Experts predict Israel will be first to go to war for control of the Litani River, then the Nile due to water shortages caused by climate change. And I agree.They've been stealing more than their share for years and getting away with it. Water will be the new oil of the 21st century. We were warned. A shame so many take this for granted.Experts predict Israel will be first to go to war for control of the Litani River,... more
Newsweek reports that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei will be the last Supreme Leader of the country, ever. Khamenei is only the second Supreme Leader the country has ever had, the first being Khomeini. His successor has proven to be less successful at being the most powerful voice in the country according to the clerical leadership.
From Newsweek:
"Khamenei's response to the massive election demonstrations this past summer reaffirmed a longstanding but secretive belief among a majority of Iran's religious teachers and scholars: supreme clerical rule, no matter who is at the helm, can lead only to despotism and should be abolished. There can be no absolute power because, as Khamenei showed, men are fallible. It's well enough understood outside Iran that those clerics have found common cause with the street demonstrators; what the rest of the world hasn't realized yet is that they also want Khamenei gone."
The Supreme Leader will hold the position until he dies at which point the decision to eliminate the title could be made. Whether or not the standing theocratic order will be around that long is an entirely different question. The street protests continue sporadically and Neda Agha Soltan continues to be a powerful global symbol of the Iranian regime's brutality (as we saw on the blog recently: Neda's boyfriend speaks after escaping Iran).
It is a story of love between divided peoples. While it isn't illegal for Jews and Arabs in the Middle East to marry, it is seen as taboo. But as RT's Paula Slier finds out, there are times when love can triumph over any kind of social barrier.It is a story of love between divided peoples. While it isn't illegal for Jews and... more
At least two Saudi soldiers have been killed in the latest fighting, and the conflict is further raising tensions in the region, with Iran warning Saudi Arabia not to interfere in Yemen's internal affairs.
"The news proves that the US government has been the accomplice and assistance in such suppressive measures."
The Iranian parliament also called on the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to intervene to stop the killing of Yemeni Muslims.
Hashem Ahelbarra reports from Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, where he's been gauging the fallout from this ongoing battle.At least two Saudi soldiers have been killed in the latest fighting, and the conflict... more
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's government announced bold new measures Friday aimed at reconciling with minority Kurds and ending an insurgency that has dragged on for 25 years, but there was no mention of the sweeping amnesty sought by Kurdish rebels.
Interior Minister Besir Atalay told Parliament the government wants to remove all restrictions on the use of the once-banned Kurdish language, create a committee to fight discrimination, restore Kurdish names of villages and establish an independent body to deal with complaints against security forces.
"It is an open-ended, dynamic process," Atalay said.
The rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, launched its fight for autonomy in 1984 and tens of thousands of people have died, with human rights abuses committed by both sides. Fighting has ebbed, but Turkey's civilian and military leaders have acknowledged that force alone cannot solve the problem. Making peace with its Kurdish opponents would also help Turkey in its struggling bid to join the European Union.
Some of the proposed measures would require legislative approval. The ruling party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a strong majority in parliament, and would likely pass the measures despite opponents who say the plan would ignore the sacrifices of slain soldiers and undermine the unity of the state.
"We aim to expand all our citizens' political rights and freedoms," Atalay said. "The democratic overture does not intend to harm our unitary state and national unity, but to strengthen it." http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h9VhSca_oZldvbO-XktR7l7Sa_PgD9BUMJKG0ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's government announced bold new measures Friday aimed at... more
Editors Note: This story is the result of a two-year CNN investigative report into peace talks held between the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and the Libyan Government which recently culminated in the LIFG, a militant jihadist group once close to Osama bin Laden, repudiating al Qaeda. "The Jihadi Code," a documentary on the breakthrough against al Qaeda in Libya, airs on November 15 at 1200 GMT.
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- From within Libya's most secure jail a new challenge to al Qaeda is emerging.
Leaders of one of the world's most effective jihadist organizations, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), have written a new "code" for jihad. The LIFG says it now views the armed struggle it waged against Col. Moammar Gadhafi's regime for two decades as illegal under Islamic law...
The new code, a 417-page religious document entitled "Corrective Studies" is the result of more than two years of intense and secret talks between the leaders of the LIFG and Libyan security officials.
The code's most direct challenge to al Qaeda is this: "Jihad has ethics and morals because it is for God. That means it is forbidden to kill women, children, elderly people, priests, messengers, traders and the like. Betrayal is prohibited and it is vital to keep promises and treat prisoners of war in a good way. Standing by those ethics is what distinguishes Muslims' jihad from the wars of other nations."
The code has been circulated among some of the most respected religious scholars in the Middle East and has been given widespread backing. It is being debated by politicians in the U.S. and studied by western intelligence agencies.
- Video: Into the prison in Tripoli -
Gallery: The new jihadi code In essence the new code for jihad is exactly what the West has been waiting for: a credible challenge from within jihadist ranks to al Qaeda's ideology.
While the code states that jihad is permissible if Muslim lands are invaded -- citing the cases of Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine -- the guidelines it sets down for when and how jihad should be fought, and its insistence that civilians should not be targeted are a clear rebuke to the goals and tactics of bin Laden's terrorist network... (continued - click link)Editors Note: This story is the result of a two-year CNN investigative report into... more
The UN's nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned.
The very existence of the technology, known as a "two-point implosion" device, is officially secret in both the US and Britain, but according to previously unpublished documentation in a dossier compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian scientists may have tested high-explosive components of the design. The development was today described by nuclear experts as "breathtaking" and has added urgency to the effort to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.
The sophisticated technology, once mastered, allows for the production of smaller and simpler warheads than older models. It reduces the diameter of a warhead and makes it easier to put a nuclear warhead on a missile.
Documentation referring to experiments testing a two-point detonation design are part of the evidence of nuclear weaponisation gathered by the IAEA and presented to Iran for its response.Looks like the US wasn't so wrong about Iran developing nuclear weapons...now multiple... more
War weapons are taken seriously and the MetalStorm 3GL grenade launcher proves this.
Built with one barrel that runs on long-life AA batteries, the MetalStorm 3GL fires 720 grenades in 60 seconds. It is an upgrade of the Milkor grenade launcher traditonally used on te battlefield.
It is likely that this will be used as US weaponry out in the Middle East.
Palestinian leaders are saying that the Obama administration’s backing of Israel’s refusal to halt Jewish settlement expansion has killed any hope of reviving peace negotiations soon.Palestinian leaders are saying that the Obama administration’s backing of Israel’s... more
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinians should give up seeking an independent state and pursue a single country in which they would enjoy equal rights with Israelis, the chief Palestinian negotiator in Mideast peace talks said Wednesday.
The remark by Saeb Erekat was not a novel idea — prominent Palestinians, including past negotiators, have floated it before, usually when efforts to achieve a negotiated solution to the decades old-conflict with Israel are faltering as they are now.
Barack Obama's push to restart the peace talks has faltered, largely due to disagreements over further construction of Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, lands the Palestinians want for their hoped-for state.
Some 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in settlements built by Israel since capturing the territories in 1967. Israel promised to halt all settlement activity in a 2003 peace plan, but construction has never stopped.
Israel has rebuffed calls from the Obama administration to freeze all settlement construction, instead offering to limit it in the West Bank while retaining the right to continue building in Jerusalem.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he will not resume negotiations until all settlement construction stops.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent much of this week seeking to clarify the American position.The Associated Press-By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinians... more
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Protesters clashed with police at a central Tehran square on Wednesday while government supporters nearby marked the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy capture with chants of "Death to America."
Scenes in the Iranian capital turned ugly yet again as riot police and pro-government Basij militia turned out in force to quash anti-government sentiment.
At least 2,000 opposition supporters, sternly warned by authorities to stay home, marched defiantly at Haft-e-Tir Square, witnesses said. Many held up their hands in a V sign. Others shouted "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," a slogan of protest. Police blocked all roads leading to the square, prompting massive traffic jams.
Witnesses described helmet-clad security personnel beating demonstrators with batons and firing tear gas at Haft-e-Tir Square and in a neighborhood a few kilometers north.
"I had never seen that many riot police and security personnel," a witness told CNN. "They were brought in by the busloads. As soon as crowds gathered somewhere, riot police were there within minutes."http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9BOQFOG0... more
Israel's navy has intercepted a ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of weapons 160km (100 miles) off its coast, the military says.
The cache included rockets and missiles, the military said, adding that they originated in Iran and were destined for Hezbollah militants.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the arms were "destined to strike Israel's cities".
The Antiguan-flagged vessel has been towed to the port of Ashdod.
In recent months Israel has stepped up efforts to combat the smuggling of arms to Hamas and Hezbollah militants.
'Numerous weapons'
The Israeli military said marines had boarded the ship after its captain agreed to the search and that no force was used.
The country's deputy defence minister, Matan Vilmai, said the ship's crew were not thought to have been aware of the smuggling operation.Israel's navy has intercepted a ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of weapons 160km (100... more
How is there going to be peace in the Middle East if a liberal minded representative of the most powerful country in the world is perceived leaning to one side, even the slightest.
To find peace you need to travel the middle road ... and be what you say.How is there going to be peace in the Middle East if a liberal minded representative... more
As you should heard Aghanistan is having an other election due to the blanket corruption and controversy surround the Aug 20th elections.
The challenger to President Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah say that the election officials must be replaced before the November 7th elections.
Also terrorist organizations have threaten violence against anyone who goes out to vote.
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Article in its entirety: from AP
KABUL (AP) -- President Hamid Karzai's challenger is calling for the removal of Afghanistan's top election official before the country's Nov. 7 runoff.
Abdullah Abdullah says election commission chairman Azizullah Lodin has "no credibility" and should be replaced immediately.
Abdullah made the demand in a news conference Monday during which he spelled out a list of what he said were "minimum conditions" for holding a fair second round of voting.
The Aug. 20 first round was marred by widespread fraud.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATEAs you should heard Aghanistan is having an other election due to the blanket... more
The power of lies, deceptions and disinformation as Americans pay the price of collective stupidity. The filters a news about Israel has to go through to get on the air. After it gets through the filters, it so watered down, it's almost unrecognizable. In America you can criticize God, but you cant criticize Israel.The power of lies, deceptions and disinformation as Americans pay the price of... more
KABUL (AP) -- Four American troops were killed and two injured Monday when two helicopters collided in southern Afghanistan.
Hostile fire has been ruled out in the crash, a military statement said. U.S. military spokesman Col. Wayne Shanks said he did not have other details yet about the cause of the collision.
Shanks said the injured had been evacuated to hospitals inside Afghanistan.
In an unrelated incident, another helicopter went down Monday during an operation by international forces against insurgents in western Afghanistan in which a dozen militants were killed.
The U.S. said military casualties were reported and a recovery operation is under way. Casualties could refer to either dead or injured.
This has been the deadliest year for international and U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban. Fighting spiked around the presidential vote in August, and 51 U.S. soldiers died that month - the deadliest for American forces in the eight-year war.
So far in October, more than 30 American troops have died.
The deaths come as U.S. officials debate whether to send tens of thousands more troops to the country and the Afghan government scrambles to organize a runoff election between President Hamid Karzai and his top challenger from an August vote that was sullied by massive ballot-rigging.
President Barack Obama's administration is hoping the runoff will produce a legitimate government. Another flawed election would cast doubt on the wisdom of sending more troops to support a weak government tainted by fraud.
Some Obama administration officials had said the U.S. would be receptive to a deal to avoid another disruptive election if Karzai and Abdullah agreed.
On Sunday, Karzai and his rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, both ruled out a power-sharing deal before the Nov. 7 runoff, saying the second round of balloting must be held as planned to bolster democracy in this war-ravaged country.KABUL (AP) -- Four American troops were killed and two injured Monday when two... more
Tunisia's president is likely to be elected a 5th time.. according to one person questioned "To say there is very, very, very little suspense about his re-election is a euphemism"
His last re-election was he worst poll numbers ever with more than 94 percent of votes.. a drop down from his 99.5% and 99.2% of his last two elctions....
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, 73, has been the president since a bloodless coup in the 80's called the change, their i no constitution limit on a presidents terms in tunasia however this will be his last term due to a constitutional age limit on presidential candidates, 75.
despite various human rights organization arguments many Tunisians see this as good thing. more than 5million of the countries 10 million are registered to vote... Ben Ali is spported bu basic every Union and his party Constitutional and Democratic Rally or RCD, which has been continuously in power since Tunisia's independence from France in 1956Tunisia's president is likely to be elected a 5th time.. according to one person... more
VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran ignored a U.N. deadline on Friday to respond to an international draft deal for it to cut an atomic stockpile the West fears could be used for weapons, and challenged the basis of the pact.
Iranian officials said they would give an answer only next week to the U.N.-drafted deal, which has been accepted by the other parties -- Russia, France and the United States.
They also said Tehran preferred to acquire enriched uranium abroad rather than send out its own for processing into fuel for nuclear medicine, as Western powers said it tentatively agreed to at Geneva talks on October 1 on ways to defuse growing confrontation over its disputed atomic aspirations.
....
The U.N. nuclear agency said it had been told by Iran that it was considering the proposal "in depth and in a favorable light," but needed until the middle of next week to take a position -- flouting the IAEA's Friday deadline for responses.
It said International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei hoped Iran's reply "will equally be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of cooperation" after seven years of standoff.
....
(more in full article - but really, who didn't see this coming? What do you guys think - is it imortant for them to abandon nuclear development of anything but power etc? And should other countries [ie not just Middle East] be disarming and disposing of the weapons as well? I think this world would be better off if no one had these blasted things.)VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran ignored a U.N. deadline on Friday to respond to an... more
Boomgen TV is a new news service that reports the news from inside Iran in English on daily basis. Here is the report no. 25.Boomgen TV is a new news service that reports the news from inside Iran in English on... more
The environmental health department developed several studies around the impact of war on the environment – such as the growing costs of landmines.
"Landmines have been planted in different parts of the world not only to secure borders but also to continue harming thousands of innocent people many years after," Aya Fayyad an AUB student and creator of the project said.
"They also have adverse economical, environmental and public health affects. Also, the tentative restoration of lands and water bodies contaminated with landmines keep increasing yearly environmental costs. In order to minimize this global problem, states should sign the treaty to ban landmines, to secure a world free of landmines and a healthier future."The environmental health department developed several studies around the impact of war... more
