[Quqnoos] A list 15 of Afghan ministers deemed corrupt by the country's Attorney General has been presented to the Afghan parliament. Only fifteen?
The list, presented to the parliament on Wednesday, includes 11 former, 4 current ministers as well as six provincial governors. It includes, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, the Foreign Minister, Hanif Atmar, the Interior Minister, Jalil Shams, the Minister of Economy and Nematullah Shahrani, ex-minister of Islamic Affairs and a top advisor to President Karzai.
The deputy attorney general, Fazl Ahmad Faqiryaar, Thursday said the Foreign and Interior ministers' names had been included on the list because of a "sense of miscommunication".
The list was released on the final day of a three-day anti-corruption conference in Kabul, in which President Karzai said his government is serious about cracking down on corruption.
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Massouda Jalal and former Agriculture Minister, Sayed Hussain Anwari names are also on the list. The six governors named on the list include Balkh Governor, Atta Mohammad Noor and Ghazni Governor, Mohammad Usman Usmani.
Western pressure on Karzai to tackle corruption is intense. Last month Brown said he was "not prepared to put the lives of British men and women in harm's way for a government that does not stand up against corruption."
In his West Point Afghan strategy speech, Obama vowed there would be no more "blank cheques" to the Afghan government.
In his inaugural speech for the second term last month, Mr Karzai said his ministers must be "competent and just".
President Karzai is expected to unveil the list of his new cabinet in the next 48 hours.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Wouldn't the list of non-corrupt minister be more, ahem, compact?
[Al Arabiya Latest] A state-owned Cairo daily confirmed on Thursday that Egypt is building an underground barrier with Gaza and said it was a "sovereign right" that would increase pressure on the enclave's Hamas rulers.
"The barrier... is the same barrier that currently exists but with the addition of underground foundations," al-Gomhuria said in a front-page editorial. "Egypt, which protects its sovereignty, has the right to develop the barrier separating it and Gaza. It has a right to have a wall that is strong and not subject to collapse."
The editorial is the closest Egypt has so far come to officially confirming it is building the underground barrier to stem smuggling into Gaza through underground tunnels. Previously security sources had only confirmed witness reports anonymously.
Egypt's independent press has been highly critical of the government's move to tighten the existing blockade of Gaza's 1.5 million residents, who rely on the tunnels for everything from cars to cigarettes, as well as weapons.
But al-Gomhuria was unapologetic. "Some people have tried to portray Egypt as playing a part in the blockade of Palestinians by tightening the openings used for smuggling weapons... but smuggling weapons through Sinai is a direct attack on the sovereignty of Egypt," the paper said.
It blamed the Islamist Hamas movement -- which seized control of Gaza in 2007 -- for the worsening living conditions in the territory, saying it should have signed an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal with the secular Fatah faction of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"It is up to Hamas to agree on signing a reconciliation agreement which would guarantee a permanent opening of the borders including the Rafah border," between Egypt and Gaza, the paper said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
A nice trench, say 200m deep, from about a half-mile offshore to the Israeli border, would be more effective, and probably cost less.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2009 18:03 Comments ||
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A Houthi leader has slammed the United Nation for what he has described as the international body's lack of action aimed at ending the "siege on civilians in northern Yemen."
Yahya al-Houthi told Press TV on Thursday that the UN's approach to the war is as if the body did not exist at all.
Al-Houthi said the civilians in the warzone were in dire need of food aid as the US and Saudi forces were effectively responsible for shutting off the region from the outside world.
He also strongly criticized international media for their coverage of the war in Yemen.
Earlier, several people were reportedly killed in air raids in the region. The residence of the mayor of Sa'ada was damaged in the airstrikes. Houthi fighters say the US and Saudi Arabia are carrying out air raids in northern Yemen -- adding that they target only civilians.
This is while warnings from international aid agencies as well as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have failed to draw action from the world body.
UNICEF and UNHCR fear Yemeni civilians are bearing the brunt of the conflict in the country.
The warnings come amid reports that fighter jets from neighboring Saudi Arabia, which has launched cross-border ground attacks against Yemeni fighters, have targeted Yemen's northern areas with phosphorus bombs.
Yemen's Houthi fighters also accuse the United States of partaking in the relentless airstrikes, saying the air raids are claiming the lives of civilians in surrounding villages.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
The Houthis are losing, that's why they whine.
You have to be pretty desperate to need the UN to save you. There just isnt anyone lower than the UN in muscle and teeth. Appealing to the UN is a sure sign you are toast.
The Iranians are blowing money down a wazoo with the Houthi. NObody cares what happens to the Houthis. They have "sucker" written all over their bare to the breeze. Like the Palestinians...its pure USE ME.
When you are stupid you dont last long. The Houthis are stupid. In the middle of nowhere and no air cover and a sign painted on them. You know you are cooked when even the Saudis who hold each others hands and admire themselves in the shine off their greasy noses are kickin' your can.
#2
Iran is spending money on the Houthis, Hamas, Hizb'allah, Shiites in Iraq, and who knows where else, not to mention their pursuit of nuclear weapons... while at home the Green protests continue. And as I recall, at the current price of oil they lose money on every barrel they pump, although I may be wrong about that last.
#3
Think of what the Green movement in Iran could be doing had the Republican congress actually FUNDED the bill they passed in 2002 (?) to develop resources for the opposition in Iran and the Dems hadn't slashed what other funding we had when they took over Congress in 06.
A Dutch rapper has been convicted of threatening an anti-Islamic lawmaker in a song. The song by the rapper Mosheb refers to lawmaker Geert Wilders and includes the lyrics, "Geert, this is no joke/Last night I dreamt I hacked off your head."
Rotterdam District Court has sentenced Mosheb to do 80 hours of community service and handed him a two-month suspended prison sentence. In Friday's ruling the court rejected Mosheb's defense that he was entitled to freedom of expression as an artist.
Wilders faces a trial in January on charges of inciting hatred against Muslims. In the past he has called for the Quran to be banned and compared it to Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf."
#4
plenty of personal interest there Besoeker. lots of personal interest in stonewalling and stifling the investigation
Posted by: abu do you love ||
12/18/2009 17:30 Comments ||
Top||
#5
PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > INDIA CLAIMS: MUMBAI SUSPECT HEADLEY IS A US DOUBLE AGENT [for US DEA + LeT Terror Group]; + MUMBAI ATTACKER KASAB RETRACTS CONFESSION, CLAIMS MEETING US TERROR SUSPECT HEADLEY.
***cough***cough***...@ > D ***NGED DELICIOUS PHILADELPHIA cheesesteaks!
David Headley, the Pakistani American who is at the centre of an unravelling terror conspiracy, used sophisticated tactics of terrorist tradecraft like code language and "electronic dead drops" to disguise the true objective of his work, according to Stratfor that calls itself the world's leading online publisher of geopolitical intelligence.
For example, when referring to attack plans in phone and e-mail conversations, Headley and his alleged co-conspirators reportedly called them "investment plans" or "business plans". And when discussing the plot against Jyllands-Posten, the newspaper that published the Mohammed cartoons, Headley and his co-conspirators referred to it as the "Mickey Mouse Project", the "MMP" or "the Northern Project".
For the most sensitive communications and planning activities - Headley, who is charged with scouting targets for the Mumbai attacks, travelled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihad e-Islami (HUJI) in person, a very secure way to communicate.
Headley also used a common militant communication method of creating messages and then saving them in the drafts folder of a Web mail service rather than sending the message. A second person can simply log on and read the communication in the draft folder without an e-mail having been sent.
In addition to facilitating communication, these "electronic dead drops" can be used to save notes that a terrorist operative does not want to physically carry on his person for fear of being caught with them.
According to the Oct 11 criminal complaint, before leaving Pakistan for the US in December 2008, Headley used this process to save a list of taskings he had received for his surveillance work in Denmark. The items listed in the complaint demonstrate the depth of the surveillance work Headley was tasked with by his contacts in Pakistan, Stratfor said.
These responsibilities included determining the best way to get the attack team ("clients") into the country, finding them a place to stay, procuring weapons ("machinery") and conducting thorough surveillance of the newspaper and its surroundings.
The list, which was entitled "Mickey Mouse", included the following entries:
* Route Design (train bus air)
* Cross (cover authenticator)
* Trade? Immigration?
* Ad (Lost Luggage) (Business) (Entry)?
* King's Square (French Embassy)
* YMCA
* Car Trip + Train Option (Nufoozur Rehman) (Weekend?)
* Residence for clients
* Complete Area Coverage (P.S. e.t.c.)
* Countersurveillance (magic eye)
* NDC option; Lunch + coffee spots
* Security (armed?)
* Foreman residence
* Zoom; Entry and exit method in the house
* Feasible plan
* On return, procurement of machinery
* Uniform
* Mixed fruit Dish
* Cell phone and camera
* Border Crossing
* City Guide Map
* Alternate Investment
* Got Papers? (Clients)
* Make Visiting Cards
A sweeping Supreme Court decision that reopened corruption cases against thousands of politicians, including President Asif Ali Zardari, reverberated through the government Friday as important ministers were barred from leaving the country and ordered to appear before the courts in the coming weeks.
Among those immediately affected were the interior minister, Rehman Malik, who is considered particularly close to the United States, and the Defense Minister, Ahmed Mukhtar, raising concerns about how effectively the Zardari government, under pressure from a violent Islamic insurgency, could continue to function.
The two men were among 247 officials, also including Salman Farooqi, the chief of staff to Mr. Zardari, placed on what is known as an exit control list, barring them from leaving Pakistan, a measure Pakistan authorities often use to ensure those under criminal investigation do not abscond.
At least 52 politicians were called to appear before corruption courts, according to the National Accountability Bureau, the anticorruption unit that was ordered by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to act expeditiously in reopening the cases.
By the end of Friday, Mr. Farooqi had won an interim bail order from the Sindh High Court, a measure that would prevent him from being arrested, legal experts said.
Mr. Malik had also been ordered to appear before the Sindh High Court, according to a report on Express television. Attempts to reach a spokesman for Mr. Malik were unsuccessful.
President Zardari enjoys immunity under the Constitution from prosecution. He remained defiant Friday against calls from the main opposition party that he step down.
Moreover, he had no intention to ask cabinet ministers or colleagues facing corruption charges to quit either, a media adviser, Farahnaz Ispahani, said Friday. More
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan and Chinese ruling Communist Party have signed a memorandum of understanding which says that both parties will collaborate in the fields of justice, development, security and solidarity. Following a weeklong visit to China, the seven members JI delegation signed the memorandum in Beijing, says a message received from JI office.
JI secretary general Syed Munawar Hasan and Secretary Foreign Affairs of Communist Party of China, Lio Hong Sai, signed the memorandum. Both parties have agreed upon four principles including independence, equality, and mutual respect and not to interfere in the internal matters of each country.
The document praised the principled stance of China on Kashmir issue and reiterated that this stance and vital cooperation of China will continue. It also expressed gratitude to China's support to Pakistan at every world forum and both sides agreed that this valuable diplomatic and political support would continue.
The Memo expressed satisfaction over economic and developmental cooperation between the two countries and assured this journey for regional stability and prosperity will be carried on in future. Both sides assured full support to China's national and geographical unity, and fully backed China's stance on Taiwan, Tibet and Xin Jiang issues. JI Pakistan ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Liaqat Baloch, Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim, Sirajul Haq, Abdul Ghaffar Aziz and Asif Luqman Qazi were also present on the occasion.
Interesting.
This article starring:
ABDUL GHAFAR AZIZ
Jamaat-e-Islami
ASIF LUQMAN QAZI
Jamaat-e-Islami
LIAQAT BALOCH
Jamaat-e-Islami
PROF. MOHAMAD IBRAHIM
Jamaat-e-Islami
QAZI HUSEIN AHMED
Jamaat-e-Islami
SIRAJUL HAQ
Jamaat-e-Islami
SYED MUNAWAR HASAN
Jamaat-e-Islami
Posted by: john frum ||
12/18/2009 06:13 ||
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#5
Compare wid WMF > THREE-COUNTRY STRIKE:CHINA PLANS TO OPEN UP THE WAKKAN CORRIDOR FOR STRATEGIC MILITARY ATTACK; + CHINA IS STILL WEAK IN CENTRAL ASIA AGZ RUSSIA AND THE USA, AND MUST STRENGTHEN COOPERATION, vee ENERGY + GROWING ISLAMIC-SEPARATIST threat.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari faced fresh calls to step down Thursday after the Supreme Court struck down an amnesty that had protected the increasingly unpopular leader and several of his political allies from corruption charges.
The decision late Wednesday sharpened political tensions in the nuclear-armed nation just as the United States and its other Western allies want it to unite and fight against al-Qaida and Taliban militants based along the Afghan border.
The Supreme Court declared Wednesday that a 2007 National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) which contained the amnesty was unconstitutional and struck it down, paving the way for thousands of criminal cases to be revived.
Zardari is immune from prosecution while in office, but that immunity and his eligibility for president could now be challenged, as a number of graft cases were pending against him when the NRO was passed.
"We are suggesting President Zardari should resign on moral grounds. All the cabinet members must immediately tender their resignations," said Siddiqul Farooq, spokesman for the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N).
"President Asif Ali Zardari should resign on moral grounds and should not depend upon the crutches of the constitution," he added.
Only way to save presidency
Pakistan's constitution guarantees Zardari immunity, but also states that presidential candidates must be pious, honest and truthful and never have been convicted in a criminal case.
Although Zardari has spent years in jail over corruption charges, he alleges the charges were politically-motivated and questions hang over whether he was ever actually convicted of any crime.
The NRO was passed in October 2007 by then-president Pervez Musharraf, under pressure to hold elections and end about eight years of military rule.
It quashed charges against a number of politicians including Zardari and his wife and ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto -- who was assassinated two months later -- to allow them to stand for office.
Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) went on to win elections in 2008, restoring civilian rule, but the NRO expired at the end of last month and the PPP did not have enough support to renew the ordinance in parliament.
Other NRO beneficiaries include the interior and defense ministers.
Senior figures in the PML-N, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, have already called on Zardari to give up wide-reaching powers inherited from Musharraf to sack the prime minister and dissolve parliament.
Analysts say such a move may be the only way to save his struggling presidency as he faces rock-bottom public approval ratings and strained relations with the powerful military.
Any political fracas will likely unnerve Islamabad's Western allies, who want stability to allow Pakistan to focus on quashing Islamist extremism.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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The Pakistan Army will crackdown on the Sirajuddin Haqqani network after the completion of the South Waziristan operation, a private TV channel quoted US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen as saying on Thursday
In an interview with the channel, Mullen said Pakistan's operation against terrorists in Waziristan was in its final phase, adding that the security forces had gained considerable success against the Taliban.
To a question, Mullen said US President Barack Obama had directed his administration to work to build mutual trust between Pakistan and the US. He said Obama had discussed the new Pak-Afghan policy with the Pakistani leadership over telephone and addressed Islamabad's concerns over the issue.
Mullen said he had discussed Pakistan's concerns over its national sovereignty with the country's military and civilian leadership during his visit.
He said Washington respected Pakistan's sovereignty, however, the US had conveyed its reservations to Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani. Mullen said he had asked Kayani to fight Al Qaeda, which was hiding in the Tribal Areas.
This article starring:
SIRAJUDIN HAQQANI
Taliban
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Mañana, infidel.
Posted by: ed ||
12/18/2009 0:13 Comments ||
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[Asharq al-Aswat] The Pentagon has closed a security breach that allowed insurgents to hack into data feeds from pilotless "drone" aircraft that provide real-time video of war zones, a U.S. defense official said on Thursday. The comments followed a report in the Wall Street Journal that revealed Shi'ite fighters in Iraq used software that cost as little as $26 to intercept the video feeds, potentially allowing them to monitor U.S. military operations.
"It is an old issue that was addressed and fixed," the U.S. defense official said when asked about the article.
The article said U.S. military personnel in Iraq discovered the problem last year after apprehending a Shi'ite insurgent who had digital files of drone video feeds on his laptop. More files were found on other militants' laptops in July.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to discuss details of the article, or intelligence matters more broadly. But he defended the expanding use of drone aircraft in Iraq and Afghanistan, which provide "eyes in the sky" to track enemy movements and keep U.S. troops out of harm's way. "Every capability comes with its advantages, disadvantages, benefits as well as potential weaknesses," Whitman said. "As you develop those (technologies) you have to be mindful of how the enemy can counteract any technology that you have. That's why you always have a constant review process in place to not only improve that capability but address any vulnerabilities it may have."
Publicly traded companies that manufacture the pilotless drone aircraft and sensors include Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Word I have is that these were battalion and possibly brigade level tactical drones. Not the Preds, or other big (armed) guys.
#2
Passed as received from someone very familiar with the UAV programs:
Yeah, this has been a known weakness for years. It was accepted because fixing it is really hard, without severely limiting the usefulness of the aircraft. You want to protect the encryption devices, and thats hard when theyre in the hands of every platoon and SOF team, and on every aircraft (and these aircraft are lost every now and then). And you have to get everybody synced up and using the same keys. This is a warning sign to start working on it, though.
The suggestion in one of the articles that the signal could be hacked into is baloney, though. Theyre just receiving a broadcast signal, theres no duplex line. There is a command signal to the aircraft, but thats separate.
#3
It wouldn't take much to slow them down. Even a few hours or maybe days in some cases should be fine. Get some crappy old algorithm and throw that on. Change the key once a month even, who cares! Don't just give it to them, make them sweat. Use a PLA or something that you can change the programming for invisibly. These guys don't have the resources to reverse engineer that kind of stuff easily. Heck, you could even have it fry itself if it detected a crash or whatever. Airbags can detect a crash, use that tech. It's off-the-shelf. There is an easy solution out there somewhere. We don't need the ultimate solution here, just something to buy time until a good-enough one can be developed. Also, you might put up a secret ad on the internet for decoders for the new encryption scheme and see who bites. Mail them a gps transmitter that actually decodes some harmless stuff and see where they go. Then blow those places up.
[Iran Press TV Latest] The Palestinian Legislative Council speaker says the the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has no constitutional authority to extended the tenure of Mahmoud Abbas as acting chief of the Palestinian Authority.
"The PLO's central council violated all political norms when it took such a step and interfered in the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)," Aziz Dweik told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite news channel on Wednesday.
"The solution to discord over Abbas' term extension lies in one of these two things: either to task legal experts with in-depth study of the matter or to resolve it through a national reconciliation agreement," he added.
On Wednesday, officials from the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) decided Mahmoud Abbas would remain in office for the foreseeable future. The vote endorsed Abbas' earlier decision to call off the January 24 presidential and legislative elections due to the boycott of the vote in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas movement.
Parliament's mandate was extended too at the PLO meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Abbas says it is impossible to hold the elections due to Hamas' refusal to allow voting in the Gaza Strip.
The Central Council also endorsed Abbas' refusal to return to negotiations with Israel until the regime stops the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied lands.
"We will not go to negotiations until Israel fully halts settlement activities and agrees to a term of reference for such negotiations," said PLO Central Council member Tawfiq al-Tirawi.
Abbas' failure to mend fences with the rival Hamas movement has impaired his reputation among scores of Palestinians.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] The UN envoy to the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry told the UN Security Council on Thursday that a partial slowdown on the expansion of West Bank settlements falls short of Israel's obligations.
"Particularly as regards East Jerusalem, the policy falls considerably short of Israel's commitments under the Roadmap to freeze all settlement activity, including 'natural growth', and to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001," Serry said.
He noted that, "Under the terms of the announcement, construction already underway on over 3,000 units and on public buildings will continue -- as evidenced by the approval of a further 28 public buildings in settlements."
"The restraint does not apply to settlement activity in the Israeli-determined municipal boundaries of East Jerusalem," he continued. "In addition, on 13 December the cabinet granted additional budget allocations to some 110,000 settlers, many living in isolated settlements deep in the West Bank"
"We are in a race against time to overcome the contradictions on the ground and the crisis of confidence between the parties, and move decisively towards a political end game," Serry told the security council.
He also said that the Palestinian Authority needs to do more to honor its Road Map obligations, for example by improving security. He noted a late November incident in which the car of the deputy mayor of Nablus was attacked by gunmen.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
IMO, God created Arabs to train His People to deal with Europeans.
[Ma'an] Pacifist Islamist party Hizb Ut-Tahrir said on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) attempted to arrest one of its media officers in the West Bank city of Hebron.
The party said PA intelligence officers surrounded the house of Maher Al-Jabari and ordered him into the street on Wednesday night. Al-Jabari refused the order, they said in a statement. Yelling out the window, Al-Jabari demanded that the commanding officer introduce himself, the statement added. The officers cursed the party official and then left, threatening to return later.
Ma'an could not independently verify the report. PA officials made no immediate comment.
The main Palestinian Islamist faction, Hamas, has reported that the PA arrested hundreds of its members in the past two weeks in the lead up to the movement's anniversary celebration on Monday.
This article starring:
MAHER AL JABARI
Hizb Ut-Tahrir
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] Hamas labeled the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) decision to extend the term of President Mahmoud Abbas a coup in statements delivered after the decision was announced on Wednesday.
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Radwan told Ma'an that the PLO Central Council's decision was "illegitimate and a continued coup against constitutional law which stated the end of president Abbas' term was in January 2009."
Radwan said that the PLC "does not need anyone to extend its term -- it is the master of itself." The PLC's term, he claimed "Does not end except by electing a new Legislative Council."
"The right option is to go to ballot box after achieving Palestinian reconciliation," he said.
The PLO extended the terms of both Abbas and the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Legislative Council during a meeting in Ramallah on Wednesday.
Radwan said that the PLC "does not need anyone to extend its term -- it is the master of itself." The PLC's term, he claimed "Does not end except by electing a new Legislative Council." At the same time, he said Hamas is "keen" to sign a deal to reconcile with Abbas' Fatah movement based on a recent Egyptian proposal, after some amendments to the document, which Fatah signed without the amendments in October.
The decision to extend Abbas' term came after the Central Elections Commission said it would be unable to organize a vote in Gaza, where Hamas authorities will not allow it.
On Thursday, senior PLO official Yasser Abed Rabbo responded to Hamas' remarks. He said the Central Council's decision had been made according to the Basic Law and not "according to games of [Hamas PLC officail] Ahmad Bahar and the Shura Council in Gaza who invent to themselves a legislative council that issues laws and decisions in the name of legitimacy. "The last thing Hamas has the right to talk about is the law and the constitution because it knows that the outcome of the elections will reveal it lacks of the major part of support that it got in the last election because of its behavior and policies," he added in an interview on Palestine Radio.
He also dismissed Hamas' stated desire for elections, saying, "the timing of elections is what was stated in the Egyptian proposal ... Hamas does not does not want elections to be held either on June 28 or even next century."
This article starring:
AHMED BAHAR
Hamas
ISMAIL RADWAN
Hamas
YASER ABED RABO
PLO
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] Egypt's General Prosecutor Abul Majid Mahmoud decided to reopen a criminal investigation into the death of Yousef Abu Zuhri, the brother of a high-ranking Hamas official, sources said on Wednesday.
Hamas alleged that Abu Zuhri, who is the brother of movement spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, died under torture by the Egyptian security forces in October. Egypt denies the charge.
The case highlights the often strained relations between Hamas and Egypt, whose secular authoritarian government is supported by the United States.
Egyptian attorney Nasser Amin, who is representing Abu Zhuri's family, said the prosecutor immediately responded to his petition to reopen the case. In a statement, Amin repeated that Yousef Abu Zuhri died while being held in Burj Al-Arab prison in Alexandria.
Amin added that the appeal contained information about the circumstances of the death that contradict the official account given by the Egyptian security forces. He said he has amassed dozens of documents relating to the case, but said he would make them public so they would also be available to the Egyptian prosecution.
The attorney also said that while waiting for the results of a criminal investigation, he would also look into the possibility of a civil case. "Whatever was the cause of death, justice must be applied," the statement said.
Egyptian security forces arrested 38-year-old Yousef Abu Zuhri in an apartment in the border town of Al-Arish, alleging that he infiltrated Egypt through an underground tunnel from Gaza. He was later taken to Alexandria where he died in prison.
This article starring:
SAMI ABU ZUHRI
Hamas
YUSEF ABU ZUHRI
Hamas
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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Wearing a headscarf, the mother of one of three American hikers jailed in Iran appealed Friday in a new video to the Islamic Republic's supreme leader to release her daughter and her friends for the holidays. It's been almost five months since the three were taken captive in Iran for allegedly straying across the country's border and almost two months since their families have had any word on their condition.
"Sarah, Shane and Josh are good people," Nora Shourd of Oakland, Calif., said in the video posted on a Web site dedicated to freeing the three. "They meant no harm to the Islamic Republic of Iran and respect your ancient and noble civilization. If they entered Iran, it was an innocent mistake."
The families previously have pleaded for their release to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but Friday's video was the first public outreach to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is Iran's highest-ranking political and religious authority. "We're saying it's the holidays, please be compassionate and send them home," Shourd told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Sarah Shourd, 31, along with Shane Bauer, 27, and Josh Fattal, 27 - all graduates of the University of California at Berkeley - had been trekking in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region when they accidentally crossed the border, according to their relatives.
Iran's foreign minister said Monday the three would be tried in court, though their mothers have not been able to confirm a pending trial. The minister did not say when the trial would begin or even what the Americans were charged with, other than that they had "suspicious aims." Last month, Iran's chief prosecutor said they were accused of spying.
The U.S. has no diplomatic relationship with Iran, and so far their families have held off on hiring a lawyer for their children out of hope they will be freed without a trial.
Since their capture, the only word on their condition came after two prison visits by Swiss diplomats, who represent U.S. interests in Iran. The last prison visit was at the end of October, with the diplomats reporting the three appeared healthy. Family members say the Swiss have requested more visits but have been denied. "We're being stonewalled, and it's tough not to have any information," Nora Shourd said. "We can only fill in the blanks."
The hikers' mothers were on NBC's "Today" show Friday and said they were worried about their children. "They've been described as physically OK, our concern is psychological and the loneliness that they must be feeling," said Shane Bauer's mother, Cindy Hickey.
The families have asked to call the hikers, but have not been allowed to do so. "We're desperate for a phone call. We very, very much want it, which is not unusual to have a phone call between people who are detained and their parents," said Laura Fattal, whose son is Josh Fattal.
Hadi Ghaemi, the spokesman for the New York-based International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran who has spoken with the families, has urged them to hire a lawyer in Iran. "With a lawyer there's that possibility they could get some information," he said.
But Ghaemi was quick to add that the families are in a complex situation with few easy calls. "It's very difficult even for specialists like us, who do this work around the clock, to have a very good understanding of what is going on inside Iran," Ghaemi said. "I think they're doing their best, given the circumstances."
Al-Amara, Iraq - Iranian troops have claimed an oil well on the border of southern Iraq, a senior Iraqi military officer said Friday. Iranian troops on Thursday "occupied" the "Number 4" oil well in the Eastern Maysan oil field, located in the border district of al- Fakah, Brigadier-General Dhafir Nadhmi said in a statement Friday.
Nadhmi said that Iranian forces had taken control of the well, dug a trench around it, deployed armoured vehicles, and raised the Iranian flag over the well.
The officer's claims could not immediately be independently verified.
When, in June 2009, Iraq opened bidding on the rights to develop its oil fields to foreign companies, the government said it would create a state-run oil company to boost production from "neglected" Maysan province.
The largely marshy region, some 450 kilometres south of Baghdad, currently produces between 100,000 and 110,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), the government said in June, with the aim to boost production from the province to more than 300,000 bpd in five years.
NASIRIYAH, Iraq (AFP) Iranian forces took control of a southern Iraqi oil well on a disputed section of the border on Friday, US and Iraqi officials told AFP.
"There has been no violence related to this incident and we trust this will be resolved through peaceful diplomacy between the governments of Iraq and Iran,"
"The oil field is in disputed territory in between Iranian and Iraqi border forts," a US military spokesman told AFP at Contingency Operating Base Adder, just outside the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, adding that such incidents occur quite frequently. "An oil ministry delegation is to travel to the area on Saturday to assess the situation."
Well 4 lies in the Fauqa Field, part of a cluster of fields Iraq unsuccessfully put up for auction to oil majors in June. The field has estimated reserves of 1.55 million barrels.
The field is about 500 metres (yards) from an Iranian border fort and about 1 kilometre from an Iraqi border fort, US Colonel Peter Newell said, adding that it falls on the Iraqi side of a border agreed between the two countries.
There are five other similar fields that also fall into disputed territory, he said.
"What happens is, periodically, about every three or four months, the oil ministry guys from Iraq will go ... to fix something or do some maintenance. They'll paint it in Iraqi colours and throw an Iraqi flag up.
"They'll hang out there for a while, until they get tired, and as soon as they go away, the Iranians come down the hill and paint it Iranian colours and raise an Iranian flag. It happened about three months ago and it will probably happen again."
#5
IMO Iran's greater objective would be to test the Bammer's mettle vee Israel + AFPAK as Iran's + ME Oil, ee US-NATO control of same, is always a geopol concern for Russ + China.
Right now Radical Islam sees the whole of CENTRAL-EAST ASIA coming into its hands, EVEN WITH A LARGER US-NATO MILPRES IN AFPAK.
#6
"They'll hang out there for a while, until they get tired, and as soon as they go away, the Iranians come down the hill and paint it Iranian colours and raise an Iranian flag. It happened about three months ago and it will probably happen again."
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that 'a reasonable oil price' is a way for preserving environment and combating climate change.
Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Abdullah al-Badri on the sidelines of a UN sponsored climate change conference in Copenhagen on Thursday.
According to Press TV's reporter Giso Misha Ahmadi, the president added that there is a need for cooperation among all countries to tackle environment crisis in the world.
Ahmadinejad said that industrial countries buy "low-priced crude" from oil-rich countries and "add to air pollution and harm the environment" by increasing their consumption.
Ahmadinejad also called on OPEC to take measures to preserve the interests of its members.
Al-Badri, for his part, expressed hope that the oil bloc reach an appropriate decision during its December 22 meeting in Luanda, Angola over oil prices in the market.
Ahmadinejad is in the Danish capital to attend climate change conference.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Cause if there is one thing Ahmadinejad and the Iranians are, it's reasonable.
Ahmadinejad said that industrial countries buy "low-priced crude"
Thought so.
Posted by: ed ||
12/18/2009 0:17 Comments ||
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Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has described capitalism and materialism as root causes for the world's environment crisis. Addressing a UN sponsored climate change conference in Copenhagen, he said that the capitalism is based on interfering in nature and encouraging people to use natural resources more than they need.
"Profit-making approach to the world resources must be avoided," he said. Good. Start with Iranian oil.
Expressing Tehran's support for the Kyoto protocol, the Iranian president said world leaders should spend money on cutting greenhouse gas emissions instead of allocating massive military budgets to waging wars.
"Greenhouse gas emission has dealt a blow to the planet earth."
He also accused the US and its allies of preventing the use of advanced technologies by other nations.
Ahmadinejad called on nuclear armed courtiers to focus their efforts on expanding the peaceful use of nuclear energy, instead of stockpiling nuclear arms. The Iranian president noted that all nations must be able to use clean and renewable energy sources including nuclear power in a bid to fight climate change.
"All countries must gain access to new technologies to diversify their energy resources and be able to use clean and renewable energy such as wind, solar, sea tide, geothermal and nuclear energies," he said.
Ahmadinejad slammed Washington for thwarting Tehran's efforts to combat climate change by opposing its nuclear program.
"American leaders and their friends emphasize (Iran must only)continue to use fossil fuel," adding " They (US and its allies) resort to various coercive methods to hinder development of new technologies intended to promote the use of renewable and clean energy."
Ahmadinejad also called on major powers, particularly the US, to dedicate a part of their military budgets for fighting pollution in the world. He said Iran is ready to share the result of research and experiences on the use of clean energy with other countries.
He is scheduled to hold talks with some foreign leaders on the sidelines of the Copenhagen climate summit.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Yeah because if communism and socialism leading to entropy ... with entropy you don't need power.
#7
It seems politicians the world over must have some form of crisis with which to confound their countrymen. And we must not forget our most recent admonishment from Rahm Emanuel regarding crisis.
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari faced fresh calls to step down Thursday after the Supreme Court struck down an amnesty that had protected the increasingly unpopular leader and several of his political allies from corruption charges.
The Pakistan Army will crackdown on the 
Al-Amara, Iraq - Iranian troops have claimed an oil well on the border of southern Iraq, a senior Iraqi military officer said Friday. Iranian troops on Thursday "occupied" the "Number 4" oil well in the Eastern Maysan oil field, located in the border district of al- Fakah, Brigadier-General Dhafir Nadhmi said in a statement Friday.
