At least four senior members of Hezbollah suffered serious financial losses as the result of embezzlement by the Lebanese Shi'ite businessman Salah Ezzedine, according to the London-based newspaper Asharq Al Awsat. Ezzedine, who has been dubbed "Hezbollah's Madoff," is suspected of embezzling more than one billion dollars.
The four were identified as Mohammad Raad, head of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese parliament, Hezbollah MPs Amin Shari and Hussein al-Hajj, and Wafiq Safa, head of the organization's coordinating committee.
According to assessments in the Arab media and the news agencies, Ezzedine succeeded in defrauding hundreds of investors out of sums totaling between $600 million and $1.3 billion. today Hezbollah, in the person of Hassan Nassrallah, issued a denial that any money was lost "Lies! All lies!" Continued on Page 47
Posted by: lord garth ||
09/08/2009 15:02 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief on Monday rejected Israeli and French suggestions that he has hidden information about Iran's atomic program as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ruled out talks on "undeniable" nuclear rights.
Mohamed ElBaradei delivered a rare public comment on the International Atomic Energy Agency's sensitive inspections work in response to allegations he has sat on "evidence" his critics say point to an Iranian drive to "weaponise" uranium enrichment
"I am dismayed by the allegations of some member states, which have been fed to the media, that information has been withheld from the board," ElBaradei told the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member board of governors at the start of a week-long meeting here.
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09/08/2009 00:00 ||
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Ahmadinejad declares end to debate over Iran's nuclear ambitions
Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent
In his first press conference since the disputed election President Ahmadinejad said the nuclear debate was over
Barack Obamas hopes of persuading Iran to renounce its nuclear ambitions appeared to have been dashed yesterday after the UN watchdog admitted that it had reached a stalemate with Tehran, and President Ahmadinejad declared the nuclear debate over.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's new cabinet prepared to hold its first meeting on Sunday as a leading reformist accused the government of a "fascist or totalitarian" approach and state TV reported the Islamic Republic was developing a weapons system to intercept incoming cruise missiles.
Three days after parliament approved most of Ahmadinejad's government ministers in a move that bolstered his position after nearly three months of political turmoil the reshuffled government was due to meet for the first time on Sunday evening in the northeastern city of Mashhad, site of Shiite Iran's holiest shrine.
In a sign that the opposition intended to keep up protests over the June election they say was rigged, former president Mohammad Khatami said: "We believe they destroyed in this election the biggest opportunity that had come about for the Islamic establishment and the country."
"We are opposed to the interpretation of religion by those who in the name of confronting Western liberalism want to drive people by force on to the path they regard as prosperous using a fascist or totalitarian approach," Khatami said in a meeting with university professors in Tehran, the ILNA news agency reported.
Khatami said the election had been an "opportunity to have the youth and people who were dissatisfied ... to return to the scene and make the right choice with hope in the establishment and the future."
Khatami, who was president in 1997-2005, backed opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the vote. The country's Revolutionary Guards have called for both of them to be put on trial.
Another leading reformist criticized the cancellation of an annual religious ceremony where Khatami had been due to speak and which could have become a rallying point for moderates.
Iranian media said the Sept 9-11 event was called off after the authorities put pressure on its hosts.
"The cancellation of the ceremonies at Imam Khomeini's shrine will hurt the prestige of the Islamic Republic," said Mohammad Salamati, head of the moderate Islamic Revolution Mujahideen Organisation party, ILNA reported.
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09/08/2009 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV Latest] The Leader of the Islamic Revolution says the Iranian nation proved the 'republican' nature of the country through their 85-percent turnout in the presidential election.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called for "the true understanding of the messages, which the presence of 40 million people in the [June 12 presidential] vote and the election of the president with 25 million votes, send."
"If the intellectuals and political elites in the country truly understand those messages, a lot of problems and deadlocks will be resolved," said the Leader in a Monday meeting with the members of the 9th and 10th Iranian government.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the 85 percent turnout of people in the election had "hammered the enemies of the revolution."
"The nation and the Islamic Revolution have proven their republican nature [through the election]."
"The comments of presidential hopefuls on their obedience to Islam, Revolution and [its late founder] Imam Khomeini's path show that the nation is leaning toward [those concepts], so they (the defeated candidates) attempt to portray themselves as followers of Imam [Khomeini] and the Revolution."
The leader also called on the new administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to "thoroughly observe the law", adding that any breach of law by the administration would lead to "the defiance of law" in the society.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the government should "pay attention to benevolent criticisms" leveled by its opponents.
"There is domestic criticism backed by foreign media with destructive intentions but there is also benevolent criticism which may not come from supporters of the government but they come with the best of intentions," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader urged President Ahmadinejad and his cabinet to pay attention to "the advices of religious authorities and religious scholars" in fulfillment of their duties.
"Prominent cleric figures in different parts of the country and religious schools are supporters of the Islamic establishment and they are aware of the government's efforts in serving the country. Therefore their advices are based on compassion and empathy and should be prized."
Ayatollah Khamenei also recommended the president and his cabinet to welcome the criticisms of university elites, saying the move will help the executive body to be further strengthened in the face of problems.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Iran Press TV Latest] The Leader of the Islamic Revolution says the Iranian nation proved the 'republican' nature of the country through their 85-percent turnout in the presidential election. 
