation is the lack of... Jordanian representation in Warsaw. So I try to let Jordanian officials understand that it is a very good idea to open an embassy in Warsaw,” he said adding that the absence of direct flights between Amman and Warsaw was another obstacle.

The Kingdom recently obtained so-called “advanced status” relationship with the EU giving the country “new opportunities in economic and trade relations”, according to the EU communications department.

19 December 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/?news=32733.

18,000 university students to benefit from support fund

By Mohammad Ghazal

AMMAN - The names of Student Support Fund beneficiaries will be announced at the beginning of the next academic semester in February, according to a government official.

About 18,000 university students will benefit from loans and grants extended by the fund, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the ministry's secretary general, Mustafa Adwan, told The Jordan Times over the phone on Saturday.

The beneficiaries will be selected from about 45,000 university students who submitted applications, the official said, adding that the grants cover all credit hours while the loan covers 45 credit hours.

Noting that the fund is in the process of entering and examining data submitted by applicants, Adwan said the selection process is in line with standards that take into account the family income, place of residence and academic excellence, among other considerations.

Fund beneficiaries should be Jordanians who are incapable of paying tuition fees and do not receive support from any other entity.

Applicants should have a Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate) score of 60 and above to be eligible to benefit from the fund.

Meanwhile, Adwan said the ministry is planning to establish a student loan bank in October next year.

"The bank will extend interest-free loans to university students and they will not be obliged to provide guarantees for getting a loan. We want to make it easier for university students to get loans and expand coverage of beneficiaries to enable them to pursue their education," Adwan noted.

19 December 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/?news=32731.

House discussions of gov't action plan begin today ahead of vote of confidence

By Raed Omari

AMMAN - Lawmakers will begin deliberations today over the Cabinet’s action plan built on the Speech from the Throne and on the basis which the government has requested a vote of confidence.

Last week, Prime Minister Samir Rifai presented lawmakers with a program his government drew up to translate into action the guidelines of the speech, delivered by His Majesty King Abdullah last month, and requested House confidence accordingly.

During last week’s House meeting, Rifai indicated that his government would move ahead with well-defined plans and a systematic approach, coupled with fixed time frames.

He pledged that effective action and achievement will mark the government’s work for the coming stages, in genuine partnership with the legislative authority.

The premier stated that increasing government competence, enhancing accountability, measuring progress, increasing public participation in the decision-making process, and boosting the business and investment environment will be the main pillars upon which the government’s pursuit of political, economic and social reform rests.

Boosting the role of the Kingdom’s political parties, improving the work of media, enhancing dialogue and rejection of violence were also highlighted by Rifai.

“The government approaches your esteemed Chamber with a request for confidence, based on the Speech from the Throne and its detailed action plan, in accordance with the Constitution,” the premier told lawmakers.

Referring to today’s discussion as a constitutional right, MP Mahmoud Kharabsheh (Balqa, First District) said the government’s plans to address budget deficit, public debt, unemployment and poverty will be the main items for discussion under the Dome.

He added that deputies’ deliberations will also focus on the Cabinet’s agenda to “mend fences” between the legislative and executive authorities, adding that “establishing a partnership with the government based on cooperation and coordination will be of prime significance for the lawmakers.

The King’s speech addressed not only the government but all authorities, and it offered guidelines that should be followed to serve national interests and achieve welfare for the nation, Kharabsheh said, saying the government’s action plan “could have been more detailed”.

MP Mamdouh Abbadi (Amman, Third District), told The Jordan Times that lawmakers’ discussions should take into consideration that the government did not present a policy statement but an action plan to implement the King’s directives set in the speech.

Abbadi expected the government’s plans to achieve political and economic reform to be the hottest issues to be tackled by MPs as the House contemplates a vote of confidence.

19 December 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/?news=32750.

Majlis speaker censures Mottaki removal

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani has criticized the way of removing former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki while he was on a trip in Senegal.

Larijani said dismissing the foreign minister when he was on a diplomatic mission was not a proper move.

He added that such a move will lead to inappropriate judgments about the country, IRNA quoted him as saying during a Majlis open session on Sunday.

Larijani pointed out that if there were plans to remove Mottaki, “this should have been done in a more prudent manner, while respecting his dignity.”

The Parliament speaker expressed appreciation for Mottaki's services during his five-year tenure.

On December 13, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed Mottaki from his post and appointed Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi as the country's caretaker foreign minister.

The former foreign minister did not attend Tuesday's inauguration ceremony of his replace, Ali Akbar Salehi.

This is the first reshuffle in President Ahmadinejad's second term in office, which began in 2009.

The Iranian chief executive replaced 12 of his cabinet ministers during his first tenure from 2005 to 2009.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156134.html.

Iran to unveil largest teahouse painting

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Iran's largest teahouse painting, created by two veteran artists, is scheduled to be unveiled at an art gallery in the capital city of Tehran.

The 32-meter artwork, which covers the walls of the Gallery 66, will be unveiled after more than three decades since the project started.

Teahouse painting is a traditional Persian art which embodies some elements of miniature painting. The works painted in this style mostly depict religious and national events.

“When I bought Gallery 66 in 1974, I decided to design a teahouse painting to cover the walls of the building,” veteran painter and collector Sadeq Tabrizi told ISNA.

“I wanted the painting to include major events from the descent of Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) up to contemporary Islamic occasions,” he added.

Renowned Iranian teahouse painter Abbas Boloukifar was the first artist to design and start painting it. He spent five years on designing it.

The project, however, came to a halt after the 1979 Islamic Revolution until Biouk Ahmari resumed the work in 1998 completing it in 2003.

“Boloukifar had suggested that 1979 Imam Khomeini's arrival in Tehran be painted as the final scene of the artwork, but he did not live long enough to realize his dream,” said Tabrizi.

The painting depicts the descent of Gabriel, the ascent of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), early Islamic battles, Ashura and several other contemporary Islamic events.

The artwork, painted on canvas, will be unveiled by the end of Muharram, the first month on the Islamic calendar, on January 5, 2011.

Tabrizi plans to hold Naqqali sessions at the gallery.

Naqqali is an epic narration inspired by religious events as well as mythical narrations, such as the 11th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi's Shahnameh (The Book of Kings).

Dating back to the Safavid era Naqqali can be performed in verse or prose and by only one person, who presents it with a special tone and expression, playing the roles of all characters.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156204.html.

Majlis hails Ahmadinejad reform plans

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Nearly 180 lawmakers have welcomed implementation Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's reform plans which he has promised will boost the economy and eradicate poverty.

In a joint statement released on Sunday, 175 lawmakers touted the implementation of the “targeted” reforms, which include slashing government subsidiaries in place since the 1979 Revolution and raising energy prices.

“Our dear nation is well aware that the previous unjust allocation of government subsidiaries was one of the main problems of our country's economy and the source of corruption as well as many other anomalies,” Fars News Agency quoted the Sunday statement.

The statement, recited by a member of the Iranian Parliament's (Majlis) Presiding Board, Jasem Saedi, also urged political activists, lawmakers and the media to “continue their support for the plans.”

“The implementation of this law in the face of efforts by the enemies of the Revolution to paint a troubled picture of the country's finances through economic sanctions is a sign of economic stability and great management skills as well as the unity between the government and the nation,” it added.

In a televised national speech on Saturday night, President Ahmadinejad announced that the plans would be implemented on Sunday.

He said the plans were guaranteed to lead to a better economy, since people would start saving on energy consumption, making it possible to export the extra reserves and pump the money back into the economy.

The Iranian chief executive also reasoned that higher prices would encourage people to use less fuel and cause less damage to the environment -- especially in pollution-hit Tehran.

Under the new rationing system, the price of gasoline will rise by fourfold from IRR1,000 (10 cents) per liter to IRR4,000 (40 cents) per liter as of Sunday.

Fuel beyond a person's quota -- which is 50 liters per month -- is now sold at IRR7,000 (70 cents) per liter.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156199.html.

Iraq plans to build 4 power plants

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Iraq plans to set up four power plants with a total of 2,750 megawatts capacity within 18 months to overcome electricity shortage in the war-torn country.

The electricity ministry says the power stations would be constructed in cities of Basra, Samawa, Diwaniya and Amarah.

“The four should be built within 18 months,” Bloomberg quoted Sami al-Araji, the head of the country's National Investment Commission, as saying on Saturday.

Iraq, which is one of the world's major oil producers, is trying to increase its power generation to meet its domestic demand of about 14,000 megawatts.

According to government figures, the country's power output stood at 8,000 megawatts in April.

Former Electricity Minister Karim Wahid stepped down in June amid violent street protests triggered by severe seasonal summer power shortages.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156139.html.

Iraqi Kurds slam anti-rally law

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Thousands of Iraqi Kurds have taken to the streets of the northern city of Suleymaniyeh to protest against a recent law restricting the right to demonstrate.

Last week, the rule was signed into law by Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

More than 2,000 people, holding placards and chanting slogans, attended Saturday's peaceful protest.

"This law is a retreat from the path of democracy in Kurdistan, and infringes on people's freedom to express their opinions," said head of the Kurdish Institute of Elections Aram Jamal, quoted by AFP.

Around 100 police officers monitored the protest, but made no arrests.

Earlier, Kurdish journalists, political groups and figures had signed a letter demanding the abolition of the law.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan's small opposition parties voted against the legislation in the regional parliament.

However, the ruling Kurdistania coalition, made up of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, approved the bill which was signed into law on Thursday.

The new law is described by activists as a move against freedom and democracy.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156120.html.

Israeli manager kills himself in Turkey

Sun Dec 19, 2010

The director of the El Al Israel Airlines Ltd's branch in Turkey committed suicide in Istanbul apparently succumbing to financial pressure, says a Turkish paper.

Mosche Cohen's body was found dead in a car in the Belgrad Forest in the district of Sariyer in the northwestern city on Thursday, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported.

He had allegedly fired a bullet into his own head.

“Feeling lonely, I couldn't escape my depression. I love you. Wish I could be there,” he had written in a suicide note.

The melancholic state, the daily wrote, had allegedly resulted from his high debts.

“I'm sorry, my dear wife and daughter. I couldn't be a good husband and father for you,” he had said in the note.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156189.html.

Iran commission votes to cut UK ties

Sun Dec 19, 2010

The National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) has decided to sever all ties with the United Kingdom.

A member of the commission Mohammad Karami-Rad told Press TV on Sunday that lawmakers had voted after hours of deliberation to fully cut ties with Britain.

"Members of the commission brought up very important and serious issues [in their Sunday meeting] regarding a single-urgency motion to sever ties with Britain," said the parliamentarian.

"The commissioners also condemned recent remarks by the British ambassador to Tehran (Simon Gass) and reviewed the British government's other hostile acts throughout history against our country," said the lawmaker.

He said the motion will be put to a final vote by all lawmakers before it is approved.

Iran has considered breaking off relations with Britain several times because of London's meddlesome and undiplomatic approach vis-à-vis Tehran.

A recent case of London's double standards regarding Iran was the remarks made by the British ambassador to Tehran who, in a web posting, accused Iran of violating human rights.

"Today, International Human Rights Day is highlighting the cases of those people around the world who stand up for the rights of others -- the lawyers, journalists and NGO workers who place themselves at risk to defend their countrymen. Nowhere are they under greater threat than in Iran," claimed the British diplomat in questionable comments posted on the website of the British Embassy in Tehran on December 9.

"Since last year human rights defenders have been harassed and imprisoned," he added.

Gass' brazen remarks came at a time when the British government was brutally cracking down on student protests in the UK.

The students, who were simply expressing their objection to tuition fee hikes, had been severely assaulted and arrested by the British police.

A senior Iranian lawmaker also implicated Britain in two terror attacks in the port city of Chabahar in southeastern Iran last Wednesday which left at least 38 people killed and around 90 wounded.

“Past experience has proven that the US and UK intelligence services are behind crimes such as the Wednesday morning crime in Chabahar,” Chairman of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said.

The mourners were commemorating the anniversary of the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam, Hussein (PBUH).

Back in May, Iranian parliamentary spokesman Kazem Jalali accused Britain of instigating Iranophobia and denounced London's meddling in the issue of the three Persian Gulf islands of Lesser Tunb, Greater Tunb and Abu Musa.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156182.html.

Turkey finds explosives in Istanbul

Sun Dec 19, 2010

A map, found as part of a probe into alleged "blackmail and military espionage," has led Turkish investigators to a cache of bombs and ammunitions in Istanbul.

Using the sketch, the investigators unearthed 30 pieces of plastic explosives and 900 bullets in a suburb in the northwestern city, Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.

The digging process could lead to further finds.

Last year, researchers found hand grenades, light anti-tank weapons and explosives in the suburban area, AFP said. The discovery was followed by the indictment of 16 people, mostly Navy officers, for joining in on a plot to damage the reputation of and oust the ruling authorities.

On Thursday, Ankara began the trial of 196 retired and serving military officers who had been accused of plotting to topple the Turkish government seven years ago.

The suspects could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of attempting to overthrow Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party or preventing it from carrying out its duties.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156178.html.

Iran to build ocean-going research vessel

Sun Dec 19, 2010

The director of the maritime industries department of the Iranian Defense Ministry says Iran plans to build the country's first research ocean liner in the near future.

The project to construct the research vessel has been under study for two years ago, Alireza Esbati told the Mehr news agency on Saturday.

In the current stage of the project, the technical features of the ocean liner are being determined, he stated.

Esbati said the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography is cooperating with the Defense Ministry in the project.

Earlier this year, Iran constructed its first ever ocean-going cargo liner but has never constructed a liner able to transport people and research facilities along regular long-distance maritime routes.

Iran's first cargo liner, named the Iran-Arak, officially joined the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines on May 31.

The Iran-Arak received a quality certificate from the Germanischer Lloyd technical supervisory organization and is equipped with the world's most advanced navigation systems.

The Iran-Arak is 185 meters long, 30 meters wide, and has the capacity to carry up to 30,000 tons of cargo (2,200 containers).

Iran has made great progress in manufacturing military and research equipment over the past few years.

In addition, the Islamic Republic has recently designed and manufactured many satellites and radar systems.

Earlier in December, the Iranian Navy announced that it plans to launch assembly lines for submarines capable of covering long distances across the ocean in order to deploy more warships in the Persian Gulf and beyond.

The deputy commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Gholamreza Khadem Bigham, said that submarines and other vessels of various classes and capabilities are currently under construction, in cooperation with the Defense Industries Organization.

A submarine simulator, named the Tareq, designed for training, was also unveiled in December.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156102.html.

Authoritarian incumbent favored in Belarus elections

Sun, 19 Dec 2010

Minsk - Belarus' authoritarian President Aleksander Lukashenko was running for a record fourth term in office in presidential elections on Sunday and was widely expected to win.

Lukashenko, a former collective farm boss, vowed he would defeat his nine challengers without tampering with the electoral process.

But his critics have accused him of ordering police to arrest opposition activists and forcing state-controlled media to support him.

Police in the capital Minsk and outlying cities detained more than a dozen opposition activists on the eve of the election, according to independent news reports.

Vitaliy Rymashevskiy, a campaign worker for the opposition candidate Yuriy Klimovich, told the Belapan news agency that police in the city of Gomel arrested him and charged him for swearing in public.

He denied the charge, claiming his detention was part of a government intimidation campaign, according to a Belapan report.

Law enforcement officials have repeatedly warned that anti- Lukashenko demonstrations planned by the opposition in central Minsk after polls close are unsanctioned and will be broken up by force.

Opposition leaders have vowed to go ahead with Sunday evening protests against electoral fraud and Lukashenko's expected victory.

More than 1,000 international observers led by a 490-member delegation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were in the country to monitor the vote.

Pro-democracy groups have alleged that Lukashenko's government pushed early ballot casting, which took place outside the observation of monitors, with the intention of falsifying the Sunday ballot counts.

Almost one in four Belarusians had cast early ballots by election day, according to data compiled by the Central Election Commission.

Lukashenko has rejected claims the election will be fraudulent, saying his real support in the country is so substantial that he has no need to fix the vote in his favor.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358861,incumbent-favoured-belarus-elections.html.

Former Iranian foreign minister angry about his dismissal

Sun, 19 Dec 2010

Tehran - Former Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Sunday called President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decision to fire him while on a mission abroad "un-Islamic and insulting."

"Such an approach towards a minister on a mission was un-Islamic, contrary to political and diplomatic norms and quite insulting," he said in a statement carried by the Fars news agency.

In a surprise move, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fired Mottaki on Monday while he was on a mission in Senegal and replaced him with the country's atomic energy chief, Ali-Akbar Salehi.

Mottaki rejected remarks by Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi at Saturday's farewell ceremony - which he did not attend - saying that the president had informed him of his replacement before his visit to Senegal.

"I had a meeting with Ahmadinejad before the visit and the topic was not at all raised, neither the sudden replacement nor Saturday's ridiculous farewell ceremony," Mottaki said.

Salehi said relations with the Islamic world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular would be his top foreign policy priority.

His remarks fueled rumors that Mottaki's sacking was related to the WikiLeaks disclosures, in particular the documents that claimed Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, two neighboring Muslim countries, had urged a US military strike against Iran over its nuclear projects.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358862,foreign-minister-angry-dismissal.html.

Snowfall continues to hamper European air travel

Sun, 19 Dec 2010

Frankfurt/Berlin - Snowfall and icy conditions continued to hamper European air travel on Sunday, including hundreds of flight cancellations at Frankfurt airport, a major international hub.

Early in the day, 450 of Frankfurt's 1,300 scheduled departures and landings had already been canceled, an airport spokeswoman said. She was unable to confirm how many hundred passengers were waiting for their flights.

"The flight timetables are all messed up," the spokeswoman said. "There's no end in sight yet, as we are expecting more snowfall."

Travelers remained calm early Sunday, in contrast to the previous day when police had to be called in as frustrated Lufthansa passengers lost their patience with major delays at the check-in counters.

Other German airports also experienced delays and cancellations. Around 50 flights were canceled in Munich, where 200 passengers had spent the night on camp beds.

In neighboring Belgium, around 1,500 long-distance travelers were stuck at Brussels airport overnight, diverted from London's Heathrow terminals where British Airways canceled all flights Saturday.

The travelers, from countries including China, South Korea, Kuwait and the US, had to remain in the transit area as they did not have valid visas to enter Belgium, an airport spokesman said.

Heathrow airport remained severely hampered by snowfall on Sunday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358870,hamper-european-air-travel.html.

India's ruling party calls for anti-corruption campaign

Sun, 19 Dec 2010

New Delhi - India's ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi Sunday outlined a plan to fight corruption as she defended the government, which is beleaguered by a series of financial scams running into billions of dollars.

Gandhi's address to the Congress' annual conference in New Delhi came as the party goes through its toughest political test in the six years it has been in power.

Authorities are investigating a mobile licensing scam which has resulted in a loss of up to 40 billion dollars to the exchequer - described by the media as India's biggest-ever corruption case.

The Congress-led coalition has also faced opposition heat over corruption allegations in organizing the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

Gandhi said her four-point plan to "intensify the battle against corruption" included instituting a new system of fast-tracking corruption cases involving government officials and politicians.

"Such cases drag on interminably and undermine public confidence and trust," she said.

She also called for ensuring transparency in public procurements and contracts, through legislation and well-defined procedure.

Gandhi asked ministers to relinquish discretionary powers for allocating land, noting that such powers bred corruption and underlined the need for an open and competitive system for exploiting the country's natural resources.

"There should be no tolerance for corruption and we must confront it," she said.

Gandhi said the party "solidly" supported Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attacked the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for stalling the parliament through the entire winter session that ended last week.

Opposition parties including BJP had disrupted proceedings daily, demanding a cross-party probe into the telecom scandal. "Parliament cannot be held hostage to political blackmail and political expediency," Gandhi said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358873,party-calls-anti-corruption-campaign.html.

Pakistan, China sign 22 economic agreements - Summary

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Islamabad - Pakistan and China Saturday signed 22 new trade agreements, worth 15-billion-dollars, aimed at deepening strategic and economic toes between the two countries, officials said.

These come on the top of another 13 agreements worth around 20 billion dollars signed Friday after bilateral meetings.

The fresh deals were inked at a business summit addressed by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and his Pakistani host Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and attended by business representatives from the two nations.

Gilani said that the corporate and business sectors of both countries must now seize business opportunities offered by Pakistan and take the lead.

Wen urged the investors from his country to invest in Pakistan and help build the economic ties with the traditional Chinese friend.

"We have strong political relations and now we are building economic ties, which can witnessed from the fact that trade has risen from one-billion-dollar in 2000 to 7-billion-dollars by 2009," he said.

The state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) said the agreements will bring 25-billion-dollars investment and double the bilateral trade to bring to 15-billion-dollars till 2015.

Wen is visiting Pakistan to transform the historically defense-oriented relations into broader trade, economic and cultural ties.

Early Saturday, he joined his Pakistani counterpart Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to inaugurate the Pak-China Friendship Center, which Wen described "as symbol of traditional friendship."

China announced it would send medical experts to provide free treatment to 1,000 cataract patents over the next two years. China will also provide 500 scholarships to students over the next three years.

A Pakistani, Manzoor Hussain, recounted how he guarded a cemetery of 500 Chinese engineers and workers in Pakistan's northern areas, where they died while building the Karakoram Highway, which connects the two nations through the Himalayan region.

The two leaders also attended a briefing on Pakistan's floods, that inundated around one-fifth of the country and affected more than two million people.

Wen is due to meet President Asif Ali Zardari at dinner. The leaders of all political parties, including former premier and main opposition figure Nawaz Sharif, have set aside bitter political differences to join the dinner.

China has been perceived as an all-weather friend and mainstay of Pakistan, against its traditional rival India.

But China is delicately trying to balance its ties with both Pakistan and India, as Wen arrived here after visiting India with a trade delegation of over 400 and agreeing to target bilateral trade of 100 billion dollars by 2015.

Pakistan and China also privately discussed a deal for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Pakistan's central province of Punjab. However, it was not clear yet if the two countries signed an agreement.

China has already helped Pakistan to build two nuclear power plants, one of which is in operation while the second is near completion.

The nuclear cooperation has increased despite reservations in the US, which regards Pakistan's nuclear program as a proliferation risk. The Chinese premier will also address the parliament on Sunday before concluding the visit.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358793,economic-agreements-summary.html.

Barcelona thrash neighbors Espanyol 5-1

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Madrid - Barcelona turned on the style again on Saturday to thrash Espanyol 5-1 away on Saturday in a one-sided Catalan derby, with two goals apiece from winger Pedro and striker David Villa, plus one from playmaker Xavi.

Pablo Osvaldo pulled a goal back for Espanyol but the hosts - who had won all their previous home matches - were incapable of turning the tables on their illustrious neighbors.

It was Barca's 10th consecutive league win and confirms their imperious form. They now have 43 points from 16 games and have scored 50 goals, leaving them on course to break all the records.

They are five points above Real Madrid, who are at home to troubled Sevilla on Sunday.

Lionel Messi should have given Barca an early lead but the chance fell to his weaker right foot and he blasted over. But Pedro made no mistake in the 19th minute when played through by Messi, making it 1-0 with a cool finish.

Xavi made it 2-0 on the half hour with a low cross-shot, after a series of mistakes from the over-worked Espanyol defense.

The one-way traffic continued into the second half, and Pedro added a third after Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni had dropped a long shot from Messi.

Osvaldo then pulled a goal back for Espanyol after speeding away from aging Barca captain Carles Puyol. The hosts poured forward more in hope than expectation but left gaps at the back which Villa cruelly exploited with two late goals.

It was Barca's biggest away win against their neighbors in almost 50 years. So impressive was their performance that they were actually applauded off by the Espanyol fans.

Earlier on Saturday, Villarreal had held on to third place with a 3-1 home defeat of Mallorca.

Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the yellows the lead in the 12th minute after Guiseppe Rossi had headed on a center from Borja Valero.

Jonathan de Guzman made it 1-1 for Mallorca 16 minutes later by volleying home a center from Pierre Webo. But the hosts quickly resumed control and Rossi restored their lead from the penalty spot in the 35th minute after a handball by Webo.

Seven minutes into the second half Nilmar made it 3-1 with a classy chip after being played through by Borja. The third goal knocked the stuffing out of Mallorca, who never threatened to turn the result around.

Villarreal now have 33 points from 16 games, which is five more than fourth-placed Espanyol.

Also on Saturday, Athletic Bilbao moved up to joint fifth with a 2-1 win away to troubled Levante. The Basques are level on 25 points with Valencia, both of them three behind Espanyol.

Valencia were due to face Real Sociedad in Saturday's late game.

Veteran Igor Gabilondo gave Bilbao an early lead only for Felipe Caicedo to quickly level for Levante. But 17 minutes from time Spain World Cup reserve Javi Martinez made it 2-1 for the visitors by heading in a clever Gabilondo center.

Levante are now fifth from bottom and facing their usual relegation struggle.

With three points less than Levante are Sporting Gijon, who did well to battle out a 1-1 draw away to Deportivo Coruna.

Aythami Oliva gave Deportivo an early lead but Gijon fought back bravely and earned a point thanks to a late strike from Diego Castro.

Gijon are still second from bottom but are now three points above bottom team Zaragoza.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358823,thrash-neighbours-espanyol-5-1.html.

Mugabe declares new elections for next year

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Harare - President Robert Mugabe Saturday declared his party would regain its ruling status in elections to be held next year.

He vowed that his Zanu-PF party would crush other political players like a fast-moving train.

"We are back on the revolutionary rails," said the 86-year-old leader as he closed the Zanu PF three-day conference in the eastern border city of Mutare, about 300km east of the capital Harare.

"We leave here redeemed and rejuvenated from the doldrums of 2008. We are a fired-up train. What happened in 2008 will never come again. Never. Never, again," said the former guerrilla leader.

In 2008, his party lost its majority in parliament for the first time since Zimbabwe attained its independence from Great Britain in 1980. Mugabe also lost the first round of presidential elections to then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai that same year.

In the run-off, Tsvangirai pulled out, citing violence targeting his supporters. Mugabe declared himself winner but regional leaders forced him to form a coalition government with Tsvangirai who is now Zimbabwe's prime minister.

On Friday, Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party warned that Zimbabwe was not ready for elections next year, citing intimidation by army and militia, and the absence of a new constitution.

Mugabe did not propose a date for the elections.

Mugabe reiterated that his government would nationalize Western-owned banks and financial institutions if their countries do not lift smart sanctions imposed on him and his cronies in 2002.

"Don't expect your banks here to remain the same as they have been. We are not fools," he said.

Mugabe threatened that people who turned their backs on Zimbabwe would be kicked out because they "produce bad smell."

"I am sorry I have said something taboo but these people (whites) naturally produce bad odor," he said. "Those who want to align with us come."

Mugabe said Zimbabwe would refuse investment from the West if they do not lift the sanctions.

"Why should we suffer when we are sitting on wealth? We have diamonds, platinum, gold, methane gas. We have abundance of wealth. We are able to run Zimbabwe without help of America or Britain," Mugabe told about 4,500 supporters.

On Friday, Mugabe threatened to seize Zimbabwe-based firms from Western countries that have imposed sanctions on his government. Under controversial economic empowerment and indigenization laws, foreign-owned businesses have to be 51-per-cent owned by black Zimbabweans.

"Why should Anglo American (mining company) continue to take our gold out? Why should Rio Tinto continue to take our gold out? If the sanctions remain and continue, those processes will have to stop," Mugabe said Saturday.

Western powers enforced restrictions on Mugabe and his party elite in 2002 following reports of human rights violations by Harare.

Lebanon files complaint against Israel with UN over alleged spying

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Beirut - Lebanon's Foreign Affairs Ministry on Saturday filed a complaint against Israel with the United Nations Security Council over the deployment of alleged Israeli spy devices, a ministry source said.

The complaint accused Israel of violating Lebanese sovereignty and the Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 conflict between the two countries, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

"(Such Israeli action) also threatens international security and peace, represents a violent action against Lebanese territories," it quoted the complaint as saying.

The Lebanese army announced Wednesday that it had uncovered Israeli cameras and other spy equipment on Mount Sannine, north-east of Beirut, and on Barouk Mountain, east of the capital. It claimed the Jewish state had been using it to survey vast areas.

"Unveiling these two systems came as a result of information obtained by the Intelligence Directorate from resistance (Hezbollah) sources," said a statement released by the Lebanese Army Command.

The militant Shiite movement Hezbollah has accused Israel of having infiltrated and deployed spies in the Lebanese telecommunications sector over the past few years.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358801,israel-un-alleged-spying.html.

Ahmadinejad: Brazil, Iran to host future nuclear talks - Summary

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that after the Turkish city of Istanbul, Brazil and Iran would next serve as venues for nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers.

"The nuclear talks in Geneva were fruitful. I hope the same positive course will be continued in Istanbul, and after that in Brazil and Tehran," he said in a live interview with the state television network IRIB.

Ahmadinejad was referring to negotiations with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States over Iran's nuclear program.

Iran says its uranium-enrichment program is purely meant for energy generation, but the West fears it is designed to build a nuclear bomb. The United Nations Security Council has hit Iran with several rounds of sanctions over the issue.

Ahmadinejad has repeatedly insisted that other countries besides the six world powers - namely Turkey and Brazil - should not only be involved in the talks, but also serve as meeting hosts.

Driving Ahmadinejad's argument is the fact that Turkey and Brazil have not only supported Iran's right to pursue peaceful nuclear projects, but also were the only two countries that voted against the latest Security Council resolution on Iranian sanctions.

The two nations were also involved in a deal inked in May in Tehran on a uranium swap that would see Iran store at least 1.2 tons of its low-enriched uranium in Turkey, to later exchange it with nuclear fuel for its medical reactor in Tehran.

Ahmadinejad, as well as Ankara and Brasilia, believe that the swap deal could be one of the only options to settle the five-year dispute over Iran's controversial uranium enrichment.

The six world powers agreed in Geneva last week to hold the next round of talks in Istanbul, but said that Turkish officials could not attend the talks - just as Swiss officials did not attend the Geneva meeting either.

Ahmadinejad said the return to the negotiation table in Geneva showed that the world powers had "failed" despite several rounds of sanctions meant to "deprive Iran from its nuclear rights."

"The world powers must once and for all acknowledge Iran's nuclear rights, and it is now time to turn the path of confrontation into cooperation," he said.

"Right from the beginning, we have stressed that we want to follow the path of cooperation and discuss global political and economic challenges and even discuss nuclear cooperation," he added.

Ahmadinejad and his new foreign minister, Ali-Akbar Salehi, have shown willingness to improve ties with the world powers and seek a way out of the nuclear dispute, but categorically reject making any concessions over the country's nuclear rights.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358817,nuclear-talks-summary.html.

Taiwan should do more to promote Chinese language, says president

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Taipei - Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on Saturday said his country should work harder on teaching Chinese to foreigners.

Speaking at an international seminar on Chinese instruction, Ma said Taiwan should send teachers abroad and offer scholarships to foreigners to come to Taiwan to learn the language.

"I always had a dream. That is, we should internationalize our campuses and turn Taiwan into Southeast Asia's center for international education," he said.

He also said he hopes Taiwan can play a leading role in preserving the traditional Chinese writing form, which he warned has lost ground to simplified Chinese characters and could disappear altogether.

During the Cold War era, many foreigners had come to Taiwan to learn Chinese while China was closed to the outside world.

That changed with the end of China's cultural revolution in the 1970s. Since 2004 alone, the country has opened some 300 Confucius Institutes in about 100 countries and regions to teach Chinese.

Taiwan now plans to follow suit. The first Taiwan Academy is scheduled to open in Los Angeles early next year to promote Chinese culture and language.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358794,promote-chinese-language-president.html.

North Korea to respond 'mercilessly' if maritime border breached

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Seoul - North Korea on Saturday renewed threats to retaliate if South Korean forces carry out a planned live-fire drill near the countries' disputed maritime border.

The North Korean military would fight back "mercilessly" if the Yellow Sea border is breached, the Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by state media.

"Our military does not make empty talk," it added.

Seoul announced Thursday that it would hold a day of artillery exercises some time by the following Tuesday on Yeonpyeong island, which recently came under attack from the North.

Pyongyang had said on Friday that its retaliation would be "more serious" than on November 23, when it shelled the island, killing two soldiers and two civilians and injuring 18 others.

The Foreign Ministry on Saturday also criticized the United States for wanting to deploy about 20 of its soldiers to Yeonpyeong, in support of the maritime drill. The ministry said the soldiers were being used as "human shields."

The US currently has some 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to deter the communist North.

It remained unclear Saturday on what day the maneuvers would take place. Military sources said the timing depends on weather conditions.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358804,if-maritime-border-breached.html.

Seven hunters found shot dead in North Caucasus - Summary

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Moscow - Seven hunters have been found shot dead in a forest in the volatile North Caucasus region, officials said on Saturday.

They blamed the ambush on four "bandits," the term usually used by Russian officials to describe Islamist militants who are fighting for the creation of an Islamic state in Russia's southern provinces.

The attackers, armed with machine guns and pistols, reportedly stole two of the hunters' cars.

Initial media reports had spoken of eight dead. Two men survived the attack, a spokesman for the agency investigating the killings told the Interfax news agency.

The bodies were found in a shelter in the Kabardino- Balkaria republic, which is part of Russia.

Hunters have in the past been killed for their weapons by the underground militants.

The area is considered a safe haven for the Islamist terrorists in their battle with Kremlin forces, but is also home to numerous criminal gangs.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358808,north-caucasus-summary.html.

2,100 arrested in Moscow to defuse ethnic clashes

Sat, 18 Dec 2010

Moscow - Police in Moscow on Saturday arrested at least 2,100 young Russians and migrants from the Caucasus region in a bid to avoid renewed street battles driven by ethnic tensions, Ria Novosti state news agency reported.

Numerous weapons were confiscated as part of the arrests, a police spokesman told the agency late Saturday evening. Earlier reports put the number of arrests at 250.

The arrested included 1,300 suspects in Moscow and another 800 in the region around the capital. Dozens were also arrested in Volgograd in south-east Russia.

Heavily armed security forces dispersed an initially approved ultra-nationalist rally in the north of the capital, after some of the 500 estimated participants lit torches.

Police also detained 130 people near the city's Red Square, where some 5,000 extremists had rioted and targeted migrants last weekend. According to police, most of the detainees were teenagers from Moscow's outskirts.

President Dmitry Medvedev called on Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev to have significantly more surveillance cameras mounted at central squares across the country to make it more difficult for rioters to escape unrecognised.

Ultra-nationalists and migrant groups issued internet calls for new mass rallies in the capital. That led to the deployment of a large security contingent in several areas of the metropolis on Saturday morning.

In the south-western city of Samara, police also temporarily detained some 100 youths who had planned to gather in a park.

Tensions have been mounting in Russia for several days, with bloody clashes between Russians and migrants repeatedly flaring up.

Far-right extremists have called for revenge in the wake of the death of a football fan who was shot in a Moscow street, supposedly by Caucasus nationals he had been arguing with. Migrant workers have pledged to put up a fight.

Street battles between the two sides unfolded across the capital and in other cities on Wednesday, leading to the arrests of 1,700 people. In Moscow alone, 1,300 people were detained.

Ultra-nationalist groups, numbering in the hundreds, had roamed the city with firecrackers and smoke grenades, shouting slogans like "Caucasians, go home" and "Russia for Russians."

Experts say the Russian football scene has been heavily infiltrated by the far right. Nonetheless, the scale of the violence has shocked Moscow, where authorities usually tamp down mass protests.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358828,moscow-defuse-ethnic-clashes.html.