World United News

Israel to receive 4th German-made dolphin class submarine

2012-02-22T13:02:00.000-05:00

An Israeli Dolphin class submarine docks in Haifa (File Photo).

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/228034.html

The fourth dolphin-class submarine constructed by Germany will be delivered to the Israeli Navy in the near future, reports say.

According to an Israeli security official, the construction of the submarine is almost over and it will be transferred to Israel after undergoing deep sea tests.

Germany has already provided Israel with three Dolphin submarines, two of which were donated by Berlin and the third half-funded. Two more Dolphin-class submarines are expected to be delivered to Israel by 2013 as part of Tel Aviv plans to transform its navy into a deep-water navy.

The diesel-electric submarine built by Germany's HDW shipyard, which is a division of ThyssenKrupp AG., is reportedly capable of carrying nuclear missiles.

The 68-meter long boat is believed to be the longest German-made submarine after World War II.

Russia warns Israel: Attacking Iran catastrophic for Middle East

2012-02-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/228019.html

Russia has once again warned Israel of the “catastrophic consequences” of a military attack against Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

"The scenario of military action against Iran would be catastrophic for the region and possibly the whole system of international relations," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Wednesday.

“Therefore I hope Israel understands all these consequences ... and they should also consider the consequences of such action for themselves," the Russian official added.

Gatilov’s remarks came as Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said on Sunday that attacking Iran is “not prudent at this point” as it "would be destabilizing."

"I'm confident that they (Israel) understand our concerns that a strike at this time would be destabilizing and wouldn't achieve their long-term objectives," Dempsey added.

Israeli officials have recently ramped up their war rhetoric, threatening Iran with military strikes in case the US-engineered sanctions against the country fail to force Tehran into abandoning its civilian nuclear program.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program, using this pretext to impose sanctions against Iran and threaten the country with military attack.

Iran has refuted the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful use.

The IAEA has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.

Russia's Putin vows to strengthen army in response to NATO system

2012-02-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

Russian Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227984.html

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has once again censured the establishment of a NATO missile system in Europe, pledging to counter the measure by strengthening the Russian army.

Russia must have a powerful army to counter the foreign powers’ efforts in creating tension near Russian borders, Putin wrote in an article in the Russian Rusiskaja newspaper.

He also said that Russia will spend $770 billion in the next decade to upgrade its weapons and military equipment. He added that Russia must counter the system by expanding its airspace defense systems in addition to developing the country’s strategic nuclear weapons.

Turkey has accepted to host the US-made radar system in the Kurecik district of the southeastern province of Malatya.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that the system is aimed at protecting Europe from “threats” emanating from outside the continent.

In late November, 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered that a new missile early warning system be activated in Kaliningrad, a Baltic region bordering EU countries, in response to US plans for a missile shield in Europe.

"I expect that this step will be seen by our partners as the first signal of the readiness of our country to make an adequate response to the threats which the missile shield poses for our strategic nuclear forces," Medvedev said.

The US wants to have the system ready by 2020. Under President George W Bush, Washington was planning to set up the major parts of the system in Poland and the Czech Republic, but faced Russia’s serious objection.

US again voices support to arm Syrian opposition

2012-02-22T12:55:00.000-05:00

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227967.html

The United States has once again said it will consider military assistance to armed groups fighting the Syrian government in an effort to put pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

US officials say “additional measures” might have to be considered if the Syrian president does not step down.

“If we can't get Assad to yield to the pressure that we are all bringing to bear, we may have to consider additional measures,” said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, but she declined to elaborate on what those measures might be.

In recent days, US officials have increasingly spoken out against Damascus and some US politicians have called for arming the Syrian opposition.

On Monday, senior US Senator John McCain said it is time for the international community to provide increased assistance to the Syrian opposition.

"There are ways to get weapons to people who are fighting against this kind of oppression, we showed that in Libya," McCain told reporters on a visit to al-Qods (Jerusalem).

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also pledged to talk Russia and China into changing their positions on Syria.

President Assad said on Monday that some foreign countries are fueling unrest in Syria by supporting and funding armed terrorist groups fighting against the government. He said that they are blocking attempts to end months of unrest in the country and preventing it from treading the path of reforms.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including security forces, have been killed in the unrest. Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, asserting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

UK MPs endorse warmongering policies

2012-02-22T12:52:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227943.html

British lawmakers have overwhelmingly rejected a motion at the House of Commons to rule out an invasion of Iran in line with their government’s warmongering policies.

The back-bench motion was initiated by Conservative MP John Baron and urged the British government to rule out the use of force against Iran.

In line with their government’s warmongering approach, members of parliament (MPs) voted down the motion with 285 ‘no’ votes, 6 ‘yeses’ and two abstentions.

The new sabre-rattling comes as the UK government is grappling with an economic crisis not seen since after the World War II with a ballooning budget deficit.

Earlier this month, a report questioned the UK’s capability to get involve in another adventurism like the one it carried out in Libya or elsewhere in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Britain would struggle to conduct another invasion like the one carried out in Libya and still sustain its other military commitments because of the impact of sweeping defence cuts”, said the report.

The report came as the UK government was preparing the ground along with its warmonger allies to wage another war against Syria or Iran.

Furthermore, the report said that there is a multibillion-pound black hole in the government’s defence budget as stipulated by the shadow defence secretary.

Jim Murphy, Labour's shadow defence secretary, said the cuts had downgraded Britain's military flexibility.

Meanwhile, Stop the War convener Lindsey German lashed out at lawmakers and pledged an intensive campaign by activists to convince MPs to end their "shocking" refusal to learn from the slaughter they helped to unleash in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly 10 years ago.

German’s approach was endorsed by Newport Labour MP Paul Flynn, who said that he would continue to oppose a war against Iran "at every opportunity."

“It would not be the first time in history that the minority had been proved right”, he said, adding that the Commons debate had been an opportunity to "look into the abyss of the unimaginable hell of a war with Iran."

Fitch drops Greek rating by two notches

2012-02-22T12:49:00.000-05:00

People pass a begging man holding a cardboard reding' I'm hungry' in central Athens on February 21, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/228015.html

Fitch credit rating agency has further downgraded Greece from ‘CCC’ to ‘C,’ after the country said it may force losses on private creditors who do not voluntarily sign up to a debt deal.

The international agency said Wednesday that Greece's rating would drop further to 'restricted default' after the bond swap plan is completed and will be re-rated again "at a level consistent with the agency's assessment of its post-default structure and credit profile."

"The exchange, if completed, would constitute a 'distressed debt exchange'," Fitch said.

The bond swap deal with private creditors will see EUR 107 billion of Greece's debt held by banks and other private holders of government bonds written off.

According to Fitch, private bondholders will see a 53.5 percent cut in the nominal value of their credits, thus some creditors may not accept the deal voluntarily, meaning that Greece would adopt the collective action clauses (CAC).

CAC allows a supermajority of bondholders to agree to a debt restructuring that is legally binding on all holders of the bond, including those who vote against it.

On Tuesday, Eurozone finance ministers agreed to provide Greece with a new EUR 130 billion loan to help the heavily indebted country stabilize its debt-to-GDP ratio and avert looming bankruptcy.

Greece had earlier in the month approved the austerity cuts demanded by the troika of the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which was required in order to unlock the new bailout package.

The announcement of the austerity measures caused days of violent demonstrations in Athens that led to tens of people being injured, more than 100 shops being looted and a number of buildings set on fire.

Greece has the highest debt burden in proportion to the size of its economy in the 17-nation eurozone. Despite austerity cuts and the bailout funds, the country has been in recession since 2009.

Israel irked by top US officials' opposition to Iran attack

2012-02-21T20:34:00.000-05:00

US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227843.html

The Israeli regime has condemned recent remarks made by senior US officials critical of Tel Aviv’s threats of attacking Iran, claiming that they "served Iran's interests."

In a meeting with US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak expressed their displeasure to the high-ranking American official.

According to a senior Israeli official, Netanyahu and Barak were bitterly irked by the interview given by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey on Sunday, during which he emphasized that attacking Iran is “not prudent at this point” as it "would be destabilizing," Ha’aretz reported on Tuesday.

"I'm confident that they (Israel) understand our concerns that a strike at this time would be destabilizing and wouldn't achieve their long-term objectives," Dempsey said.

"We made it clear to Donilon that all those statements and briefings only served the Iranians… The Iranians see there's controversy between the United States and Israel, and that the Americans object to a military act. That reduces the pressure on them,” the Israeli official said.

Israeli officials have recently ramped up their war rhetoric threatening Iran with military strikes in case the US-engineered sanctions against the country fail to force Tehran into abandoning its civilian nuclear program.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program, using this pretext to impose sanctions against Iran and threaten the country with military attack.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.

Lebanon, Russia boycott ‘Friends of Syria’ meet

2012-02-21T20:31:00.000-05:00

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227845.html

Russia and Lebanon have announced they will boycott a meeting of the so-called “Friends of Syria” group in Tunisia scheduled to be held on February 24, Press TV reports.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Tuesday the decision not to participate in the meeting was in line with the decision to “dissociate Lebanon from the developments in Syria,” a Press TV correspondent reported.

Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry issued a statement on Tuesday saying the meeting in Tunis followed the “purpose of supporting one side against another in an internal conflict.”

“We cannot accept the offer to attend this meeting,” the Russian statement added.

Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Ben Abdessalam said on February 12 that Tunis would host the meeting, which was proposed by France and the United States.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in favor of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian president accused certain states of blocking attempts to end the unrest in Syria during a meeting with Russian Chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov on February 20. Assad said “some foreign countries” are fueling the turmoil in Syria by supporting and funding “armed terrorist groups fighting against the government.”

On February 16, the United Nations General Assembly approved a non-binding resolution, introduced by Egypt, which supports an Arab League plan concerning the unrest in Syria.

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari said after the UN vote that the resolution “would only lead to a tightening of the crisis and more violence in the region as a whole.”

Jaafari added that the United Nations was in danger of being used by “some member states” as a means of providing cover for “armed terrorist groups” in Syria.

US presses Pakistan to allow intelligence bases near Iran

2012-02-21T20:26:00.000-05:00

Satellite photo of Iran-Pakistan border

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227892.html

An Indian newspaper says the United States is putting pressure on Pakistan to allow Washington to establish espionage bases in the country’s Balochistan province to gather intelligence on Iran.

According to a report published by The Times of India on Monday, the US Congress has been discussing a resolution to recognize the right of Baloch people to self-determination as a means of putting pressure on Islamabad to give in to the US demands.

The move elicited angry reactions from Pakistan’s top leaders including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who described it as an attack on the country's sovereignty.

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, also said though the resolution was an isolated move by a few individuals, it "is contrary to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.”

“The outburst in America for Balochistan…is part of the move [by the US] to set up intelligence bases close to the Iranian border,” an unnamed Pakistani official was quoted by the paper as saying.

The official indicated that the Congressional hearing and resolution were nothing but "pressure tactics."

"They [Americans] want to use our soil against Iran, which we can never allow," he added.

Meanwhile, two officials from Pakistan’s security agencies and one from diplomatic circles confirmed to the daily that the American diplomats and military leaders had requested permission for their agents to operate near the Iranian border in Balochistan.

The revelation came a few days after the US House of Representatives blamed Pakistani security agencies for the abductions and extra-judicial killings in Balochistan.

This is not the first time that the United States has made efforts to spy on Iran.

On May 30, 2011, the members of a CIA espionage and sabotage network were arrested by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry.

On November 24, Iran announced the arrest of a dozen other CIA spies, who were found to have been on a mission to sabotage the country's nuclear facilities and other important compounds.

Another CIA espionage network with 12 members was busted in Iran and Lebanon in cooperation with the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah.

On December 4, Iranian Army's electronic warfare unit downed a US RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft when flying over the northeastern Iran city of Kashmar, some 225 kilometers (140 miles) away from the Afghan border.

Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the drone had been part of a CIA reconnaissance mission, involving the United State's intelligence community stationed in Afghanistan.

EU oil flow conditional on payment guarantee, long-term deals: Iran

2012-02-21T20:23:00.001-05:00

Tehran says it will cut oil exports to six European countries in reaction to EU oil ban on Iran.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227886.html

Foreign Ministry spokesman says Iran will only continue exporting oil to the European Union if the member states give a guarantee to pay the price and sign medium- and long-term oil purchase contracts.

After EU foreign ministers decided to ban the import of Iran's oil by member states in their January 23 meeting, Iran said it would cut oil exports to six European countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal.

The country officially announced on February 19 that it would sell no more oil to the British and French companies.

Speaking in his weekly briefing on Tuesday, Ramin Mehmanparast said although Iran intends to continue oil trade with the EU states, it now requires those countries to provide guarantee for the payment of the oil price.

“They [EU members] must also sign medium- or long-term contracts covering periods of three to five years [for importing Iran oil] and ban our country's oil customers from unilaterally canceling their contracts,” he added.

The official added that these conditions will guarantee 3-5-year oil cooperation between Iran and Europe and ensure both sides’ interests.

Mehmanparast stated that the EU’s decision to ban Iran oil imports has been illogical and against the mutual interests of Iran and the European Union.

“It seems that the European countries have been forced to make this option [banning Iran oil imports] under political pressures from the US and the Zionist regime [of Israel], but this pressure will actually affect the European people and companies, putting them in dire conditions,” he said.

The spokesman said the approach taken by the UK and France toward Iran has been more hostile than that of other EU members and this is why Iran has started with London and Paris when cutting oil imports to Europe.

“They must know that our country is in a position which must be talked to and treated on equal standing and through mutual respect, and they must forget about their past empires and exploiting other countries,” he said.

Eurozone ministers agree on 2nd bailout package for Greece

2012-02-21T03:35:00.000-05:00

Eurozone finance ministers talk while attending a Eurogroup meeting at the European Union council headquarters, Brussels, February 20, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227785.html

Eurozone finance ministers have agreed to provide Greece with a new bailout package to help the heavily indebted country stabilize its debt-to-GDP ratio and avert looming bankruptcy.

The long-awaited package worth 130 billion euros was sealed in Brussels on Tuesday morning after more than 12 hours of intensive negotiations.

The rescue loan is meant to bring down Greece’s debt to 120.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020.

Eurozone officials had on Monday expressed concerns over how Athens could manage to reduce its debt, while imposing harsher austerity measures.

The deal, however, was vital for Greece’s coalition government to pay off a 14.5-billion-euro bond redemption payment on March 20. Athens risked going bankrupt without the rescue package as it did not have the necessary funds to make the payment.

Greece had earlier in the month approved the austerity cuts demanded by the troika of the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which was required in order to unlock the new bailout package.

The cuts include a 22-percent reduction in the minimum wage, 150,000 civil service layoffs, and a 15-percent cut in supplementary pensions.

The announcement of the austerity measures caused days of violent demonstrations in Athens that led to tens of people being injured, more than 100 shops being looted and a number of buildings being set on fire.

Greece also implemented harsh austerity measures in return for a first 110-billion-euro bailout package received in 2010. Greeks have been turning up on the streets for anti-government demonstrations on numerous occasions since the austerity cuts were first implemented in early 2011.

The country has been in recession since 2009, despite the austerity cuts and the bailout funds, which are meant to stimulate growth for its troubled economy.

Greece’s debt stood at 161.7 percent of the GDP in 2011, which is the highest debt ratio in the eurozone. Moreover, the country witnessed its economy contracting by 7.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Unemployment currently stands at 20.9 percent in the European state. The Standard & Poor's credit rating agency rates Greece at CC, which is almost comparable to a default.

18 statistics that prove that the economy has not improved since Barack Obama became president

2012-02-21T03:31:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/227771.html

Has the economy improved since Barack Obama became the president of the United States? Of course not. Despite what you may be hearing in the mainstream media, the truth is that when you compare the U.S. economy on the day that Barack Obama was inaugurated to the U.S. economy today, there is really no comparison. The unemployment crisis is worse than it was then, home values have fallen, the cost of health insurance is up, the cost of gas is way up, the number of Americans living in poverty has soared and the size of our national debt has absolutely exploded. Anyone that believes that things are better than they were when Barack Obama was elected is simply being delusional. Yes, things have stabilized somewhat and our economy is not in free fall mode at this point. But don't be fooled. This bubble of false hope will be short-lived. The problems we are seeing develop in Europe will erupt into another full-fledged global financial crisis and economic conditions in the United States will get even worse. When that happens, what possible "economic solutions" will Barack Obama have for us? We never even came close to recovering from the last great financial crisis, and now something potentially even worse is staring us in the face. This is not a great time to have a total lack of leadership in Washington.

The following are 18 statistics that prove that the economy has not improved since Barack Obama became the president of the United States....

1] Today there are 88 million working age Americans that are not employed and that are not looking for employment. That is an all-time record high.

2] When Barack Obama was elected, the percentage of unemployed Americans that had been out of work for more than 52 weeks was less than 15%. Today, it is above 30%.

3] There are 1.2 million fewer jobs in America today than there were when Barack Obama was inaugurated.

4] When Barack Obama first took office, the number of "long-term unemployed workers" in the United States was approximately 2.6 million. Today, that number is sitting at 5.6 million.

5] The average duration of unemployment in the United States is hovering close to an all-time record high.

6] During the Obama administration, worker health insurance costs have risen by 23 percent.

7] Since Barack Obama has been president, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has increased by 90 percent.

8] Since Barack Obama has been president, home values in the United States have declined by another 13 percent.

9] Under Barack Obama, new home sales in the U.S. set a brand new all-time record low in 2009, they set a brand new all-time record low again in 2010, and they set a brand new all-time record low once again during 2011.

10] Since Barack Obama took office, the number of Americans living in poverty has risen by more than 6 million.

11] Since Barack Obama entered the White House, the number of Americans on food stamps has increased from 32 million to 46 million.

12] The amount of money that the federal government gives directly to Americans has increased by 32 percent since Barack Obama entered the White House.

13] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of Americans living in "extreme poverty" is now sitting at an all-time high.

14] When Barack Obama first took office, an ounce of gold was going for about $850. Today an ounce of gold costs more than $1700 an ounce.

15] Since Barack Obama became president, the size of the U.S. national debt has increased by 44 percent.

16] During Barack Obama's first two years in office, the U.S. government added more to the U.S. national debt than the first 100 U.S. Congresses combined.

17] During the Obama administration, the U.S. government has accumulated more debt than it did from the time that George Washington took office to the time that Bill Clinton took office.

18] The U.S. national debt has been increasing by an average of more than 4 billion dollars per day since the beginning of the Obama administration.

Oh, but Barack Obama is promising that things will be much better very soon. Barack Obama is pledging that 2 million more jobs will be added to the economy in 2012.

Do you believe him?

Congress certainly seems to think that things will be getting better. Congress has reduced the maximum amount of time that the unemployed can receive unemployment benefits to 73 weeks. That change will go into effect later this year.

But there are still millions of very talented Americans that cannot find work after years of looking.

So what are they supposed to do?

A recent Business Insider article featured the story of Helen Hatat, a woman from southern California that has been unemployed since 2009....

She lost her job in public relationships in 2009 after more than 20 years of working in the entertainment industry, the Southern California resident said.

"When you don't have a job, you don't find a job, and when you don't have a job, you don't find a home," she said.

At first she tried moving into a homeless shelter, but left because they treated her "like garbage." Eventually she found a friend she could stay with, but this arrangement won't last forever.

"I've found you lose most of your friends, you know. If you have money people love you. If you don't have any money people hate you. They treat you like you are contagious."

As government finances get tight, things are going to get really tough for women like her.

When evaluating the health of the American economy, the key is not to focus on the short-term economic numbers. Sometimes they go up and sometimes they do down.

Instead, the key is to look at the long-term balance sheet numbers. When you do that, it quickly becomes apparent how appalling our economic decline has been.

The size of federal government debt is exploding, state and local governments all over the country are drowning in debt, our collective national wealth is decreasing and our ability to produce new wealth is also being reduced as our economic infrastructure is systematically gutted.

Of course all of the blame should not go to Obama. The truth is that the Federal Reserve has much more power over the economy than Obama does. But the American people are constantly told that the Federal Reserve is "not political" and that we should not criticize the Fed.

So it is kind of ridiculous that presidents are judged by the performance of the economy. Yes, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama have all greatly contributed to the mess that we are in, but they are not solely responsible for it.

In the end, however, the outcome of the next presidential election will probably be very heavily influenced by how the U.S. economy performs during the rest of 2012.

Sadly, as our economy declines it is bringing out the worst in many Americans. For example, "sugar daddy" websites are absolutely exploding in popularity. Young women that are hungry for cash are selling their "services" to sick older men who are willing to finance the lifestyles of these desperate young women in exchange for "companionship".

The following comes from a recent article in The Independent ....

In America's booming online dating market, few sectors are hotter than so-called "sugar daddy" sites, which help rich men to make "arrangements" with attractive and financially needy younger women. Between them, these specialist sites now account for 10 percent of the entire industry. That's no small beans, given that in the US the online dating business now generates profits estimated at $700m ($442m) per year and, according to the polling firm GlobeSpan, has helped just over one in five Americans to find their life partner.

As the economy gets even worse, millions upon millions of Americans are going to become extremely desperate and will do things for money that they never dreamed that they would do.

That is a very frightening thing.

America is changing, and not for the better.

You better get ready for what is ahead, because Barack Obama is not going to save you.

Polls open in Yemen with sole US-backed pres. candidate

2012-02-21T03:25:00.000-05:00

Members of the Yemeni election committee prepare ballot boxes on the eve of Yemen’s presidential election at a polling station, Sana’a, February 20, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227790.html

Voting has begun in Yemen’s presidential election with only one candidate on the ballot amid the opposition’s call for the downfall of the entire regime.

The polls opened Tuesday, with 12 million eligible voters, and the sole candidate Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The election is to put an end to Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year rule and formally transfer power to his assistant, Hadi.

However, the country’s major opposition groups, including the Southern Movement and the Southern Shia group have boycotted the election, demanding the removal of the regime that abounds with Saleh-era officials.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has thrown Washington’s weight behind Yemen’s election, offering his support to Hadi.

In a letter to the Yemeni vice president, Obama said Yemen could be an example of the peaceful transition of power in the Middle East.

This is while demonstrations are expected to continue in Yemen as protesters say their revolution will not end until Saleh and all corrupt government officials are put behind bars.

On Monday, several polling stations were the target of bomb attacks prior to the beginning of the polls in the southern province of Aden and the southern port city of al-Makla, with no reports of casualties. The protesters also blocked roads leading to five villages in Daleh province, making it impossible for poll organizers to send ballot boxes there.

Saleh is currently in the US for medical treatment. He left Yemen in mid-January, shortly after the country’s parliament passed a law which grants him full immunity from prosecution.

Saudi Arabia and the Rise of the Wahhabi Threat

2012-02-20T21:54:00.001-05:00

The Al-Saud Kings
Source: Middle East Forum
http://www.meforum.org/535/saudi-arabia-and-the-rise-of-the-wahhabi-threat

A briefing by Stephen Schwartz

February 27, 2003

Stephen Schwartz is a senior policy analyst with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies based in Washington, DC. As a journalist, he covered the Balkans in the 1990s for the San Francisco Chronicle. His latest book is The Two Faces of Islam: The House of Sa'ud from Tradition to Terror (Doubleday, 2002). He spoke to the Middle East Forum in New York on February 27, 2003.

Al-Qaeda represents Wahhabism in its purest form – a violent fundamentalist doctrine that rejects all non-Wahhabi Islam, especially the spiritual forms of Islam. Wahhabism is an expansionist sect intolerant of Shi‘ite Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism; in fact, Wahhabists seek to challenge and destroy these faiths. The Saudi-Wahhabi threat must not be underestimated; it requires our grave attention.

A History of Violence

Contrary to prevalent Western beliefs, Wahhabism is not an old Islamic tradition and the House of Saud does not enjoy a credible historic claim to rule over Arabia. Indeed, Wahhabism emerged only 250 years ago under the guidance of an obscure fanatic known as Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab who later formed an alliance with a group of desert bandits, the Sauds. From the time they established their covenant to the creation of the modern Saudi state, the Saudi-Wahhabi movement spread across the peninsula brutally defeating and enslaving non-Wahhabi elements.

A substantial body of nineteenth century scholarship does exist to confirm the bloody rise of the Saudi-Wahhabi state. Thomas Hope, a British author, wrote extensively about the Wahhabi spread from his travels throughout the Middle East. In his novel Anastasius, he described Wahhabi agents in words that will be strikingly familiar to modern readers: as extremist puritans bent on dominating the Muslim world by adopting tactics reminiscent of Al-Qaeda's calculated savagery.

The theological and political pact between the Saud clan and the Wahhabists resulted in the fall of Mecca for the second and last time in 1924, solidifying their grip on power. After the conquest of Mecca, the vast oil wealth of the kingdom would be used to export a radical Wahhabist ideology across the globe.

Nerve Center of Islamic Extremism

Even after September 11, the Wahhabi bureaucracy in Saudi Arabia continues to foster religious extremism. When bombs go off in Israel, Kenya, Indonesia, and elsewhere, Saudi Arabia is still the main source of the terrorist money. The kingdom is an unwavering nerve center of ideological indoctrination, incitement, and terrorist financing.

From time to time, the Saudi elite attempts to confuse Western opinion by claiming that it too is the target of Islamic terror, a rather hollow gesture to hide its complicity in terrorism. Saudi Arabia, being a police state, the monarchy long ago could have ridded itself of extremist elements. But the sobering reality is that international terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda are directly impelled by Saudi clerics. To recover their credibility in the eyes of more reactionary factions after years of excess, the Saudi family has embarked on an ambitious global campaign to support incubators of violence and extremism from Algeria to the Philippines. In sum, Al-Qaeda would not exist absent Saudi money and membership.

False Arguments

Washington needs to end its delusion that the Saudi royal family is a moderating force within Saudi politics when the realty is that it has produced a well-funded launch pad for a fascist ideology. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of Saudi apologists. The so-called specialists and academics continue to argue that Islamic terror is the consequence of Islam enduring Western humiliation. But in fact, Saudi Arabia has never been subjugated by the West, instead it has only been cuddled and bribed to ridiculous extremes. And in turn the West has received a torrent of violence and hateful venom.

Equally as erroneous is the contention that an accommodation of non-Wahhabi religions is somehow a break with traditional Islam. This absurd notion is blatantly untrue. Qatar, another Wahhabi state, has actually authorized the establishment of churches. Also, neighboring Bahrain contains thriving Christian, Jewish, and Hindu communities. One can even find a Hindu temple in Oman.

The Future

After decades of theocratic oppression, the vast majority of the Saudi people are restive for the following reasons: 1.) The Shiite minority in the southern and eastern provinces are tired of the violent persecution they have suffered at the hands of the Wahhabist clergy. 2.) The young people of Saudi Arabia want to live in a modern society where they can utilize their enterprising talents and energies to build a prosperous future. 3.) Lastly, non-Wahhabi scholars are already calling on the royal family to reject the officially sanctioned intolerant state religion and replace it with pluralistic Ottoman-Islamic traditions. Remarkably, thousands of young people are turning to Sufism as an expression of protest against the entrenched religious establishment.

The transition to a reasonably open Malaysian parliamentary model from its current medieval state need not be catastrophic. The Saudi monarchy could remain as a symbolic body with power concentrated in a representative legislature. Indeed, the position that a more strict Islamic system might emerge if the House of Saud is brushed aside is ludicrous. Proponents of this view often cite the emergence of an Iranian-style regime as a possible consequence. However, this is a specious historical analogy since the Iranian people never experienced the harsh strictures of Islamic law prior to the ascension of the Islamic Republic. The people of Saudi Arabia know this repression all too well and they are dead tired of it.

Conclusion

Saudi Arabia and its militant Islamic doctrines constitute a clear and present danger to the United States and the international community. The U.S. should demand a full accounting of Saudi complicity in the September 11th terrorist attacks. We should no longer accept the status quo and forcefully pressure the kingdom to cut its ties to terrorism.

* This summary account was written by Zachary Constantino, a research assistant at the Middle East Forum.

Iran threatens to cut oil flow to other EU states

2012-02-20T19:12:00.000-05:00

Iran says it will cut oil exports to more EU countries if they continue their hostile policies.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227657.html

After halting oil flow to Britain and France, Iran threatens to stop oil sales to other European Union member states if the EU continues its hostile policies.

Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Qalebani on Monday hinted at the possibility of a halt in oil exports to Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, Germany, Italy and Portugal.

“Undoubtedly if the hostile actions of certain European countries continue, oil exports to these countries will be stopped," said Qalebani, who is also the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company.

On Sunday, Iran’s Oil Ministry announced that it has cut oil exports to British and French firms.

The move came in retaliation for a decision by the European Union to stop oil imports from Iran as of July 2012 in line with sanctions imposed against the country's oil industry.

On Monday, oil prices hit a nine-month high in Asian trade following Iran’s oil cut announcement, the highest levels since May 5, 2011.

Crude for March delivery is up about two dollars to more than 105 dollars a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude has gained about the same amount going above 121 dollars a barrel.

Iran’s deputy oil minister also said on Monday that oil prices would reach 150 dollars per barrel in the future.

The US and its Western allies are putting more pressure on Iran by imposing sanctions as they accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program.

Refuting the allegations, Tehran says it is entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear technology as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency that has been subjected to snap inspections which have never yielded evidence indicating diversion in the country’s nuclear work.

India importing Iran oil, slap in face for US: Ex-US Official

2012-02-20T19:10:00.000-05:00

Nicholas Burns, US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs from 2005 to 2008

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227672.html

A former US official says India’s decision to continue importing Iranian crude despite the recent Western sanctions on the Islamic Republic is “a slap” in the face for the United States.

“The Indian government’s ill-advised statement last week that it will continue to purchase oil from Iran is a major setback for the US attempt to isolate the Iranian government over the nuclear issue,” Nicholas Burns, former US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, wrote in an op-ed in current-affairs magazine The Diplomat today.

"India's decision to walk out of step with the international community on Iran isn't just a slap in the face for the US - it raises questions about its ability to lead," Burns added.

The Economic Times reported last week that during his latest visit to the US, Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai reiterated New Delhi’s decision to go on with Iran oil imports while also stressing cordial relations between the two countries.

The report added that India's determination to continue buying Iranian oil, despite Western oil and financial sanctions has greatly concerned officials in Washington at a time when the forward momentum in the US-India relationship has already slowed.

"This is bitterly disappointing news for those of us who have championed a close relationship with India. And, it represents a real setback in the attempt by the last three American Presidents to establish a close and strategic partnership with successive Indian governments," Burns said.

India purchases around USD 12 billion worth of Iranian crude every year, about 12 percent of its consumption. In January, Iranian crude exports to India rose to 550,000 barrels a day, up 37.5 percent from December 2011.

On New Year’s Eve, the United States imposed new sanctions against Iran aimed at preventing other countries from importing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with its central bank.

European Union foreign ministers also approved sanctions against Iran’s oil and financial sectors on January 23, including a ban on Iranian oil imports, a freeze on the assets of the country’s central bank within EU states, and a ban on selling grains, diamonds, gold, and other precious metals to Tehran.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program and have used this pretext to push for four rounds of UN sanctions and a series of unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Iran has refuted the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful use.

Japanese Showa Shell to buy Iran crude despite oil ban

2012-02-20T19:07:00.000-05:00

Iran is the fourth-largest crude supplier to Japan. Iranian crude accounted for 8.8 percent of Japan's total imports in 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227688.html

Japan's Showa Shell Sekiyu KK, which runs the fifth biggest refinery in the country, has announced that it will continue to import crude from Iran despite Western sanctions against the Iranian oil sector.

The company, which is a Royal-Dutch Shell affiliate, said on Monday that Iran's recent halt of oil sales to French and British companies, including the oil major Shell, will have no impact on its Iranian crude imports.

On February 19, Iranian Oil Ministry announced cutting oil exports to British and French firms in line with the decision to end crude exports to six European states including the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal.

Meanwhile, an unnamed official at Showa Shell told Reuters that the firm and Shell are separate companies and have signed different contracts with Iran for importing the country’s crude.

The company had already announced on February 14 that it would continue to import about 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude oil despite mounting pressure from the United States to cut Iran oil imports.

"(Iran) is an important source of crude for Japan as well as our company, and we will wait for the government's guidance on the matter," Showa Shell Sekiyu KK president Jun Arai added.

The announcement came as US sanctions on Iran over its peaceful nuclear program aim to make it difficult for refiners around the world, including in Japan, to buy Iranian crude or pay Tehran for its oil.

On December 31, 2011, Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran to penalize other countries for importing the country’s oil. The European Union also imposed similar sanctions on January 23 to ban Iran's oil imports by member states.

Iran is the fourth-biggest crude supplier to Japan and the Iranian crude accounted for 8.8 percent of Japan's total imports in 2011.

The US, Israel and their European allies accuse Iran of diversion in its peaceful nuclear program and have used this as an excuse to pass four rounds of international sanctions against the country at the UN Security Council.

Refuting the claims, Tehran insists that as a member to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it is fully entitled to peaceful applications of the nuclear energy.

US Gen. Dempsey: Iran rational actor, not after nukes

2012-02-20T03:21:00.000-05:00

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227606.html

A top US military official has described Iran as a rational actor in the international arena, stating that the Islamic Republic is not after producing nuclear weapons.

Speaking in a nationally televised interview with the CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” show on Sunday, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey said, “We are of the opinion that Iran is a rational actor.”

Dempsey pointed out that US officials aren't convinced Iran has decided to build atomic armaments.

“We also know, or we believe we know that Iran has not decided to make a nuclear weapon,” General Dempsey said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the top US general also described any Israeli attack on Iran as “destabilizing.”

“It’s not prudent at this point to decide to attack Iran,” General Dempsey said, adding that the US government is confident the Israelis “understand our concerns.”

The remarks come as Israeli officials have ramped up their war rhetoric over the past few weeks, threatening Iran with military strikes in case the US-led Western sanctions against the country fail to force Tehran to halt its civilian nuclear program.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on February 9 that, “Israel has a large selection of ways, when the world of international sanctions fails to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear program.”

There is growing worry in Israel, however, about the grave consequences of any Israeli attack against the Iranian nation.

“The whole region will go up in flames. Thousands of rockets will fall on Israel. In the initial days, hundreds of them will fall on Tel Aviv. Then we'll be in a war that goes on for months. The economy will crash. Tel Aviv will become a frontier town,” reported leading Israeli daily Ha’aretz on February 11, quoting a senior opposition member of the regime.

Despite the widely publicized claims by the US, Israel and some of their European allies that Iran's nuclear program may include a military aspect, Iran insists on its civilian nature, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.

This is while the Israeli regime is widely known to possess between 200 and 400 nuclear warheads. Furthermore, Tel Aviv refuses to allow its nuclear facilities to come under international regulatory inspectors and rejects any international nuclear regulatory agreements.

Iranian ships docked at Syrian port lead to Israeli worries

2012-02-20T03:17:00.000-05:00

Iranian naval ships (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227611.html

The Israeli regime has publicized its worries about the presence of two Iranian naval ships at the Syrian port of Tartus, declaring that the ships would be watched “very closely” in case they come near its waters.

“If the boats come near our territorial waters, we will monitor them very closely," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said on Sunday.

Two Iranian Navy ships docked at the Syrian port of Tartus on Saturday to provide maritime training to naval forces of Syria under an agreement signed between Tehran and Damascus a year ago.

The Iranian fleet, consisting of a destroyer and a supply ship, arrived at the port, situated 220 kilometers (136 miles) northwest of the Syrian capital of Damascus on Friday, upon obtaining authorization from the Egyptian armed forces a day earlier to sail along the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea on their way to the Syrian coastal waters.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said Sunday night that the presence of Iranian warships in the international waters is reflective of the Islamic Republic’s naval might.

Brigadier General Vahidi pointed out that such overseas presence was within Iran's rights, adding that the Iranian Navy’s missions abroad were based on policies aimed at enhancing Iran's naval capabilities and readiness.

On Saturday, Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said that the country’s 18th fleet had sailed through Egypt’s Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.

This was the second time that an Iranian naval fleet passed through the waterway since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

The Suez Canal cuts through Egypt and allows shipping to pass from the Middle East to Europe and vice versa without sailing around the southern tip of Africa.

Senators: US should arm Syrian opposition

2012-02-20T03:14:00.000-05:00

US Republican Senator John McCain (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227593.html

Two Republican US senators have called on the administration of the country’s President Barack Obama to multiply its efforts to oust the Syrian regime by arming the Middle Eastern country’s opposition.

Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, who both serve on Senate Armed Services Committee, made the appeal on Sunday.

“I believe there are ways to get weapons to the opposition without direct United States involvement,” McCain said.

“So I am not only not opposed, but I am in favor of weapons being obtained by the opposition,” he added.

The senator further explained that the US government could equip the Syrian opposition through ‘third-world countries’ and the Arab League (AL).

Graham said, “If the Syrian regime is replaced with another form of government…the world is a better place.”

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds, reportedly including over 2,000 security forces.

Damascus blames ‘outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups’ for the unrest, asserting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

The West and the Syrian opposition, however, accuse the government of killing protesters.

The senators’ comments come a day after media reports showed that ‘a good number’ of US military and intelligence drones are operating in the airspace over Syria.

Graham also said that Washington had to continue pressuring Russia and China to make them change their stances towards Damascus.

Earlier in February, China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on the country, which called on Assad to resign and hand over power to opposition leaders.

The two countries had also vetoed a similar resolution against Syria in October.

No more oil for Britain: Iran

2012-02-19T17:35:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227559.html

Britain faces the danger of fuel chaos as it will be deprived of the Iranian oil after the Islamic Republic announced plans to put an end to its oil exports to Britain and France.

As Iran’s Ministry of Oil has confirmed that Iran will stop its oil exports to Britain and France, the fuel price in Britain is expected to rise to record levels.

The news comes as oil prices hit a six-month high with the price of Brent crude reaching USD 120 a week after Iran warned about halting oil exports to the European Union states.

Furthermore, less than one week after the EU countries announcing an upcoming embargo on Iran’s oil exports by July 2012, the average price of petrol across Britain rose to 134.03p per liter (from 133.89p) with the price of diesel rising to 142.32p per liter (from 142.21p).

The Coryton refinery on the Thames suspended its supplies as its insolvent owner Petroplus filed for bankruptcy.

The Daily Mail reported “queues at the pumps and soaring prices” as the newspaper warned that Britain’s “petrol pumps began to run dry.”

Recent news about Iran stopping its oil exports to British and French companies have resulted in serious implications for the British government as soaring prices and petrol shortage would be felt soon.

Iran cuts oil exports to British, French firms

2012-02-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227486.html

Iran’s Oil Ministry announces it has cut oil exports to British and French firms in line with the decision to end crude exports to six European states.

The move comes as Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi had earlier hinted at the possibility of Iran’s halting oil exports to certain European countries.

Iranian Oil Ministry Spokesman Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar said Sunday that Iran has no problem in exporting and selling crude oil to its customers.

“We have our own oil customers and replacements for these [British and French] companies have already been chosen and we will sell the crude oil to new customers instead of the British and French companies,” Nikzad-Rahbar pointed out.

European Union foreign ministers agreed to ban oil imports from Iran on January 23 and to freeze the assets of the Iranian Central Bank across the EU in a bid to pressure Iran over its nuclear program.

The sanctions will become fully effective on July 1, 2012, to give EU member states enough time to adjust to the new conditions and find alternative crude oil supplies.

Despite the widely publicized claims by the US, Israel and some of their European allies that Iran's nuclear program may include a military aspect, Tehran insists its nuclear work is civilian in nature.

Iran argues that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.

Latin American nations looking for Iran ties, playing with fire

2012-02-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

Senator Marco Rubio warns Latin American states that deepening relations with Iran was playing with fire

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227524.html

US senators have warned the Latin American nations against the deepening financial and military ties with Iran, stressing that the relations with Iran is like “playing with fire.”

According to the Inter-American Security Watch, Iran's relations with Latin America, especially with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, were the subject of heated discussions at the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on February 16.

“Countries in this [Western] hemisphere that, for political and financial gain, have courted Iran's overtures proceed at their own risk: the risk of sanctions from the United States,” Democratic Senator Robert Menendez told the session.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio echoed Mendez also warned in this regard by saying that “the leaders of these [Latin American] countries are playing with fire.”

Addressing the committee meeting, researcher Douglas Farah claimed that Iran was trying to develop ties with Latin America to use the region for attacking US interests and to reduce the impact of international sanctions on its economy.

“Of particular concern is Iran’s quest for raw nuclear materials and what US National Intelligence Director James Clapper recently described as Iran’s increasing willingness to mount attacks on US soil,” he added.

Former US ambassador to the Organization of American States Roger Noriega said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, “are conspiring to wage an asymmetrical struggle against US security [from Latin America].”

On Saturday February 11, US State Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson said Iran's growing clout in Latin America has greatly concerned Washington as they believe the Iranian influence is “not positive” for that region.

Iran has been seeking to expand relations with the Latin American countries over the past few years, describing the endeavor as one of its major foreign policy strategies.

The country’s rising popularity in Latin America has raised major concerns in the United States, which regards the region as its strategic backyard and traditional sphere of influence.

Leaders of the Latin American nations have enhanced diplomatic and trade ties with Iran in recent years while their relations with the United States have been downgraded amid popular demands for an end to dependence on Washington.

On January 6, the US warned the Latin American states against expanding diplomatic and business ties with Iran, expressing concern over “Iran's outreach to the Western Hemisphere.”

Iran, Russia naval presence in Syrian waters message to US: MP

2012-02-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

Russian warships arrived at the Syrian port city of Tartus on Sunday, January 8.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227506.html

A senior Iranian lawmaker says the presence of Iranian and Russian naval forces in Syria’s coastal waters is a clear warning to the US to refrain from any possible military adventurism.

“The United States should take Iran's warning about [refraining from any possible] military intervention in Syria seriously,” Hossein Ebrahimi, deputy chairman of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Sunday.

He added that in the event of a US strategic mistake in Syria, Washington may receive a crushing response from Iran, Syria and a few other countries.

On Sunday, January 8, a large Russian navy flotilla led by an aircraft carrier arrived at the Syrian port of Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea for a six-day port call, to show Moscow's solidarity with Damascus.

"The port call is aimed at bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship," the official SANA news agency quoted a Russian naval officer Yakushin Vladimir Anatolievich as saying.

Two Iranian Navy ships also docked in the Syrian port of Tartus on Friday, February 17, to train Syrian naval forces under an agreement signed between Tehran and Damascus one year ago.

“Syrians are against any form of foreign intervention in their country, but the United States by arming opposition groups is trying to harm the [anti-Israeli] axis of resistance in the region [in order to] affect Islamic Awakening in regional countries,” Ebrahimi added.

The lawmaker went on to say that the recent dispatch of a number of unmanned military and intelligence drones for operations in Syrian skies by the US military will only result in more solidarity among the Syrians.

NBC News quoted unnamed US defense officials as saying on February 18 that US drones are monitoring “the Syrian military attacks against opposition forces and civilians.”

Syria has been the scene of unrest since mid-March, 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. But Damascus blames ''outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups'' for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Supporters of Syria’s Assad demonstrate in Southern Turkey

2012-02-19T17:17:00.000-05:00

File photo of a Syrian demonstration in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the capital Damascus

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227544.html

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have held a demonstration in the southern Turkish city of Antakya near the border with Syria, Press TV reports.

Hundreds of Syrians demonstrated in support of President Assad on Sunday and condemned international attempts against the Syrian government.

Demonstrators also chanted the name of the Syrian president and urged him to resist foreign pressures against Damascus.

The demonstration in Antakya comes as the United Nations General Assembly approved a non-binding resolution, introduced by Egypt, which supports an Arab League plan concerning the unrest in Syria on February 16.

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari said after the UN vote that the resolution “would only lead to a tightening of the crisis and more violence in the region as a whole.”

Jaafari added that the United Nations was in danger of being used by “some member states” as a means of providing cover for “armed terrorist groups” in Syria.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in favor of President Assad.

The West and the opposition accuse the government of being behind the months-long unrest, but Damascus says “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” are responsible for the turmoil, which it says has been orchestrated from abroad.

Reports reveal Saudi-US anti-Syria plot devised in 2008

2012-02-19T17:14:00.000-05:00

File photo of former Saudi Ambassador to the United States Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud (L) and former US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227523.html

The former Saudi ambassador to the United States and the former US ambassador to Lebanon devised a plot in 2008 to overthrow the Syrian government, reports say.

Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and Jeffrey Feltman reportedly devised a “well-organized” plan to create chaos in Syria.

The plot against Syria was backed by a financial support worth about “2 billion” dollars, the reports said.

According to the Saudi-US scheme, Syria was divided into three areas, “big cities, small cities and villages.” Five types of networks were also defined in the country in line with the aims of the anti-Syria plot.

The first network was named the “Fuel” comprising “educated and unemployed youths.”

The “Thugs” network was the second group which included “outlaws and criminals from remote areas, preferably non-Syrians.”

The third network was the “Ethnic-Sectarian” group consisting of “young people with limited education representing ethnic communities that support or oppose” the Syrian president.

The “Media” network was the fourth group that consisted of “some leaders of civil society institutions” that had “European funding.”

The last division was the “Capital” network comprising “traders, company owners, banks and commercial centers in the capital Damascus, the northwestern city of Aleppo and the western city of Homs.”

West plots in Mideast to spark nuke war: Analyst

2012-02-17T06:15:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227056.html

A senior political analyst says the oil-thirsty West is gearing up for a military intervention in Syria and a strike on Iran which would potentially trigger a nuclear world war.

“The multinational New World Order, led by the Anglo-American axis and Israel (spearheaded by the UN), are preparing a final conquest of the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, with nuclear world war implications,” Larry Chin wrote on the Global Research website on Wednesday.

“Syria and Iran are being relentlessly destabilized. CIA operations have been continuous for months and years. Two nations are targeted to fall sequentially, as part of one agenda,” he added.

The prominent analyst argued that the rising oil prices pose a threat to the “petroleum-driven” world economy and the Western desire to quench this thirst has increased the likelihood of an attack on Syria and Iran.

“The empire is hell-bent on securing what is necessary to sustain its dying economic and industrial engine, regardless of how many lives are taken in the process,” Chin concluded.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March and many people have lost their lives in the violence.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. But Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Meanwhile, the United States, Israel, and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program, and have used this pretext to push for international and unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Washington and Tel Aviv have also repeatedly threatened Tehran with the "option" of a military strike over its nuclear program.

Iran has refuted the allegations, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful use.

UN anti-Syria resolution will fail to restore security

2012-02-17T06:11:00.000-05:00

Iran’s Ambassador to UN Mohammad Khazaei

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227126.html

The Iranian ambassador to the UN has criticized the UN General Assembly resolution against Syria, arguing that it will not contribute to the restoration of peace and security in the country.

On the case of Syria, any attempt to interfere in the Syrian internal affairs would only lead to the deepening of political and social crises, Mohammad Khazaei told a UN General Assembly meeting late Thursday.

He said that the persistence of chaos in Syria will lead to instability in the Middle East, adding that mounting violence in the region will serve the interests of Israel, but harm the interests of Muslims and the Arab world.

At a time when all must work to come up with a comprehensive, effective and viable solution to end the Syria crisis peacefully, this resolution, in its present form, will not help us achieve that goal, Khazaei added.

The Iranian envoy said that the resolution would not work since it failed to take into consideration the real situation in the Middle East and in particular Syria.

He said that the resolution’s failure to tackle the issue of armed groups in Syria would result in the persistence of violence and terrorism in the country, and pointed out that it should be clarified which sources funnel weapons to armed groups in Syria.

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday adopted an Arab League-sponsored resolution on Syria for what it calls the government's crackdown on opposition protests.

137 members of the UN voted in favor of the resolution while 12 members including Iran, Russia and China voted against the measure.

The non-binding resolution was drafted by the Arab League and backed by the United States and Britain.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. The government blames ''outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups'' for the violence, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad. The West and the opposition claim the government is behind the killings of protesters.

UN General Assembly passes anti-Syria resolution

2012-02-17T05:58:00.000-05:00

United Nations General Assembly, February 16, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227078.html

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted an Arab League-sponsored resolution on Syria for what it calls the government's crackdown on opposition protests.

On Thursday, 137 members of the UN voted in favor of the resolution while 12 members including Russia and China voted against the measure.

The non-binding resolution was drafted by the Arab League and backed by the United States and Britain.

The Syrian ambassador to the UN, Bashar al-Jafari, dismissed the resolution as biased and unbalanced.

Jafari said that Damascus has the right to protect its citizens against what he called armed gangs. He blamed the violence on armed terrorist groups and added that no country would tolerate the presence of such groups on its soil.

The General Assembly resolution has no real power without a similar vote in the UN Security Council.

The Arab League had sent a resolution to the Security Council earlier this month which called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. That resolution was vetoed by Russia and China rejecting it as “unbalanced”.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011.

The government blames ''outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups'' for the violence, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

BBC hikes up Zionist propaganda machine

2012-02-17T05:55:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227030.html

Many years ago after we had given independence to many of the former members of the British Empire one could have felt a certain amount of pride to be British but that has since long gone.

We now see another “Imperialistic Empire” taking its place know as the “New World Order” (NWO) with its headquarters firmly embedded in the City of London.

This evil satanic organization, consisting mainly of Zionists and very senior members of the Freemasons have spread their evil tentacles over most of the UK and launched this country on a program of continuous conflicts and war.

The NWO controls world finances, world politics, the UN, WHO, the ICJ, the judicial system, education, police and the military via its arm - NATO.

The heartland of the NWO are the Rothschild’s, members of the EU Royal Families, the Pilgrim Society, the very senior members of the Freemason’s (including many MP´s and members of the House of Lords), the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House London), Friends of Israel and The Bank of England etc.

There is a steady stream of politicians that pay regular visits to Chatham House to pledge their support for Israel with our current Prime Minister David Cameron, his deputy Nick Clegg and many others such as former PM Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, Ken Clarke, William Hague, George Osborne to name but a few. It is in the bowels of this building where they swear their allegiance to Zionists backed groups and Israel (their funders) instead of our own country.

Many people in this country do not realize that our dear BBC also forms part of this same satanic rot and is highly funded by the pro-Israeli groups that manipulate everything we hear and see.

Maybe you have not observed the intensity of this propaganda machine we call the BBC. Take the clip of the speech by the UN's human rights chief, Navi Pillay on Syria when she stated, “The Fact Finding Mission, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria I myself have all concluded that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed in Syria. I have encouraged the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court. All member states must ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished, yet these crimes continue to be committed as I speak.” She goes on to say that, “The people of Syria should be protected by the rule of law and the people of Syria as asking for the right that every human being is entitled too and they are looking at this assembly to speak with one voice to support them in this endeavor.”

I would urge you all to understand that the United Nations and the International Court of Justice forms part of the New World Order and is used to manipulate their own “Geo Political Plan” which has no regard for human rights or human life. Note the carefully chosen wording of Pillay´s speech when she said, “crimes are likely to have been committed” i.e. remain unproven as they were in the case of Libya. It is also noted that the possibility of such crimes suddenly turns in an actual crime when she said, “these crimes must not go unpunished.”

My next issue would be her statement “The Fact Finding Mission, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria I myself have all concluded”. Can anyone of us recall this fact-finding mission having direct access to Syria or indeed their same statement being made regarding Libya when they again stated “We applaud the UNSC for the sense of urgency they displayed in referring the Libyan situation to the ICC 11 days after the commencement of the Libyan government crackdown against protestors.

Finally we have another bold statement when she states “the people of Syria are asking for the right that every human being is entitled too and they are looking at this assembly to speak with one voice to support them in this endeavor.”

Just to put the record straight we found that in Libya all the so-called humanitarian data was fed to the UN via the “Rebel Army” and other charity groups on the ground but were never verified and we are again seeing the same scenario unfold in Syria with the “Syrian Rebel Army” again feeding false information.

One should add to this what actually happened recently in Egypt when these same charities have now been caught red handed in being actively involved in creating unrest. It is common knowledge that students in the US, many being from Berkeley, are hired by either the CIA or Israel to participate in international unrest and frequently act as agents by infiltrating into the ranks of activists or even groups of militia. They have their education paid for in return for such activity and at a given time they pass on the names and locations of key figures to the CIA or Israeli secret service who then plan a drone attack or assassinate the person concerned.

Palestine is also a breeding ground for such activity (Gaza and West Bank) whereby the organizations are basically run by so-called “Jewish Sympathizers” who in some cases appear to turn their backs on their own faith and Israel. This is an entirely false front and these members - “Enemies of Israel”- are allowed to transit Israel to and from Gaza and West Bank without restriction having been previously deported for supporting Gaza (Palestinians) or for causing unrest. This in itself is evidence that they are carrying out undercover work for the CIA or Israel.

I could offer you a long list of names (traitors) and prove that many so-called charities have now been infiltrated by Zionist or Pro-Israeli supporters who are involved in such operations. I find this extremely upsetting when one considers the vast sums of money they obtain from the citizens of the world who want to help the Palestinians but in actual fact are feeding the money directly into Israel and at the same time are getting key Palestinians assassinated by their deceitful ways.

Back to the BBC propaganda machine, another bogus report also hit the headlines when the BBC stated the following: “Car bombs 'target Israel envoys' in India and Georgia” and immediately printed the following statement from Israel (their funders).”

Bombers have targeted staff at Israeli embassies in India and Georgia, officials say, with Israel accusing Iran of masterminding the attacks.

Witnesses said a motorcyclist placed a device on an embassy car in Delhi, causing a blast that hurt four people - one seriously. A bomb underneath a diplomat's car in Tbilisi was defused, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran was behind both incidents.

Let’s recall the same style of assassinations that were used against the nuclear scientists in Tehran, which was believed to have been the work of either the CIA, MI5 or Mossad. Exactly the same usage of motorcyclist etc clearly points to yet again another “False Flag Statement” that the BBC is so good at publishing!

It was the same BBC that reported the following, on 25 December 2009, a Nigerian student smuggled explosives on to a flight from Schiphol to Detroit in the US after flying into Amsterdam from Lagos. He has pleaded guilty to trying to blow up the Northwest Airlines jet he boarded and is due to be sentenced on Thursday. He faces life imprisonment. I can assure you that this again was a false flag and it is an Israeli company that is responsible for security at Amsterdam airport.

It is the BBC that also made the following headlines, Turkey 'bombs Iraq hideouts of Kurdish rebels PKK'. Turkish warplanes have bombed suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, Turkey's military says. The jets hit caves and hideouts in the regions of Zap and Hakurk late on Saturday before returning to base, the military said in a statement.

The rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast since 1984 in a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Northern Iraq has long been used as a base by the PKK for attacks inside Turkey.

Again we see another one-sided report, which said nothing about the breech of Iraq Sovereignty by the Turks who frequently cross the border in Iraq to attack the PKK. What the BBC does not tell you is that another group also exists in the North of Iraq who carries out such attacks in Iran. The PJAK is identical to the PKK but has the full support of the US and the west who provide them with finance and arms. What is so interesting is the US, UK and the west have named the PKK as a terrorist group and yet the international court in Europe have stated that they are not a terrorist group and have been delisted accordingly, how’s that for double standards.

Why doesn’t the BBC cover in more detail the ongoing unrest in Egypt and the fact that the army is fully funded and supported by the US and that democracy will never prevail as Israel does not want a civilian government in power who could open up the border between Gaza and Egypt.

How come the BBC have not been so hard on the Bahrain Royal Family for their breach of human rights and the fact that the British police are now teaching them how to “Kettle in” the protestors who happen to be the majority in Bahrain (Shia). It is clear that the west has a bone of contention with everything associated with the Shiites, hence the hard line stance against Iran. We also saw the same in Iraq; again the BBC clearly has “Two Faces.”

In conclusion one must also remember that western Special Forces, CIA, MI5, Mossad, hired militia and snipers are operating within Syria causing severe unrest and in many cases are directly responsible for the death of many innocent Syrian civilians. Such is the evil state of western foreign policy that is funded primarily by Israel.

Peter Eyre - Middle East Consultant

DISCLAIMER: The authors' views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Press TV News Network.

US lawmaker calls for "punitive actions" against Egypt

2012-02-17T05:49:00.000-05:00

Egyptian officials say US-funded groups fueling unrest in the country.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/227092.html

A key US Republican lawmaker has called for “punitive actions” against Egyptian officials as the tensions between Cairo and Washington over activities of US-sponsored groups in Egypt remain unabated.

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made the remarks on Thursday.

"The Egyptian government's actions cannot be taken lightly and warrant punitive actions against certain Egyptian officials, and reconsideration of US assistance to Egypt," Ros-Lehtinen said.

US-Egypt relations were frayed on December 29 after Egyptian authorities arrested 43 employees of US-funded nonprofit groups, including 20 Americans, accusing the groups of trying to foment protests against the country's military rulers and sow discord in the country.

One of those arrested was Sam LaHood, the son of the US transportation secretary.

However, General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that adopting punitive measures against Egypt by cutting military aid, estimated around $1.3 billion in military aid annually, would backfire.

“When we use funding to separate ourselves from prior partners, nothing good comes of it," Dempsey told the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, which controls US aid to other countries.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hassan, an Egyptian scholar has launched a campaign, urging his fellow countrymen to pay 10 pounds ($1.66) each to raise money for the government in response to US threats of holding aid to Egypt.

“The Egyptian people never accept to be insulted or humiliated ... This people won't kneel to anyone but God," Hassan said in a TV interview broadcast this week.

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Faiza Abul Naga said on Thursday that the government had received 60 million pounds in donations so far.

Oil prices jump after Iran says is cutting cut flow to EU

2012-02-15T21:32:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226827.html

The price of oil in global markets hits a six-month high of nearly USD 120 a barrel as Iran says is cutting oil exports to six European countries.

On Wednesday Iran warned six European states, including the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal, that it is cutting oil exports unless long term deals are made and payments by EU states are guaranteed.

Brent crude was up USD 1.83 reaching USD119.18 a barrel on Wednesday, the highest price since August 1. This is while US crude climbed by USD1.28 to reach USD102.02.

After on January 23 EU announced plans to impose a ban on purchasing oil from Iran, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said on February 8 that Tehran has decided to halt crude exports to some European states.

EU sanctions will take effect on July 1, 2012, to give the bloc’s member states enough time to adjust to new conditions and find alternative crude oil supplies.

On February 8, 200 Iranian lawmakers signed a statement expressing full support for the Oil Ministry's decision and urged the government to find new markets for Iran's crude.

The United States, Israel, and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program and have used this pretext to impose international and unilateral sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Iran, however, maintains that, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has every right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

US hails Turkey’s support for NATO’

2012-02-15T21:25:00.000-05:00

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in Washington on February 13, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226904.html

The US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has reportedly thanked Turkey for its ongoing support for the Western military alliance of NATO.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, George Little announced that in a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Washington on February 13, Panetta expressed his gratitude for Turkey’s contribution to a planned NATO missile system by hosting the system’s US-made radar in the country earlier in the year.

Davutoglu was in Washington from February 8 to 13 at the US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s invitation to meet with administration officials and congressional leaders.

Little added that recent developments in Syria, Afghanistan, and security issues of common interest were also discussed during the meeting.

Turkey has hosted the radar in the Kurecik district of the eastern province of Malatya.

Russia has criticized the plan and denounced the military alliance's efforts to advance eastwards.

The Russian Foreign Ministry says Turkey's collaboration with NATO would mark another step in the direction of the deployment of ‘the European segment’ of a global US missile system.

It says the NATO missile system does not provide security for Washington's European allies and is effectively aimed at Russia.

US in state of self-inflicted decline: Chomsky

2012-02-15T21:21:00.000-05:00

legendary American academic Noam Chomsky (file photo).

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226828.html

Renowned American academic Noam Chomsky condemns the concentration of wealth in the United States in the hands of the 1 percent, which he refers to as the “self-inflicted” American decline.

“The (US) policies are a failure for the large majority, the 99% in the imagery of the Occupy movements - and for the country, which has declined and will continue to do so under these policies,” Chomsky wrote in his article titled 'Losing' the world: American decline in perspective, part 1.”

From the 1970s, there has been a significant change in the US economy, as planners, whether private or state, shifted production off shores, partly due to the “declining rate of profit in domestic manufacturing,” then82-year-old senior academic noted.

He went on to say, “these decisions initiated a vicious cycle in which wealth became highly concentrated (dramatically so in the top 0.1% of the population), yielding concentration of political power, hence legislation to carry the cycle further: taxation and other fiscal policies, deregulation, changes in the rules of corporate governance allowing huge gains for executives, and so on.”

Whereas Chomsky maintained that “for the majority, real wages largely stagnated, and people were able to get by only by sharply increased workloads (far beyond Europe), unsustainable debt… creating paper wealth that inevitably disappeared when they burst (and the perpetrators were bailed out by the taxpayer).”

Meanwhile, the political system in the US has been increasingly torn up, he said, as “both parties are driven deeper into corporate pockets with the escalating cost of elections.”

This is “a serious problem for working people and the middle classes, and a real disaster for the most oppressed, African Americans, who have never escaped the legacy of slavery and its ugly aftermath,” Chomsky concluded.

Chomsky’s comments come against the backdrop of months of Occupy protests in the United States. The Occupy protests owe their inspiration to the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement, which began when a group of demonstrators gathered in New York's financial district on September 17, 2011 to protest against the excessive influence of big corporations on the US policies and the high-level corruption in the country.

EU, Chinese officials meet to discuss eurozone debt crisis

2012-02-14T06:36:00.000-05:00

EU President Herman Van Rompuy (C) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao beside EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at the Great Hall of the People during their summit, Beijing, Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226629.html

Senior EU officials and the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao have held a meeting in the Chinese capital of Beijing to discuss the eurozone’s sovereign debt crisis.

“China and Europe are all round strategic partners. In the face of difficulties and challenges we ought to have mutual understanding and collaborate towards common goals,” China’s Premier Wen Jiabao said on Tuesday while addressing the conference, adding that this relationship would “bring into harmony the basic interest of both sides.”

EU President Herman Van Rompay, who also attended the meeting as one of Europe’s senior officials, called for an increased market access for European companies in China.

“The times we are living in are challenging … we became so inter-dependent that change in the growth rate in one of the two strategic partners has a direct and palpable impact on the other one. Our economic destinies are interlinked,” Van Rumpuy said.

The meeting was also attended by the president of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barraso, who said that a closer cooperation would benefit both sides.

Since early 2009, Europe has been grappling with a financial crisis which has forced a majority of the continent’s governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms. The implementation of austerity cuts have often been met with violent street protests, with the latest in Greece on Sunday.

Scores have been injured in the anti-austerity demonstrations, and many people have been arrested.

Meanwhile, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin on Monday called on “the European Union to resolve this (debt crisis) issue” as the continent is China’s largest trade partner.

Rating agency downgrades six EU economies

2012-02-14T06:31:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226588.html

Moody’s Investors Service has lowered the debt ratings of six European countries over concerns with the eurozone’s ongoing debt crisis and also changed its outlook on Britain and France's ratings to “negative.”

The ratings agency on Monday cut the credit ratings of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Malta.

Moody's also warned its top ratings on three other countries -- Austria, France and the UK -- could be at risk.

"The uncertainty over the euro area's prospects for institutional reform of its fiscal and economic framework" was one of the factors in the decision, Moody's said.

Spain was downgraded to A3 from A1 with a negative outlook. Italy was also downgraded a notch to A3 with a negative outlook and Portugal was downgraded to Ba3 from Ba2 with a negative outlook, Moody’s said.

The company said Malta, Slovenia and Slovakia also received one-notch downgrades and still have negative outlooks.

Monday's credit downgrades follow similar European rating cuts by Fitch and Standard & Poor's.

S&P lowers rating of 15 Spanish banks

2012-02-14T06:29:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226558.html

Standard & Poor's (S&P) has downgraded the credit ratings of 15 Spanish banks, one month after reducing the Spanish government’s overall rating.

S&P announced on Monday that it had lowered its credit ratings on 10 Spanish banks by one notch and cut its ratings of another five by two notches.

"We expect the Spanish banking system's profitability to remain below its historical average over the medium term as banks continue to operate in an unfavorable economic and financial environment," the ratings agency said in a statement.

Spain's biggest bank, Santander, was lowered to A+ from AA-, while BBVA, the country’s second-largest bank, was reduced to A from A+.

S&P reduced its rating on Spain’s long-term debt to A from AA- on January 13.

Earlier on Monday, Fitch Ratings also cut the credit rating of Santander and BBVA and two other large Spanish banks, Bankia and Caixabank.

Battered by the global financial downturn, the Spanish economy collapsed into recession in the second half of 2008, taking with it millions of jobs.

Analysts say Spain's economy is expected to enter into a new recession in the first two quarters of 2012.

The worsening eurozone debt crisis has raised Spain's financing costs and created fears that the European country might have to seek an EU bailout like Greece.

Barack Obama: Let's steal 150m dollars an hour from our children

2012-02-14T06:26:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV (US Desk)
http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/226583.html

Do you think that someone could steal 150 million dollars and get away with it? Well, the truth is that such a theft is taking place every single hour of every single day. The federal government is stealing 150 million dollars an hour from our children and our grandchildren and Barack Obama thinks that is a good thing. The new Obama budget projects a $1.33 trillion federal budget deficit for the 2012 fiscal year. That is significantly higher than the $1.15 trillion that the Congressional Budget Office was projecting because it includes a whole bunch of stimulus spending that the Obama administration plans to do. So let's do a little math.

When you divide $1.33 trillion by 365 days, you get 3.6438356 billion dollars. So on average, the United States will be adding more than 3.6 billion dollars to the national debt every single day during fiscal 2012. And when you divide $3.6438356 billion by 24 hours, you get 151.8 million dollars. So on average, the U.S. national debt will be going up by more than 151 million dollars every single hour during fiscal 2012 if Obama has his way. This is a theft from our children and our grandchildren that is so vast that it is almost unimaginable.

The 2012 budget deficit that the Obama administration is projecting would be equivalent to approximately 8.5 percent of GDP. We simply cannot afford to be running these kinds of outrageous budget deficits year after year.

At the moment, the U.S. national debt is sitting at a grand total of $15,355,838,921,022.16. That is an amount that is so large that it is hard to even put into words.

At this point our national debt is greater than 100% of our national GDP. We are on the road to national financial disaster and yet our politicians keep piling up debt at a rate that is absolutely mind blowing.

The Obama administration is projecting that budget deficits will go down "in the future", but that is what our politicians always do. They always promise that the budget picture will improve "down the road", but that never actually happens.

According to the Bush administration, we were supposed to be swimming in huge budget surpluses by now.

So how did that work out?

Our politicians always promise to cut spending, but it never actually comes to pass. We are always told that cutting spending would be too damaging to the economy "right now" but that they will definitely start cutting things later on.

For example, just check out this recent quote from White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew....

"The time for austerity is not today," Lew told NBC News "Meet the Press." "If we were to put in austerity measures right now, it would take the economy in the wrong way."

They always put budget cuts off for another day. They never want to do anything that could hurt the economy right now and threaten their chances in the next election.

The Republicans were the same way. Vice President Dick Cheney once famously said "deficits don't matter", and the Bush administration ran up horrific budget deficits.

Both political parties have let us down horribly.

Both political parties have voted over and over to steal gigantic mountains of money from our children and our grandchildren.

But our founders never intended for this to be the case. In fact, Thomas Jefferson once stated that if he could add just one more amendment to the U.S. Constitution it would be a complete ban on all borrowing by the federal government...

I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.

Thomas Jefferson believed that it was fundamentally immoral for one generation to run up debts which must be paid back by future generations. Basically, he believed that such debts represented theft on a grand scale ....

And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.

But that is what we are doing today. We are borrowing gigantic mountains of money which we expect our children and our grandchildren to pay back.

We have come to think of this as "normal", but the truth is that this theft is absolutely disgusting and if future generations get the chance they will curse us for what we have done to them.

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost all common sense when it comes to government spending.

The truth is that all of this does not have to be complicated. The following is what Clint Eastwood recently said about our budget problems....

"It's such a basic thing," Eastwood said. "Your parents always tell you when you don't have a dollar in your pocket, you don't spend two dollars. And that's kind of a basic philosophy of life."

Doesn't that make sense?

So why are we being so stupid?

When Ronald Reagan was elected, the U.S. national debt was less than 1 trillion dollars.

We are absolutely drowning in debt, and yet the Obama administration wants even more spending.

Some of his plans for "extra spending" during fiscal 2012 were detailed in an article posted on CNBC ....

For more immediate job programs, the White House will urge $350 billion in short-term job spending, as well as a six-year transportation and infrastructure program that would cost $476 billion. He will ask for $60 billion to refurbish at least 35,000 schools and help state and local governments hire and retain teachers, firefighters and police officers.

This is insanity.

Thanks to all of this debt, a national financial nightmare is an inevitability at this point. As I have written about previously, if the U.S. government stops spending so much money we are doomed, and if the U.S. government continues spending so much money we are doomed.

The problem that we are now facing was once beautifully described by Ludwig Von Mises when he made the following statement ....

There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion.

The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as a result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved.

We are rapidly reaching the "final and total catastrophe" once described by Ludwig Von Mises.

We inherited the greatest economic machine in the history of the world from our forefathers, and we will be known as the generation that totally destroyed it.

Future generations will inherit a collapsed economy and the biggest debt in the history of the world.

But we all prance around like we are the smartest people that have ever existed on the face of the earth.

The rest of the world is laughing at us.

So why don't some honest politicians step forward and tell the American people that we need to stop spending so much money?

Well, first of all there are very few honest politicians on the national level.

Secondly, most of the money that our government spends is money that is taken from the pockets of some Americans and transferred into the pockets of other Americans. Large segments of our population have become absolutely addicted to getting government checks, and it would be political suicide for any politician to propose significant cuts to those checks.

Well over 50 percent of the federal budget is spent on social programs that put dollars directly into the pockets of the American people…

…The American people tend to love politicians that feed their addiction to government money....

If we keep going into so much debt, how long can our system possibly continue functioning?

Well, as we have seen in Greece, a government debt spiral will keep on going until the day that it simply stops working anymore.

A day of reckoning is coming. We don't know if it will be this year or next year or several years from now.

But it is coming.

Our politicians should be doing something about it, but they continue to spend money like tomorrow will never come.

What we are doing to our children and our grandchildren is absolutely immoral.

How in the world can we steal 150 million dollars an hour from them?

We are literally stealing the future from those that will come after us.

Do you think that they will thank us for that?

Dormant social unrest looming for UK

2012-02-14T06:20:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226563.html

The dizzying unemployment figures in Britain coupled with a recent analysis of the cause of summer unrest that put the country on a state of emergency show the government should brace for more such actions in the coming months.

Youth unemployment is at an all-time high in Britain while the rates of underemployment - that is working in a job capacity considered not good enough by the worker - have hit levels unseen since the Great Depression of the 1930’s.

The record unemployment levels mean a whole generation of young adults have their hopes for their futures dashed, raising fears that the resulting outrage could lead to a repetition of the unrest that put Britain in a state of emergency back in August 2011.

The social clashes have been recently found to be rooted in unemployment and poverty as well as in police brutality against certain groups of citizens.

A Citizens’ UK study from 700 local people in the northern London Tottenham area where the unrest began found that the police fatal shooting of a 29-year-old black man on August 6 was the trigger for the crisis.

However, the survey said the ethnic minorities’ mistrust of officers and public despair at the grave economic situation were responsible for the wave of protests that spread like wildfire to the whole country.

The minority groups told the inquiry that the police use of the controversial stop and search powers has been “excessive and disrespectful.”

The report also said some locals identified the disorder as a rare opportunity to take concerted action at a time when one fifth of all youths were jobless.

“It finally felt like all the people (were) coming together, united to do something, even if that something was ultimately destructive,” a 17-year-old participant in the survey said.

Britain has been an epicenter of social unrest for more than a year, which has featured massive protests every few months, beginning with the hundreds-of-thousands-strong tuition fee rallies in London in 2010.

The latest of such huge public actions were the November 2011 mass strikes by some two million public sector workers over the pension reforms and the closely-linked poverty factor, which triggered the August unrest.

With the factors fueling the public anger still in place, analysts believe the government should act to address the shortcomings or risk further trouble that could shake the foundations of the British society.

Northern Kosovo Serbs go ahead with referendum on Pristina

2012-02-14T06:17:00.000-05:00

Hard-line ethnic Albanian protesters of the nationalist Self-Determination Movement protest near Podujevo, a town in northern Kosovo on January 22, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226503.html

Serbs in northern Kosovo are going ahead with a referendum this week, in which citizens voice their opinion as to whether they accept the institutions of the so-called Republic of Kosovo.

On Monday, Serb leaders in northern Kosovo said they will hold the referendum despite opposition from Pristina, the international community and even Belgrade.

“The referendum will be held Tuesday and Wednesday. ... We printed 35,000 ballots," a member of the electoral commission that is organising the vote, Ljubomir Radovic said.

Residents of the Serb-dominated north oppose Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia and believe the referendum will underscore their opposition to concessions that Belgrade has made to the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina during EU-brokered talks.

Voters will be asked whether they “accept the institutions of the so-called Republic of Kosovo seated in Pristina”.

However, the Serbian government does not support the move, even though Belgrade also opposes Kosovo independence. Serbian officials fear the referendum may damage Serbia’s European Union membership bid.

“The referendum ... cannot help solve the crisis," Serbian President Boris Tadic said.

The Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs reject Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, recognized by Western powers, and regard the region as a part of greater Serbia.

The European Union (EU) leaders have delayed Serbia's bid to become a formal candidate for membership in the EU until March 2012, at the earliest. The decision was made due to Serbia's fraught relations with Kosovo.

US Admiral warns Iran: We are ready today

2012-02-14T06:10:00.000-05:00

America’ oldest aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226477.html

The commander of the US Navy base in Bahrain has warned that US forces are prepared for a strike against Iran over the country’s nuclear program.

"We have built a wide range of options to give the president and we are ready... We are ready today," Vice Admiral Mark Fox said at the headquarters of the 5th Fleet in Manama on Sunday.

Fox said he took Iran's military capabilities seriously as it is "capable of striking a blow" to American forces in the Persian Gulf.

The United States has recently intensified its war rhetoric against Iran to put more pressure on the country and stop its peaceful nuclear program. The threats come following the failure of US-led sanctions against Tehran.

US President Barack Obama has repeatedly threatened that all options are on the table regarding Tehran, including a military attack against nuclear facilities.

In an address in January, President Obama said that "America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.”

Meanwhile, Washington is increasing its military equipment and forces in the Persian Gulf. The oldest American aircraft carrier USS Enterprise is set to join two other US strike groups in the Persian Gulf by March.

Washington and Tel Aviv have repeatedly threatened Tehran with the "option" of a military strike, based on the allegation that Iran's nuclear program may include a covert military aspect.

Iran has categorically refuted the allegations, saying that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Eurozone states must go back to national currencies: analyst

2012-02-12T11:29:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226277.html

European states “dump the euro system” and go back to sovereign national currency to resolve the financial crisis that has for months engulfed the eurozone, a prominent analyst tells Press TV.

“The only way out is to, for these countries to dump the euro, go back to their national currency as they had before and then adopt a two-tier credit system of productive credit for real production and a Glass Steagall standard as it was in the United States,” Edward Spannaus, editor of the Executive Intelligence Review said in an exclusive interview with Press TV on Saturday.

His remarks coincide with violent clashes and demonstrations in Greece where thousands of people have taken to the streets of Athens to protest against further austerity measures in return for a new EU bailout package for the debt-stricken country.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Portugal have also staged demonstrations in the capital city of Lisbon against the government's economic policies.

Commenting on daily protests against deep spending cuts and austerity measures across Europe, Spannaus reiterated that the “people will be destroyed” if their governments accept austerity measures.

“The bailouts are not for the countries. They are not for the people. They are for the banks, so if they continue on this course these countries and their population will be destroyed,” he added.

This is while the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) say adopting austerity measures is essential to save eurozone countries from a debt default.

In order to qualify for the new bailout, eurozone finance ministers say Greece must pass the new package in parliament, and impose additional spending cuts of 325 million euros this year.

Austerity cuts have been the cause of several anti-government demonstrations in Greece since early 2011. Many of the rallies have at times turned violent, leaving scores of protesters injured.

The Greek public debt currently stands at around EUR 350 billion, more than 160 percent of its gross domestic product.

Despite the austerity cuts and the bailout funds, which have been aimed at stimulating growth for the troubled economy of Greece, the country has been in recession since 2009.

Greek parliament is to vote on new austerity measures

2012-02-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Riot police deploys during a 48-hour general strike in front of the Parliament in Athens on February 10, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226293.html

The Greek parliament is set to decide in a matter of hours whether to impose another round of austerity measures on the nation in efforts to win a new EU bailout package.

The Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos Cabinet approved the draft bill early on Saturday despite massive public protests and resistance by some cabinet members.

Papademos promised “to do everything necessary” to ensure parliament passes the new controversial austerity measures on Sunday.

"The Greek parliament is asked to take a historic responsibility, examine and authorize the new economic program of Greece, the pre-condition for financing the country over the coming years," he said.

The Greek premier warned of "economic and social catastrophe" if the Parliament does not pass the austerity measures.

The two parties in the ruling coalition, the conservatives and the socialists of PASOK back the measures, but two socialist junior ministers and four members of the far-right LAOS Party quit the cabinet in protest.

Following the resignation of the ministers, Papademos vowed to replace any cabinet ministers that oppose his policies.

Police scuffled with thousands of demonstrators that showed up at Syntagma Square in Athens on Saturday to protest the unpopular austerity measures demanded by the eurozone and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in return for a second bailout package worth 130 billion euros to help the country avoid bankruptcy.

Austerity cuts have been the cause of several anti-government demonstrations in Greece since early 2011. Many of the rallies have at times turned violent, leaving scores of protesters injured.

The Greek public debt currently stands at around EUR 350 billion, more than 160 percent of its gross domestic product.

Despite the austerity cuts and the bailout funds, which have been aimed at stimulating growth for the troubled Greek economy, the country has been in recession since 2009.

London suffers worst child poverty rate

2012-02-12T11:22:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226285.html

Almost four in ten British children live in London households, where there is just £10 per person per day to cover everything, according to the Campaign to End Child Poverty (ECP).

The charity’s report comes as the Institute of Fiscal Studies estimated the number of British children living below the poverty line will rise by 800,000 by 2020, British media reported.

Despite the rhetoric of politicians, prospects for many of those at the bottom rung of the social ladder in the UK look set to get bleaker rather than brighter as they are hit by a storm of economic challenges, said the report.

In Tower Hamlets, the local authority set to host the 2012 Olympic Games, 52 percent of children live in poverty just a stone’s throw from the riches of the City, while in the borough of Islington, the figure stands at 43 percent, according to the report.

This can be compared to child poverty levels of just seven percent and five percent for the constituencies of Prime Minister David Cameron (Whitney) and his deputy Nick Clegg (Sheffield Hallam) respectively, the report said.

The report paints a good picture of a socially segregated country where children living in the capital are being disproportionately damaged by poverty and inequality.

Meanwhile, in London people also suffer worst from a combination of rising unemployment, increased living costs and welfare cuts.

Childhood poverty in Britain can cause lasting damage, both to individuals and whole communities, the report concluded.

“Living below the poverty line can trap children into a cycle of poor performance at school and reduced job prospects,” explained Sally Copley, UK head of poverty at Save the Children.

“Education is the best route out, but at every stage there is a huge divide between how those from poor backgrounds perform in relation to their peers. Moreover, early years poverty has also been linked with a range of mental and physical health problems, again exacerbating the problem and casting the future of whole generation of Londoners aside”, said Sally Copley.

US remarks on Malvinas disturb Britain

2012-02-12T11:19:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226163.html

US officials’ remarks on the Malvinas (Falkland) islands have disturbed the British press as Britain is concerned over any damage to its Special Relationship with the US.

US Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson’s remarks about the issue of Las Malvinas have been another setback to the British government as it refuses to engage in negotiations asking Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon to rule out the possibility of negotiating over the islands.

Jacobson called for a diplomatic solution to the issue of sovereignty over the Malvinas islands saying Britain and Argentina are equal partners in the eyes of the US.

“Our position remains the same. This is a problem between two of our partners. We do not want to change our position...We prefer that both countries negotiate a diplomatic solution in that matter,” said Jacobson in Lima, Peru, as she is on a tour to Peru and Argentina.

This comes while the British press has not welcomed Jacobson’s call for equality as UK officials are already concerned about any damage to the Special Relationship.

Nile Gardiner, an aide to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, lashed out at the US stance on the issue saying the US is not aware of “the difference between Great Britain and Argentina.”

Gardiner also raised concerns over why the US “fails to express any support whatsoever for the UK, and remains silent” on the issue.

Furthermore, last month, the US Department of State released a statement on its official website calling for a negotiated solution to the dispute.

The department’s reference to the islands as Malvinas, while Britain insists on calling the archipelago “the Falklands,” came as another slap in the face of the Special Relationship.

This comes against the backdrop of the US president Barak Obama’s describing France as the closest ally of the US.

Moreover, earlier this month, The Daily Telegraph revealed that the US had cast a skeptical eye on Britain’s military capability refusing to let Britain take part in its show of strength when a flotilla of US vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The British newspaper described the move as “humiliating” for the British establishment.

Iran finds new oilfield with huge reserves

2012-02-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

Iran has discovered 13 new oil and gas fields from August 2009 to August 2010.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226326.html

The National Iranian Oil Company’s (NIOC) director for exploration says the country has discovered a new oil field with considerable in-place crude reserves.

Seyyed Mahmoud Mohaddes said more details of the discovery would soon be announced.

Mohaddes told reporters in January 2012 that Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi would soon reveal the details of a newly-discovered gas field.

“Before the end of the current [Iranian calendar] year, according to our earlier promise, we will also announce details about the discovery of two new oil fields. On the whole, definite exploration operations have been carried out on five oil fields in addition to Khayyam oil field and Madar gas field,” he added.

The Exploration Department of NIOC appropriated USD 435 million to exploration projects during the current Iranian year (started March 20, 2011). A total of USD 420 million were also allocated to the same purpose last year.

The NIOC Exploration Department recently signed a contract for exploration and development of Farzad A gas field with Petropars Company.

A report published in August 2010 by Iran's Oil Ministry revealed the country had discovered 13 new oil and gas fields with in-place reserves of 14 billion barrels of oil and 45 trillion cubic feet of natural gas between August 2009 and August 2010.

In June 2011, Iran discovered Khayyam gas field with in-place reserves of 277 billion cubic meters of natural gas in Asalouyeh, located in Bushehr Province.

Managing Director of the NIOC Ahmad Qalebani announced the discovery of Madar gas field in eastern Asalouyeh with gas reserves of about 495 billion cubic meters in August 2011.

AIPAC to Obama: Attack Iran or let Israel do it

2012-02-12T11:11:00.000-05:00

US President Barack Obama makes his way onto the stage May 22, 2011 to address the AIPAC Policy Conference 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226156.html

The most powerful Zionist lobbying group in the US, AIPAC, is increasing pressure on the administration of Barack Obama to launch a military strike against Iran, a political writer says.

"It is clear that Israel and its neoconservative camp followers here in the United States are increasing pressure on President Obama to either attack Iran or let Israel do it," M.J. Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg, who was director of policy at Israel Policy Forum, made the suggestion in an article about a military attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The author said the main reason behind his prediction is that "this is an election year and no one will say no to [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu in an election year."

He was referring to the 2012 presidential election in the United States that will be held in November.

Rosenberg also pointed out to an upcoming meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

"War enthusiasm will rise to a fever pitch by March, when AIPAC holds its annual policy conference," he wrote.

AIPAC, which has an influential and undeniable role in US policies, advocates pro-Israel policies to the Congress and Executive Branch of the United States.

The group urges all members of Congress to support Israel through foreign aid.

The US and Israel have repeatedly threatened Tehran with the "option" of a military strike, based on their allegation that Iran's nuclear program may include a covert military aspect, a claim strongly rejected by Tehran

Germany warns Israel against Iran attack

2012-02-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226288.html

Germany’s Defense Minister has warned Tel Aviv against any military adventurism in Iran amid the escalating anti-Iran war rhetoric by the US and the Israeli regime.

Thomas de Maiziere insisted in a Saturday interview with Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung that the success of such an effort against the Islamic Republic would be highly unlikely.

The German defense minister also cautioned the Israeli regime against “obvious political damages” should it venture on an attack against Iran.

Israeli officials have ramped up their war rhetoric over the past few weeks, threatening Iran with military strikes in case the US-led Western sanctions against the country fail to force Tehran into abandoning its civilian nuclear program.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on February 9 that “Israel has a large selection of ways, when the world of international sanctions fails to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear program.”

Earlier this month, the Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said if Western sanctions against Iran fail to stop its nuclear program, military action against the country must be placed on its agenda.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta claimed on February 2 that there is a strong possibility the Tel Aviv regime will launch an attack on Iran in April, May, or June 2012.

Washington and Tel Aviv have repeatedly threatened Tehran with various ‘military options’ in an attempt to force the Islamic Republic to halt its peaceful nuclear program, which has been closely monitored by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran has fiercely rejected Western publicity that its nuclear program may be diverted to military objectives while insisting that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it is entitled to pursue nuclear technology for its numerous civilian uses and benefits.

New bill to allow 30,000 drones to fill American skies by 2020

2012-02-10T22:51:00.000-05:00

The US congress has passed a bill which will see 30,000 spy drones to fill US airspace by 2020.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226010.html

The US Congress has passed a bill which approves government’s deployment of up to 30,000 spy drones in the country’s airspace by 2020, raising serious concerns about the ensuing privacy infringement.

The bill, which facilitates the government use of unmanned spy planes in US airspace, requires the Federal Aviation Administration to rush a plan to get as many drones in the air as possible within nine months.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, which US President Barack Obama is expected to sign, also orders the FAA to develop regulations for the testing and licensing of commercial drones by 2015, The Washington Times reported.

Privacy advocates have protested that the measure will lead to the widespread use of drones for electronic surveillance by police agencies across the country and eventually by private companies as well.

“There are serious policy questions on the horizon about privacy and surveillance, by both government agencies and commercial entities,” said Steven Aftergood, who heads the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation also is “concerned about the implications for surveillance by government agencies,” said attorney Jennifer Lynch.

The provision in the legislation is the fruit of “a huge push by lawmakers and the defense sector to expand the use of drones” in American airspace, she added.

According to some estimates, the commercial drone market in the United States could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars once the FAA clears their use.

The US has been using the unmanned vehicles for its spy operations and assassination missions worldwide and the strikes have intensified since Obama took office three years ago.

Clashes in Athens, PM warns of default

2012-02-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

Greek protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Athens on February 9, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226043.html

Clashes between riot police and anti-austerity protesters have broken out in front of the Greek parliament as the country’s prime minister warned of “uncontrolled chaos” if Athens did not accept a new bailout.

Shortly after Friday night’s clashes, the Greek cabinet unanimously approved a EU-IMF debt deal in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“A disorderly default would plunge our country into a disastrous adventure,” Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said on Friday, shortly after six members of the government announced their resignation in protest against further austerity cuts as demanded by the troika of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary fund.

“At this time there comes a need to do whatever is required in order for the new economic program to be approved and for the new bailout agreement to proceed. Any other development would be catastrophic,” Papademos said, adding that “whoever disagrees and does not vote for the new program cannot remain in the government.”

In the clashes in front of the parliament building in central Athens, police officers in riot gear fired tear gas at protesters, who responded with petrol bombs, bottles, and stones.

Three protesters were arrested and ten people were injured.

Amongst the cuts demanded by the troika, which sparked the recent unrest, are a 20-percent reduction in the minimum wage, 150,000 civil service redundancies, and a 15-percent cut in supplementary pensions.

The country implemented harsh austerity measures in return for the first bailout, a 110-billion-euro package it received in 2010.

Despite the austerity cuts and the bailout funds, which are meant to stimulate growth for the troubled Greek economy, the country has been in recession since 2009.

Greeks have come out onto the streets for anti-government demonstrations on numerous occasions since the austerity cuts began in early 2011. Many of the demos turned violent, leaving scores of protesters injured.

Egyptians hold anti-junta demos

2012-02-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

Egyptian protesters wave national flags and shout slogans against the military rulers of the country during a demonstration in Cairo's Tahrir Square on February 10, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226055.html

Tens of thousands of Egyptians have taken to the streets to protest against the military rulers who took power after former dictator Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February 2011.

On Friday, demonstrators in the capital Cairo, the coastal city of Alexandria, the northeastern seaport city of Suez, and many other towns called for the ruling junta to hand over power to civilian leaders.

“The people want the overthrow of the marshal,” activists chanted during the protest march towards the Defense Ministry in Cairo, referring to Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who heads the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Army units obstructed demonstrators marching to the Defense Ministry.

Demonstrators in Alexandria chanted slogans against the generals.

In Suez, protesters burned a US flag.

The demonstrations were staged a day before a strike called by activists to commemorate the first anniversary of Mubarak's downfall. The ruling council has deployed extra troops and tanks to guard state buildings and public property ahead of the strike.

On Thursday, the Muslim Brotherhood called on the junta to dismiss the military-appointed government for failing to deal with the worsening security and economic situation in the country.

Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan said the military council should provide an opportunity for the Muslim Brotherhood to put forward a nominee for prime minister who could form a new government.

The demand for dismissal of Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri and his cabinet came after deadly clashes in the northern city of Port Said between opposing football fans on February 1 that left 74 people dead. In the following days, 15 more people died in the ensuing mayhem.

British troops involved in Homs operation

2012-02-10T22:40:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225801.html

An intelligence report has revealed that British and Qatari troops are leading armed terror gangs in the Syrian city of Homs in their bloody battle against civilians and the Syrian army forces.

According to the Israeli website, debkafile, which is known for links to intelligence sources, “British and Qatari troops are directing rebel ammunition deliveries and tactics in the bloody battle for Homs”.

The report said that Britain’s foreign spying apparatus, MI6, has established four centers of operation in the city with the troops on the ground paving the way for an undercover Turkish military incursion into Syria.

The debkafile site said the presence of British and Qatari troops in Homs topped the agenda of Tuesday’s talks between President Assad government’s officials and head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov.

Qatar makes little secret of supporting the Syrian opposition with cash, arms and political support.

But, the British new adventurism in Syria comes as a parliamentary report has warned that the British government will face huge financial problems if the military resolve to launch a military campaign on the same scale as the operation in Libya.

In 2011 Britain and France became part of NATO-led operations targeting Gaddafi regime in Libya.

According to official reports, Britain spent about €254mln on the military campaign in Libya. However, a publication in The Guardian at the end of last year contends that the Libyan campaign cost British taxpayers 1.75 billion pounds. This exceeds the originally planned sum by nearly sevenfold.

Given the situation, the British MPs have warned the government of David Cameron that it will face “difficult decisions” if it chooses to engage in yet another campaign. Nearly two billion pounds spent over the six months of the campaign in Libya could be more than the military can handle

UK to deploy second Prince to frontline

2012-02-10T22:37:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225793.html

In a bid to fulfill the constitutional role of the British monarchy, Tory-led government will deploy yet another member of royal family, Prince Harry, to the frontline in Afghanistan as an Apache attack helicopter pilot.

The Prince, the third in line to the throne, will be deployed to Afghanistan warzone towards the end of 2012, following a Ministry of Defense announcement that Harry, known as Captain Wales, would fly the aircraft to fight Taliban.

The latest development comes as the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, was sent to the Malvinas Islands for a six-week deployment as a search and rescue pilot while tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed islands have heightened.

Royal sources claimed that Harry was looking forward to “doing his duty” after finishing a demanding 18-month training program and will join an operational unit in Afghanistan, where he was sent four years ago to stay 14 weeks, but ended up his duty 10 weeks into the tour after reportedly failing in military operations.

Analysts criticize MoD’s plan to send Harry again to Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter, which can fire different types of rockets such as laser-guided Hellfire missiles and has a 30mm cannon for close-quarters fighting.

Analysts believe that the deployment of the royal brothers to the frontlines while the monarchy is celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee year, show that the royal family is seeking to increase its constitutional role in the country.

Anti-monarchy activists also condemned the costly deployments of the second and third in line to the throne and blamed the government for being “anti-democratic” as it put the monarchy’s controversial policies into practice.

The question on the minds of the critics now is that if 27-year-old Prince is ready enough to represent a role for Britain, while his regular evenings at London nightclubs made him unsure on his feet.

UK helps Israel steal Palestinian water

2012-02-10T22:33:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225961.html

Britain has decided to help the Israeli regime steal water from Palestinians, while even the Israeli press describe the act as a ‘water occupation.’

British Water, which represents the UK water industry supply chain, signed an agreement with Israel in December which received no media coverage. The agreement was not even published on British Water’s website. However, the Israeli regime’s embassy in London proudly reported the agreement.

This comes as Israel’s 400-mile apartheid wall illegally encloses key water supplies. The International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled the apartheid wall is ‘contrary to international law’ and that “all States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction.”

Israel’s apartheid wall is not even built along the so-called Green Line which itself is not a legal and official border. It bites deep into the occupied Palestinian West Bank and its construction is aimed at stealing Palestinians’ water and selling them their own water at an inflated price.

Palestinians have no access to the Jordan River because of the Israeli regime’s closures. Moreover, during the Gaza Massacre in 2008, Israel destroyed more than 30 kilometers of water networks and 11 water wells in a ‘deliberate and systematic’ manner, as described by a UN Fact Finding Mission.

Despite the establishment of a Joint Water Committee, which was set up to secure water supply to Palestinians, Israel was given veto power.

This way, Palestinians are forced to buy their own water, which is extracted from wells within their own land.

Although between 100 and 150 liters of water per day are necessary to meet health needs, an individual in marginalized Palestinian communities in the Occupied West Bank live on less than 20 liters of water a day. This comes as an average Israeli consumes 280 liters of Palestinians’ water each day.

Britain’s complicity with Israel in robbing the Palestinians of their water comes as even the Israeli newspaper Haaretz admitted that “some 450,000 [illegal] Israeli settlers on the [Occupied] West Bank use more water than the 2.3 million Palestinians that live there.”

The newspaper even considered the situation as a ‘water occupation’ that the Israeli regime has launched against the Palestinian people.

Given the bigger picture of the establishment of the Zionist state which would not be possible without Arthur Balfour, Britain’s foreign secretary from 1916 to 1919, and the UK Trade and Investment Department's commitment to benefit Israel such acts on the part of Britain are not unexpected.

“In Palestine we do not propose even to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants of the country. The four powers are committed to Zionism and Zionism, be it right or wrong, good or bad, is rooted in age-long tradition, in present needs, in future hopes, of far profounder import than the desires and prejudices of the 700,000 Arabs who now occupy that land,” said Balfour in his Balfour Declaration back in 1917.

Balfour’s comments were made as Britain had promised "the 700,000 Arabs" that had “occupied the land” independence in return for their assistance in defeating the Ottoman-German Alliance in World War I.

However, after “Turks were smitten,” as described by Stephen Ostrander, the British government gave no thought to its promise as it surrendered Palestine for the establishment of a Zionist state.

Israeli war machine enjoys UK backing

2012-02-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226033.html

British students at the London School of Economics (LSE) have censured their university’s collaboration with the Israeli regime’s war machine.

The LSE students said the university was cooperating with an Israeli university, which has developed remote-controlled bulldozers to destroy Palestinian homes illegally.

The project is an EU-funded scheme dubbed PICK-ME (Policy Incentives for the Creation of Knowledge: Methods and Evidence), which has a budget of €2.4 million ($3.1 million) and runs from 2011 to 2014.

It connects universities and research institutes from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland with the Israeli Institute of Technology in Haifa, known as the Technion.

More than two-thirds of the project’s financing comes directly from the European Union’s multi-annual scientific research program.

Supporters of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel expressed dismay that their university should be collaborating with an institution like the Technion, which is deeply complicit in the oppression of Palestinians.

The Technion makes technology to detect tunnels, developed the remote-controlled “D9” bulldozer and works with arms companies including Elbit Systems, who created the notorious electronic surveillance system explicitly for Israel’s apartheid wall in the occupied West Bank, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004.

LSE’s cooperation with the Technion is by no means the first case in which the renowned London University has been involved in unethical practices, according to the students.

Saudi king slams Russia, China for vetoing Syria resolution

2012-02-10T22:26:00.000-05:00

Saudi King Abdullah

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226025.html

Saudi Arabia's ruler King Abdullah has criticized China and Russia for blocking a UN Security Council resolution against Syria.

King Abdullah on Friday described Moscow and Beijing's decision to veto the anti-Syria resolution as an “unfavorable move” that undermined world confidence at the United Nations.

“What took place (at the UN Security Council) does not augur well... World confidence in the United Nations has undoubtedly been shaken," King Abdullah said in a short televised speech.

"No matter how powerful, countries cannot rule the whole world. The world is ruled by brains, by justice, by morals and by fairness," the Saudi ruler said referring to China and Russia. He however, did not single out the two countries by name.

King Abdullah's criticism against Russia and China and accusing them of blocking attempts to end violence in Syria comes as Saudi troops are brutally suppressing anti-government protesters east of the kingdom and helping Bahrain in its deadly crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are accused of fueling unrest in Syria by arming and funding terrorist groups to battle the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier this week the members of six-nation [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, expelled Syrian ambassadors from their capitals and recalled their own envoys from Damascus to protest what they called Syrian government violence against its civilians.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March and many people have lost their lives in the violence.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. But Damascus blames ''outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups'' for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Congress OKs drone flights in US airspace

2012-02-09T08:21:00.000-05:00

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225756.html

US Congress has passed a bill requiring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to open the country’s airspace to thousands of drone aircraft within four years, Press TV reports.

According to the plan, which is part of a $63 billion funding package for the FAA, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will fly beyond solely military airspace and begin to flood domestic US airspace by 2015.

The legislation requires the FAA to provide military, commercial and privately-owned drones with expanded access to US airspace by September 30, 2015.

The FAA has predicted that 30,000 drones could be in US skies by 2020. The bill is the result of an enormous lobbying effort from Washington insiders and the defense industry.

Even though the legislation restricts the use of the drones over populated areas, civil liberties groups are concerned the door into a sacred Constitutional tenant will be opened even wider.

“There are serious policy questions on the horizon about privacy and surveillance, by both government agencies and commercial entities,” said Steven Aftergood of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists.

However, many members of Congress who signed the bill don’t see expanded drone use as a problem. They believe the growth of the drone industry will create more jobs for their constituents.

US youth jobless rate highest in 6 decades

2012-02-09T08:17:00.000-05:00

Job-seekers gather around employers' tents at an outdoor job fair at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles, August 31, 2011.

Source: press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225765.html

A new study by the Pew Research Center shows American young adults are the hardest hit by the US economic recession as unemployment rate among them has reached a record high.

According to the survey, only 54 percent of Americans aged between 18 and 34 currently have jobs, the lowest employment rate since the US government started keeping track of the data in 1948.

"Young workers are on the bottom of the ladder, and during a recession like we've had, it's often hard for them to hold on," said Kim Parker, the associate director of Pew's Social & Demographic Trends project.

Parker noted that American youth “are clearly less satisfied with their current circumstances than they were before the recession."

"This may be where some of the anger and frustration being expressed in the Occupy movement is rooted," she added.

Pew survey also found that US young adults have suffered bigger income losses than other age groups.

The US Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke has expressed concerns over the status of the country’s economy, saying the unusually high levels of long-term unemployment in the US are worrisome.

More than 40 percent of the US jobless have been out of work for at least ten months.

Turkish FM to visit Washington at Clinton’s invitation

2012-02-09T08:08:00.000-05:00

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a conference in Munich, Germany on February 4, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/225714.html

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is scheduled to travel to the United States to meet with the US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry said that the visit was to take place between February 8 and 12 at Clinton’s invitation.

Davutoglu will also meet with the US National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon, representatives of various think tanks, and opinion leaders. He as well will give interviews to some leading media organizations.

According to the statement, the meetings will serve as an opportunity for the exchange of views on the bilateral, regional, and global issues of common interest.

This will be Davutoglu's third trip to Washington. He went to the US in June 2009 and November 2010 to hold negotiations with high-level administration officials and representatives of the US Congress.