Saturday, February 27, 2010

Russia guarantees delivery of S-300 system to Iran

'Russia guarantees delivery of S-300 system to Iran' (plus 98 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

'Russia guarantees delivery of S-300 system to Iran'

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:17 PM PST

Iran's ambassador to Russia says Moscow has guaranteed that it will deliver the S-300 missile defense system to Iran.

"Iran is ready to receive this system and our Russian colleagues have assured us that they will meet their obligations," Ambassador Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi said at a press conference at the main office of RIA Novosti in Moscow on Thursday.

Haniyeh to Israel: Recognize us first

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 04:13 PM PST

Democratically-elected Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says Israel must recognize the rights of the Palestinian people before asking for recognition.

"They have to recognize us first, the right of the Palestinian people, we are the victims. Hamas supports the establishment of a Palestinian state with the 1967 borders," Haniyeh said on Wednesday.

Siddiqui conviction triggers anti-US rallies in Pakistan

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 04:02 PM PST

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Pakistan to protest against the US conviction of a Pakistani scientist.

The protesters chanted anti-American slogans and burnt the US flag after a New York jury found Aafia Siddiqui guilty of attempted murder.

Iran, Uruguay discuss industrial cooperation

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:32 PM PST

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Uruguay's Minister of Industry Raul Sendic have discussed issues of mutual interests in Tehran.

The two discussed prospects of boosting industrial ties that would include manufacture of light and heavy machinery and construction of power plants.

Iran, Uruguay discuss industrial cooperation

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:32 PM PST

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Uruguay's Minister of Industry Raul Sendic have discussed issues of mutual interests in Tehran.

The two discussed prospects of boosting industrial ties that would include manufacture of light and heavy machinery and construction of power plants.

Tymoshenko to 'rally people' if defeated in run-off

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:14 PM PST

The Ukrainian prime minister and presidential hopeful, Yulia Tymoshenko, has warned against any attempt by her opponent to steal this weekend's run-off election, vowing to stir mass street protests if she is not elected.

"We will rally the people" a grim Tymoshenko told reporters on Thursday, pledging to use "all means" to ensure a fair election, AP reported.

Tymoshenko to 'rally people' if defeated in run-off

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:14 PM PST

The Ukrainian prime minister and presidential hopeful, Yulia Tymoshenko, has warned against any attempt by her opponent to steal this weekend's run-off election, vowing to stir mass street protests if she is not elected.

"We will rally the people" a grim Tymoshenko told reporters on Thursday, pledging to use "all means" to ensure a fair election, AP reported.

Romania approves US missile deployment

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:04 PM PST

Romania has given the go-ahead to a revamped Washington plan to deploy medium-range ballistic missile interceptors in the Black Sea state.

Romania's President Traian Basescu announced on Thursday that the country's Supreme Defense Council has approved a Washington proposal to include Romania in a defense system against "potential attacks with ballistic missiles or medium-range rockets."

Romania approves US missile deployment

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:04 PM PST

Romania has given the go-ahead to a revamped Washington plan to deploy medium-range ballistic missile interceptors in the Black Sea state.

Romania's President Traian Basescu announced on Thursday that the country's Supreme Defense Council has approved a Washington proposal to include Romania in a defense system against "potential attacks with ballistic missiles or medium-range rockets."

Syria summons foreign envoys over Israeli war rhetoric

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:56 PM PST

Damascus summoned foreign envoys to Syria on Thursday to discuss Israel's recent military threats against the Arab country.

The meeting was hosted by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and headed by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Syria summons foreign envoys over Israeli war rhetoric

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:56 PM PST

Damascus summoned foreign envoys to Syria on Thursday to discuss Israel's recent military threats against the Arab country.

The meeting was hosted by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and headed by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Powerful blast kills 3 in Kandahar

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:32 PM PST

A blast has rocked Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, killing at least three people and wounding more than a dozen others.

The blast happened when an explosive-laden vehicle was detonated near a hotel on the outskirts of the provincial capital of Kandahar.

Powerful blast kills 3 in Kandahar

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:32 PM PST

A blast has rocked Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, killing at least three people and wounding more than a dozen others.

The blast happened when an explosive-laden vehicle was detonated near a hotel on the outskirts of the provincial capital of Kandahar.

EU calls for WTO sanctions against US

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:37 PM PST

The European Union has called on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to impose sanctions on US-made goods in retaliation for the country's anti-dumping measures.

Europe wants the world trade body to approve USD 311 million in sanctions on American exports for using a method of accounting called "zeroing" that result in import penalties on European goods such as steel, chemicals and pasta.

Cobra Gold war games begin in Thailand

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:33 PM PST

Hundreds of Thai and American marines have begun an annual military exercise on Hat Yao beach, in Thailand's eastern Rayong Province.

The maneuver titled 'Cobra Gold' is between the United States and Thailand. However, this year other Asian nations participate in the war games as well.

Hezbollah condemns deadly Karbala blast

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:19 PM PST

Lebanese Hezbollah Movement has strongly condemned the recent bomb attack in Iraq's southern city of Karbala which killed dozen of pilgrims and wounded many others.

"The incident is yet another act of violence intended to provoke internal strife and cause massive bloodshed in Iraq. Such heinous moves are part of conspiracies that have been organized to extend US occupation in the country and serve hegemonic interests at large," according to a statement released by the movement on Thursday.

'Walking Man,' most expensive artwork ever auctioned

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:55 PM PST

Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti's 'Walking Man I' has become the world's most expensive work of art ever sold at an auction.

The work fetched GBP 65,788,249 (USD 104,327,006) at Sotheby's London auction, setting an international record for the artist as well, Artdaily reported.

Iran: US Patriots waging psychological warfare

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:28 PM PST

Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, says the US is trying to wage psychological warfare against Iran by deploying missiles in the Persian Gulf.

Firouzabadi said on Thursday that the recently deployed Patriot missiles in the region will be rendered useless by simple countermeasures.

Erekat calls for alternative to two-state solution

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:56 AM PST

Chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat says Palestinians should consider other alternatives to the two-state solution, if the peace process with Israel does not move forward.

Palestinians should develop credible alternatives to the two-state solution, such as a one-state solution or a bi-national state and dissolve the Palestinian Authority, according to Erekat.

Over 390 UK lawmakers ordered to pay back expenses

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:44 AM PST

The British lawmakers, who are mired in a scandal over flawed expense claims, have been ordered to pay back more than GBP 1 million in what is a blow to their prestige and reputation.

Results of an audit conducted by the former civil servant Sir Thomas Legg have found a "deeply flawed" system at Westminster that enabled member of parliaments to take advantage of a culture of dishonesty to fill their pockets.

Ahmadinejad urges campaign for regional security

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:25 AM PST

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Tehran and Islamabad should develop a joint campaign to promote regional security.

"Given the current situation, the regional countries — especially Iran and Pakistan — must devise a joint plan to provide security in the region," said Ahmadinejad.

Amid tense ties, China backs sanctions on US firms

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:11 AM PST

The Chinese government has defended its stance that it may impose sanctions on US firms selling weapons to Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said on Thursday that a Beijing decision to impose unspecified sanctions on US firms selling weapons to Taiwan was an "appropriate" measure.

Israel's Lieberman cautions Syria

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:09 AM PST

The Israeli foreign minister has cautioned Syria against drawing his country into another war, saying the Syrian army would be defeated and its regime would collapse in any future conflict.

Avigdor Lieberman's comments on Thursday followed accusations from the Syrian president a day earlier that Israel is "driving the region towards war, not peace".

Saudi jets pound Yemen, kill 14 civilians

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:29 AM PST

At least fourteen civilians have been killed and dozens more have suffered injuries as Saudi fighter jets pounded the alleged strongholds of Houthi fighters in northern parts of Yemen despite a truce offer put forth by the Shia fighters.

According to a statement released by the fighters on Thursday, Saudi warplanes carried out 13 aerial attacks on al-Sha'af district in the northern Yemeni governorate of al-Jawf.

SCO to review Iran, Pakistan membership bids

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:02 AM PST

The new Secretary-General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Muratbek Sansyzbayevich Imanaliev told a press conference on Wednesday in Beijing that the bloc is assessing membership applications of Iran and Pakistan submitted this year.

He did not specify when a decision would be made, but earlier reports indicated that the group has already started reviewing the criteria for new memberships.

China warns against talks of Iran sanctions

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 09:44 AM PST

China has warned world powers against threatening Iran with sanctions over its nuclear energy program, saying such a move could prove to be counterproductive.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Thursday that threats of sanctions will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to the Western disputes over Tehran's nuclear program.

Dutch MP cries foul as court rejects his witnesses

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:46 AM PST

The Dutch lawmaker and producer of the anti-Islamic 'Fitna' movie, Geert Wilders, claims he has been denied the right to a fair trial.

He made the remark after the Amsterdam District Court rejected most of his requested defense witnesses, saying that he could only call three witnesses out of the 18 he had sought.

Israel threatens Syria's Assad with collapse

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:31 AM PST

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatens to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad if Damascus enters into a war with the Israeli regime.

"When there is another war, you will not just lose it, but you and your family will lose power," Lieberman told a business conference at Bar-Ilan University on Thursday.

Senate: Lobbyists launder 'dirty money' in US

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:18 AM PST

The US Senate says foreign dictators, prominent bureaucrats and arms dealers are still able to funnel millions of corruption dollars into the United States.

In a report due for full release on Thursday, a Senate subcommittee has incriminated Washington lobbyists and lawyers for helping foreign political figures bring in over 100 billion dollars of dirty money into the country over the past few years.

Vegetative state patients can communicate

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:12 AM PST

Groundbreaking research has found that patients left in a vegetative state for devastating brain damage are able to think and respond to questions.

British and Belgian researchers have been able to reach into the mind of a man who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a road accident in 2003 and communicate.

US: War games in Asia-Pacific to affirm long-term stay

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:02 AM PST

The United States says it intends to maintain a long-term presence in the Asia-Pacific region as holds military maneuvers with Asian countries.

Commander of the US Army Pacific Lt. Gen. Benjamin Nixon said on Thursday that the military exercise is one aspect of that presence.

UAE airport officials strip-search Iranians

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:50 AM PST

Iranian passengers traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the past week say they have had to submit to strict body search procedures upon arriving in the Arab state.

UAE airport officials had considerably reduced the number of security checks carried out on Iranian passengers during the past several months.

US spies authorized to kill American 'terrorists'

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:39 AM PST

US spy agencies have the license to 'take out' any American they deem a threat to the national security, an intelligence chief declares.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair admitted Wednesday that Washington can take out potential American terrorists overseas.

Weak global oil demand decreases Shell profit

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:32 AM PST

Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell has reported that its fourth-quarter net profit has fallen 75% due to falling demand for oil during the global financial crisis.

The Anglo-Dutch oil giant announced in a statement Thursday that profits between October and December 2009 were $1.2bn, down by 75% from the $4.8bn the firm made in the previous year.

Israel charged with targeting Palestinian medical teams

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:30 AM PST

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has charged Israel with launching hundreds of attacks against Palestinian medical teams in 2009.

The aid group, also known as PRCS, said that the Israeli troops fired 15 times at ambulances in the West Bank and Gaza last year, killing one medical worker and wounding 10 more.

Berlusconi defends Israel's Gaza war as self defense

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:18 AM PST

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi pledges support for the Tel Aviv regime despite the damning UN report on the Gaza war that charges Israel with war crimes.

In a speech before the Israeli parliament (Knesset), visiting Berlusconi hailed Israel as "not only the biggest example of democracy and liberty in the Middle East, but the only example," calling the security of Israel "an ethical and moral imperative" for Italians.

Milito secures first leg lead over Fiorentina

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:04 AM PST

Diego Milito's goal has given Inter Milan a narrow 1-0 victory against Fiorentina in the first leg of the Italian Cup semi-final.

Milito netted the only goal of the game in the 34th minute when he was set up by Mario Balotelli at Milan's San Siro on Wednesday night.

China-US exchange of threats intensifies

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:58 AM PST

Verbal threats between China and the US intensify as Beijing reiterates that it would not step back from its policies.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted strongly to US President Barack Obama's threat of taking a tougher stance on Beijing to make sure it opens its markets to trade with Washington.

Somali pirates hijack N Korean cargo ship

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:33 AM PST

After the release of a Greek-owned vessel, Somali pirates hijack a North Korean-flagged ship, the European Union's anti-piracy naval force says.

The pirates seized the MV Rim Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden, making the vessel change course and head towards the Somali coast.

Israel to raze 200 Palestinian homes in E Jerusalem

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:23 AM PST

Israeli authorities plan to seal 200 Palestinians homes in East Jerusalem to counter what they call "discriminatory enforcement" against Israeli settlers.

The East Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced the decision after the State Prosecutor Moshe Lador criticized the municipality's refusal to carry out a Supreme Court order to seal the Jewish-owned Beit Yehonatan building in East Jerusalem.

US brands Iran's rocket launch 'provocative'

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:14 AM PST

The US has branded as 'provocative' Iran's launch of the Kavoshgar 3 rocket, which is capable of carrying a satellite into space.

Iran on Tuesday successfully test-fired the Kavoshgar 3 satellite carrier, sending its third one into space.

Bahrain: New military deal with US not anti-Iran

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:06 AM PST

Bahrain's foreign minister admits that Manama has allowed the US to set up a weapons systems on its soil, but urged Iran not to interpret the measure as a threat against it.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa made the comments in a Wednesday press conference with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington.

Siddiqui convicted in US, blames Israel

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 05:07 AM PST

Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui has been found guilty of trying to kill US military personnel and FBI agents in Afghanistan two years ago.

The Pakistani national was found guilty on all seven counts listed in the complaint against her by a jury in a US Federal Court on Wednesday.

Toyota shares fall 6% in one day

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 05:01 AM PST

Shares in Toyota Corporation have slid to a 10-month low as the world's largest carmaker continues to deal with the impact of worldwide vehicle recall.

Toyota Motor Corp shares fell 6% on Thursday, after the US administration increased the pressure on the Japanese carmaker to address a range of safety issues.

France denies citizenship to Muslim man

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 04:39 AM PST

France's decision to partially ban burqa wearing has taken a new twist as it decides to deny citizenship to a Muslim man with his burqa-clad wife.

The French Immigration Minister, Eric Besson signed a decree rejecting a Moroccan Man's citizenship application after it was revealed that he had "forced his wife to wear a head-to-toe veil".

Baqeri gives Persepolis win over Esteqlal

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 03:28 AM PST

Captain Karim Baqeri's down to the line goal allows his team Persepolis to snatch a 2-1 victory against its archrival Esteqlal.

The Blues took the lead when skipper Farhad Majidi netted the opener on the quarter hour mark in front of 80,000 spectators at Tehran's Azadi Stadium on Wednesday.

'Over 200,000' dead in Haiti quake

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:54 AM PST

Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive says the death toll from the January 12 disastrous magnitude seven quake has exceeded 200,000.

"There are more than 200,000 people who have been clearly identified as people who are dead," he said, adding that another 300,000 are "in hospitals, in health centers and also in ambulatory care centers."

Nato readies for assault on Taliban

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:21 AM PST

Thousands of Nato and Afghan troops are gearing up to launch a massive offensive in southern Afghanistan - the largest the country has seen since the 2001 US-led invasion.

Announcement of the joint operation, meant to target Taliban strongholds in Helmand province, comes as Nato defence ministers gather in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

The Three Horsemen of An Evolutionary Apocalypse

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 02:10 AM PST

As a tentative evolutionist, I must acknowledge limitations for human progress due to certain unchanging characteristics of men. Contrary to the blank-slate theoreticians of the post-Enlightenment, man is not a fundamentally rational or good creature.

Evolutionists of the racialist stripe, however, sometimes indulge in their own wishful thinking, grasping at Nietzschean straws about "supermen" seeking their own evolutionary destiny. This is but the Enlightenment error with a naturalistic veneer. No creature, including man, is truly naturally rational in the sense of pursuing fitness directly, but rather relies on a set of signals that merely represent fitness. While these signals may have been more-or-less reliable in the original environment for which they were designed, they have become increasingly dysgenic in the contemporary world.

Obama vows tougher China stance

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 01:53 AM PST

Barack Obama, the US president, has said his administration will take a firmer stance with China on enforcing trade rules, ramping up the tone in a relationship that has shown signs of becoming increasingly strained.

His comments at a meeting on Wednesday with members of his Democratic party come amid tensions between the two countries over a recent arms sale to Taiwan an upcoming visit to the US by the Dalai Lama, and a row over alleged cyber attacks against internet search giant Google.

Malaysia trial closed to public

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:19 AM PST

A Malaysian court has ordered the sodomy trial of Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's opposition leader, to proceed behind closed doors as more lurid sex allegations were heard.

The Kuala Lumpur high court closed the second day of trial to the media and public on Thursday, a day after explicit details of the alleged act emerged from Anwar's accuser, Mohamad Saiful Azlan, 25.

Fresh clashes in Kashmir over protester's death

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:12 AM PST

Violent clashes have continued for a third day in Indian-administered Kashmir between Indian police and people over the death of a teenage protester.

On Sunday, Wamiq Farooq was hit in the head by a teargas shell as police dispersed a demonstration against Indian rule.

Pakistan rounds up blast suspects

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:09 AM PST

Pakistani authorities have arrested several suspects in connection with a bombing in the country's northwest that killed seven people, including children and three US soldiers.

Police said the nine suspects were being questioned on Thursday over what they say was a suicide car bombing, rather than a remotely-detonated roadside explosive.

Gunmen attack NATO oil tanker in Pakistan

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:49 PM PST

A NATO tanker carrying fuel for US-led international forces in war-torn Afghanistan has been targeted by gunmen in southwestern Pakistan.

The gunmen attacked the tanker near Luckpas area in Tehsil Matsung, killing the driver on the spot, a local official was quoted by the Press TV correspondent late on Wednesday.

HRW urges Colombia to curb criminal militia

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:39 PM PST

New militias have been developed to replace Colombia's notorious right-wing paramilitary groups and they are committing the same sorts of violence as their predecessors, a rights group warns.

More than 31,000 fighters have been demobilized from the paramilitary coalition known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, in recent years, but dozens of newly emerged successor groups have engaged in activities ranging from mass murder to extortion, according to a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Ukraine election rivals trade barbs

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:34 PM PST

Ukrainian presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko has accused her rival, Viktor Yanukovich, of preparing to rig the poll through last-minute changes to election rules.

Tymoshenko, the current prime minister, and Yanukovich, who took most votes in the first round, are set for a runoff election for the presidency on Sunday after a bitter campaign charactised by insults and accusations.

Yemen says it has killed 16 Houthis

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:28 PM PST

Yemen says its forces have killed 16 Houthis, including some of their leaders, during a crackdown on the fighters' stronghold in the northern province of Sa'ada.

The Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that Yemeni troops launched an offensive on Houthi positions in Sa'ada and seized farms allegedly used as hideouts by the fighters, Reuters reported.

Studios lose Australia piracy case

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:08 PM PST

A court in Australia has ruled that internet service providers cannot be held responsible for their users illegally downloading movies and TV programmes.

The landmark case had been brought by a consortium of more than 30 Hollywood and Australian film studios and TV producers, which had argued that internet provider iiNet had failed to halt illegal file sharing.

Hamas rejects Goldstone report accusations

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 10:15 PM PST

Hamas has rejected accusations leveled against the movement that it had committed "war crimes" during the last year Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip.

A UN Human Rights Council report that was compiled by a team led by the South African judge Richard Goldstone has accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes during the three week war in the region.

Report: Mehsud safe and sound

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 10:08 PM PST

Hakimullah Mehsud, the leader of pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan, may have survived a US drone strike conducted on mid January, a report says.

Another militant leader, Qari Hussain, might also be alive, a senior Pakistani official speaking on condition of anonymity told DawnNews on Wednesday.

US army helicopter crash in Germany leaves 3 dead

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 10:00 PM PST

A US army helicopter has crashed near the German city of Darmstadt, killing at least three people, a spokesman for the firefighters said.

The exact number of people in the helicopter and the cause of the crash were not immediately known.

Israel threatens to 'use force' against Iran

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:34 PM PST

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon says Israel might use force to prevent Iran from developing "nuclear weapons", a claim Iran vehemently rejects.

"Iran's plan will probably be stopped by a regime change or, if there is no other choice, by recourse to force to deprive Iran of its nuclear arms production capabilities," Yaalon told a security conference in Herzliya.

Tension amid Sri Lanka celebrations

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 08:32 PM PST

Mahinda Rajapaksa is addressing the nation for the first time since winning re-election as president, as Sri Lankans mark their first independence day since the end of 25 years of civil war.

Ahead of Thursday's celebrations, however, thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets of the capital Colombo to protest against the results of last week's presidential election, which they say was won unfairly.

Haitian prosecutors to rule over children case

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 08:25 PM PST

The Haitian prosecutors will decide whether to charge 10 US citizens, detained since they attempted to sneak a group of children out of the quake-hit country.

"I've carried out the preliminary investigations and have sent the case to the prosecution service," Judge Isai Pierre-Louise told AFP on Wednesday.

Pakistani found guilty of US attack

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 08:14 PM PST

Tina Foster, a spokeswoman for the Siddiqui family and the executive director of the International Justice Network, told Al Jazeera that there were "a lot of unfair rulings made by the judge and I think we can expect to see an appeal".

"Aafia walked into that courtroom already labelled a terrorist by prosecutors, despite the fact that she was not on trial for any terrorism related offence," Foster said.

US threatens Iran with 'severe sanctions'

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 08:13 PM PST

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Iran faces "severe sanctions" from the US and major world powers over its nuclear program.

Gates noted that US President Barack Obama's warning last week that Iran's statesmen would suffer "growing consequences" if they ignored international obligations meant tough sanctions were in the offing.

Iraq suspends election ban on 500 'ex-Baathists'

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 07:54 PM PST

An Iraqi appeal court has temporarily lift a ban on the participation in elections of a group of candidates with suspected ties to former Saddam Hussein's Baath party, allowing them to run for the country's upcoming vote.

Hamida al-Hussaini, an electoral commission official, announced on Wednesday that the appeal court suspended the ban on about 500 candidates and allow them to run for the March 7 parliamentary elections, AP reported.

Al-Qaida Attack Certain

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 07:45 PM PST

According to Obama's top intelligence officials, or should we say "prophets", al-qaida is poised to attack the U.S. again within the next six months. This prophecy is being used as a reason to change the rules on how terror suspects are detained and questioned. I wonder if this means they'll be kicking in doors in the middle of the night, snatching people from bed, never to be seen again? Are you thinking something like this will never happen here in the good ole U.S.A? You better think again.

Attack on Iran could backfire, Petraeus says

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 07:32 PM PST

Chief of US Central Command Gen. David Petraeus says any military action against Iran could backfire by increasing "nationalist tendencies" in the country.

"It's possible (a strike) could be used to play to nationalist tendencies," Reuters quoted Petraeus as saying on Wednesday.

Clinton urges release of Americans detained in Iran

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 07:09 PM PST

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called ay on Iran to "unilaterally release" three hikers and other Americans in Iranian custody.

"We believe they are being unjustly detained and should be released without further delay," Clinton told reporters on Wednesday, adding Iran "should unilaterally release" the Americans.

Saudi: No specific arrangements with Iran

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:38 PM PST

Saudi Arabia has declared that it will not make "special arrangements" with Iran in order to resume Iranians' pilgrimage to Mecca.

"The kingdom is focused and making the best efforts to ensure the highest security for pilgrims from all Islamic countries without exception," a spokesman of the Saudi Hajj Ministry told the state news agency SPA.

ICC undermining Darfur peace talks, says Sudan

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 06:24 PM PST

Sudan accuses the International Criminal Court of trying to affect peace talks with Darfur rebels, after it ordered a review on President Omar al-Bashir's genocide charge.

"If you look to the time of this process, it shows that the ICC wants to stop the political development in Sudan," Sudanese State Minister for Information Kamal Obeid was quoted by AFP as saying on Wednesday.

Court: Dutch govt. discriminating against Iranians

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 05:50 PM PST

A Dutch court has declared that a government decision to ban people of Iranian descent from studying nuclear technology in the Netherlands is discriminatory.

The ban, adopted in 2008 and rooted in a UN Security Council resolution issued on December 2006, "is in conflict with the [domestic] prohibition of discrimination", a district court in The Hague ruled on Wednesday.

Saudi Interior Ministry accused of torture

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 05:33 PM PST

A Saudi civil rights group has called on King Abdullah to launch an investigation into alleged abuses the Interior Ministry committed under the guise of "fighting terrorism."

In an open letter to the King, the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Activists accused the ministry of torturing prisoners, saying that the practice was now in use on a larger scale, Reuters reported.

Pakistan woman guilty of US attack

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 05:15 PM PST

The government of Pakistan made intense diplomatic and legal efforts on her behalf and will consult the family of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and the team of defence lawyers to determine the future course of action," it said.

Siddiqui grabbed a US warrant officer's rifle while she was detained for questioning in July 2008 in Afghanistan's Ghazni province and fired at FBI agents and military personnel as she was wrestled to the ground.

US court rules Pakistani woman guilty of attempted murder

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 04:21 PM PST

A Pakistani woman has been convicted of trying to kill US soldiers and FBI agents while she was being detained at a police station in Afghanistan. Prosecutors accuse Aafia Siddiqui of firing at her interrogators but her lawyers contend that no physical evidence was found in the room where the alleged shooting had taken place. Siddiqui faces at least 30 years imprisonment in a US jail. Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from New York. (04 Feb, 2010)

AIG bonuses legal, says US pay czar

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 04:15 PM PST

AIG is considering plans to pay its employees USD 100 million in bonuses using the bailout money it has received to keep afloat, with government officials saying the payments are legal.

The decision by the American International Group to pay special bonuses, similar to those paid a year earlier, has unleashed a political frenzy with critics arguing that the company should not use the taxpayers' money to pay big bonuses to its employees.

Israel not serious about peace, says Syria

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 04:11 PM PST

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Israel is not serious about achieving peace since all facts point out that Tel Aviv is pushing the region towards war.

"Israel is not serious in achieving peace and that everything shows it is working towards a war," SANA news agency quoted Assad as saying in a meeting with visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos in Damascus on Wednesday.

Iran urged to submit 'updated' nuclear swap proposal

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 04:07 PM PST

The West has urged Iran to submit a formal offer to the UN nuclear watchdog after the Iranian president said his government was ready to negotiate over a fuel swap deal.

Under a deal backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tehran would send most of its domestically-produced low enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for further enrichment.

China warns Obama against meeting with Dalai Lama

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:57 PM PST

China has once again warned US President Barak Obama that meeting with Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama would further harm bilateral ties.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu warned Obama on Wednesday that a meeting between him and the Dalai Lama would further erode ties between the two countries.

US names EU envoy for conventional armed forces

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:36 PM PST

Washington has appointed Victoria Nuland, a former US Ambassador to NATO, as its special envoy for the conventional armed forces in Europe.

The US State Department announced on Wednesday that Nuland, who had formerly served as the deputy national security advisor to former vice president Dick Cheney, would be the US special envoy dealing with conventional armed forces in Europe.

Ashton warns against hasty Iran sanctions

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:33 PM PST

EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton has called for prudence on further sanctions against Iran over the country's nuclear program.

In an interview with AFP, Ashton cautioned against any hasty European move to slap new sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Antidepressants improve stroke defects

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:24 PM PST

Besides various benefits recently announced for Lexapro, a new study finds the antidepressant to be effective in improving cognitive function when taken soon after a stroke.

According to the study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, taking Lexapro (escitalopram) in the first few months after a stroke speeds up the pace of recovering thinking, learning and memory skills.

Ground subsidence threatens Cube of Zoroaster

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:20 PM PST

Ground subsidence has endangered the Achaemenid Cube of Zoroaster located in Iran's southern province of Fars.

Experts say the escalating rate of ground subsidence might cause the ancient structure to collapse in the near future.

Turkey backs Iran nuclear program

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:18 PM PST

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Iran has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

"Turkey believes Iran has equal rights with all other countries to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," Davutoglu said at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki in Ankara on Wednesday.

Syria warns Israel against military offensive

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:50 PM PST

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has cautioned Israel against any act of adventurism and launching a war against his country, saying such a move would only endanger the regime's stability.

"Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities," Muallem told a media conference with his visiting Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos in Damascus on Wednesday.

France awards Iran's Bani-Etemad

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:41 PM PST

Veteran Iranian filmmaker Rakhshan Bani-Etemad has been awarded at the Rencontres Internationales du Cinema Heritage in France.

The 54-year-old female director received the event's Prix Henri Langlois for contributing to the international cinema and sharing her passion for films with the young generation, Tehran Times reported.

US refuses to ease sanctions against North Korea

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:18 PM PST

The US says easing sanctions against North Korea is out of the question until Pyongyang returns to the six-party talks on its nuclear disarmament.

US Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell rejected the North Korea's terms for resuming the nuclear disarmament talks.

Despite US pressure, China favors talks on Iran

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 02:10 PM PST

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Wednesday underlined the 'urgent' need for the continuation of talks over the Iranian nuclear issue.

"It is urgent to continue the negotiations, the dialogue," the Chinese minister told reporters after talks with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner.

Hamas: Netanyahu to blame for prisoner swap deadlock

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:57 PM PST

A leading member of the Hamas political bureau, Mahmoud al-Zahar, says negotiations between the movement and Israel over a prisoner swap involving Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of long-serving Palestinian prisoners have broken down.

In an interview with BBC's Hardtalk program on Tuesday, the prominent leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for the failure of talks on the exchange deal.

Nightmares continue to plague Gaza children

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:50 PM PST

Mona al-Samouni, 12, is depressed and has nightmares about the day -- just more than a year ago -- when she witnessed her parents and a number of relatives being shot by Israeli soldiers in their home in Zeitoun, southeast of Gaza City.

Like a number of other children who witnessed horrific events during last year's 23-day Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, Mona has become increasingly withdrawn and silent -- common ways of coping with tragedies, doctors say.

US finds Pakistani scientist guilty

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:44 PM PST

A US-trained Pakistani scientist has been convicted of attempted murder for shooting at her US interrogators while being detained in Afghanistan in 2008.

A New York court found Aafia Siddiqui guilty on Wednesday, three days after a 12-member jury deliberated her case and reaching a unanimous verdict.

Pro-Israel lobbies target Europe

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:36 PM PST

david cronin

Defenders of Israel's aggressive stance have for many years been recognized as a powerful force shaping United States foreign policy. A less well-known fact is that the pro-Israel lobby has been making a concerted effort to strengthen its presence in Europe.

The lobby's determination to make an impression on European Union (EU) policy-makers was exemplified by a new booklet published on 28 January.

Israel: Peace talks to resume soon

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:14 PM PST

The Israeli prime minister has said he expects peace talks with the Palestinians, which have been stalled for more than a year, to resume in the coming weeks.

"I have reasons to believe, realistically, that we will resume the peace process with the Palestinians, without prior conditions, in the coming weeks," Binyamin Netanyahu told a conference on security in Herzliya, northern Israel, on Wednesday.

Study says 40% of cancers preventable

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 01:02 PM PST

The risk of developing cancer could be reduced by 40 percent if full immunization and prevention measures are employed and combined with simple lifestyle changes, experts say.

Officials predict the number of global deaths from cancer will increase from 7.9 million in 2007 to 11.5 million in 2030, showing a 45 percent increase.

Mumbai slum dwellers turn rubbish into small fortunes

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 12:21 PM PST

India's financial capital is full of stark contrasts - for instance, Mumbai is home to one of Asia's largest slums, which sits right in the heart of prime real estate. Al Jazeera's Caeu Kauffman reports on how some slum dwellers are turning over small fortunes all from rubbish from their richer neighbours.

US soldiers die in Pakistan attack

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 12:17 PM PST

Three US soldiers have been killed in a bomb blast as they attended the re-opening ceremony for a girl's school destroyed in a previous attack. The soldiers, who were killed on Wednesday in the Lower Dir district in Pakistan's restive North West Frontier Province, are considered to be the first American fatalities in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions. They were also among 60 to 100 members of a Special Forces Operation team that trains Pakistan's paramilitary troops in counter-insurgency techniques. At least three children were also killed in the explosion claimed by the Taliban. Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnstone reports. Feb 3, 2010

Bombay priest combines tradition with modernity

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 12:10 PM PST

For years, Bombay has been India's aspirational city of advanced financial and technological services. It is the country's economic powerhouse and a place where young men and women from all over India have been coming to seek out their dreams. Like any metropolis, the pace of life is more hurried; time is money and money is important - but not everyone runs with the pulse of the city the same way. Al Jazeera's Casey Kauffman met Jeetendra, a 24-year-old priest whose life is a constant balancing act of tradition and modernity. Just like Bombay, Jeetendra is confronted by the same challenges that face the sprawling city, yet both have succeeded in taking the rough with the smooth with equanimity and turning adversity into an enriching experience.

Land sinking as Dead Sea shrinks

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:30 AM PST

The Dead Sea in Jordan is shrinking at an alarming rate - a development that has led to the creation of some 3000 sinkholes along the sea's coasts. The sea has shrunk by a third since the 1960s when its major water source - the River Jordan - was diverted for upstream projects in Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. But for many people, the projects have backfired and the farmers who work near the sea say the once verdant and fertile land has become increasingly barren. Al Jazeera's Nisreen el Shamayleh reports from the village of Ghor Al Haditha. [February 3, 2010]

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