Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Tehran to reopen Sa'ad Abad museum

Tehran to reopen Sa'ad Abad museum (plus 98 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Tehran to reopen Sa'ad Abad museum

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:03 PM PDT

The Sa'ad Abad Cultural and Historical Complex will reopen its Arts of the Nations Museum in the capital city of Tehran to mark the International Museum Day.

The Arts of the Nations Museum belonged to the wife of former Iranian monarch Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi's and houses objects purchased in or gifted by different countries.

Who Wants This American Dead?

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:00 PM PDT

In March 2001, Indonesian Intelligence Chief Arie Kumaat asked American James M. ("Mel") Rockefeller to assess the Taliban's destruction of the two ancient Buddhas of Bamyan carved into a sandstone cliff in central Afghanistan 140 miles northwest of Kabul.

Familiar with psychological operations (psy-ops) that involve lengthy pre-staging, Kumaat inquired of Rockefeller in Jakarta why that incident occurred at that time and place.

Unrest disrupts Greek, Thai tourism

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:38 PM PDT

The tourism industry has been hit hard in Thailand and Greece as the capitals of both countries descend further into violence after weeks of paralyzing riots.

According to the Seattle Times, Athens suffered nearly 20,000 hotel booking cancellations as dozens of countries were reported to have warned their citizens against traveling to Bangkok.

'Mourinho to replace Pellegrini at Real'

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:30 PM PDT

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is set to replace current manger Manuel Pellegrini with Inter Milan's Jose Mourinho, according to Spanish newspapers.

"Pellegrini is counting down the hours," Spanish daily El Pais claimed on Tuesday.

Vatican denies authority over bishops

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:33 PM PDT

The Vatican has insisted it is not responsible for clerical sex abuse cases in the United States because the bishops are not technically its employees.

The claim was made in response to court cases in the US state of Kentucky, in which bishops allegedly conspired to conceal sex abuse charges against pedophile priests.

UK flights still grounded

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:17 PM PDT

British airlines are outraged at a decision by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to impose more bans on UK flights because of the persistence of Iceland's volcanic ash cloud.

The companies are blaming the CAA for being "overly restrictive" and "not justified" in their regulations on the industry. The measures are currently affecting numerous airports in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Doncaster, Humberside and East Midlands.

Two PJAK terrorists killed in Iran

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:04 PM PDT

Two members of the terrorist Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) organization have been killed in clashes with security forces near Iran's western borders.

Acting commander of Iran's Border Guards Major-General Rahim Khorshidvand said the terrorists had been tracked down through the efforts of the Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Iran Majlis backs nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:31 PM PDT

The Iranian Parliament (Majlis) has issued a statement voicing its full support of an agreement between Iran and Turkey on nuclear fuel swap.

Iran on Monday agreed to send some 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of 20 percent uranium.

Chavez praises Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:07 PM PDT

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says trilateral nuclear meeting between Iran, Brazil and Turkey was a big blow to imperialism and hegemony.

Chavez made the remark in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday.

China welcomes Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:02 PM PDT

China welcomes a nuclear fuel declaration Iran released in talks with Brazil and Turkey, signaling that it may oppose a US-led drive to impose sanctions on Tehran.

The presidents of Iran and Brazil and the Turkish prime minister issued a landmark nuclear declaration in the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday.

Jalili reports to MPs on N-declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:35 PM PDT

Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council reports to the country's lawmakers about a new nuclear declaration on a fuel swap with the West.

Saeed Jalili on Tuesday attended the parliament (Majlis) session, where he gave a report and answered questions on the latest developments regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, including the recent declaration.

Syria, Kuwait discuss regional peace

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:33 PM PDT

The emir of Kuwait has wrapped up his two-day visit to Damascus, a move seen as a major step toward reconciliation between Syria and Egypt.

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, discussing ways to promote solidarity among nation to help tackle the challenged the Arab world is faced with.

NATO alarmed by Afghanistan losses

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:30 PM PDT

A top NATO commander has expressed concern over the rising number of foreign casualties in Afghanistan, amid an upsurge of attacks against the US-led forces.

The war in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of about 1,100 US troops and over 600 coalition soldiers since 2001, Admiral James Stavridis said.

Iran's Kiarostami brings house down

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:05 PM PDT

Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy receives kudos at a press screening a day before its red carpet premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The flick, set in Italy's Tuscany region, is about an English art writer, James (William Shimell), who arrives in Arezzo to promote the translated version of an art book that bears the movie's title. After a book reading, James meets an unnamed French single mother (Juliette Binoche), a local antique dealer, who has bought six copies of his book to give to friends. The work is a co-production of Iran, Italy and France.

UK plans £6bn cuts for health, defense

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:26 PM PDT

The UK Treasury will announce their plan to cut £6bn next Monday as part of gaining £12bn in savings, half of which will be reinvested in health, defense and overseas aid.

Treasury officials have been working on plans begun by Sir Peter Gershon and Dr. Martin Read before the elections. Half of the £12bn in savings gained from the austerity measures will be reinvested in health, defense and overseas aid, which will leave an overall £6bn in cuts.

8 Americans killed in Kabul blast

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:12 PM PDT

Eight Americans are reportedly among those killed in a car bomb attack against the US-founded Counterinsurgency Academy in the Afghan capital Kabul.

An Afghan army officer on the scene said 22 people, including eight Americans, were killed in the car bomb attack against a NATO convoy, according to a DPA report.

Shirdel awarded Italian Order of Merit

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:04 PM PDT

Renowned Iranian documentary maker Kamran Shirdel has been presented with the prestigious Italian Order of Merit for his contributions to art and culture.

Shirdel received the honor in a ceremony at the Italian embassy in Tehran. The Italian Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is awarded for contributions in the fields of literature, arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities, Iran's Students News Agency (ISNA) reported on Monday.

Mental disorders climb in US Army

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:55 PM PDT

New figures released by the Pentagon show a significant spike in the number of US soldiers diagnosed with and treated for serious mental disorders.

For the first time, more US soldiers are hospitalized for serious mental disorders from their military service than for injuries and battlefield wounds, according to new medical data released by the Pentagon.

Iran awaits West's reply to declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:49 PM PDT

Iran says the new nuclear declaration leaves no excuse for the other side to block the nuclear fuel swap as it seeks cooperation rather than confrontation.

Following the three-way talks between Iran, Turkey and Brazil, Tehran announced a nuclear declaration on Monday whereby Tehran would send some 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of higher enriched uranium.

China welcomes Iran-Turkey fuel plan

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:28 PM PDT

China welcomes a nuclear fuel declaration Iran issued after talks with Brazil and Turkey, signaling that it may oppose a US-led drive to impose sanctions on Tehran.

The presidents of Iran and Brazil and the Turkish prime minister issued a landmark nuclear declaration in the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday.

NATO to operate far beyond own borders

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:27 PM PDT

NATO has unveiled its operations blueprint for the next decade, calling for expansion of the alliance's operational mandate far beyond the borders of its 28 member states.

The "NATO 2020" proposal, which also raises concerns about "the threat" posed by Iran's ballistic missiles, was released Monday by a team of experts headed by former US Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

Chomsky enters West Bank 'on air'

Posted: 18 May 2010 03:23 PM PDT

Denied entry by Israel, renowned US intellectual and linguist Noam Chomsky will hold his scheduled lecture at Birzeit University by video conference.

The American democracy activist had been invited by Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa Barghouthi to lecture at the Palestinian Birzeit University on Monday.

12 killed in NW Pakistan blast

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:40 PM PDT

At least 12 people have been killed and 10 others have been injured in a bomb blast in Dera Ismail Khan City in northwest Pakistan.

Police officials told Press TV that a remote-controlled bomb planted on a bicycle went off near a police vehicle in the Kachi Payand Khan area in the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan on Tuesday, also killing a senior police officer.

Torture victim's injuries 'horrifying'

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:21 PM PDT

A top British general says he is "absolutely horrified" to see the number of injuries sustained by a civilian victim of torture in UK-run prisons in Iraq.

Gen. Sir John Reith, who is in charge of British operations in Iraq, said he was unaware of the harsh interrogation techniques that led to the death of a Basra hotel worker, Baha Mousa, in the custody of British soldiers in September 2003.

British Airways blocks strike by Unite

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:15 PM PDT

A High Court ruling in favor of British Airways has blocked the Unite union from a series of four planned five-day strikes on the grounds of a technicality.

Justice McCombe ruled that the union's planned strike was invalid under the 1992 Trade Union Act because Unite had failed to properly inform its members of the ballot result. Though the strike was slated to begin today, Unite has instructed its members to work as they normally would while they are appealing the court's ruling. The union has called BA's actions a "landmark attack" on their right to strike, as 81 percent of the union had voted to support industrial action.

British Airways blocks strike by Unite

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:15 PM PDT

A High Court ruling in favor of British Airways has blocked the Unite union from a series of four planned five-day strikes on the grounds of a technicality.

Justice McCombe ruled that the union's planned strike was invalid under the 1992 Trade Union Act because Unite had failed to properly inform its members of the ballot result. Though the strike was slated to begin today, Unite has instructed its members to work as they normally would while they are appealing the court's ruling. The union has called BA's actions a "landmark attack" on their right to strike, as 81 percent of the union had voted to support industrial action.

Obama to convene oil spill panel

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:05 PM PDT

US President Barack Obama is setting up a commission to probe the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as efforts to contain the massive slick continue to fail.

The presidential panel, which will be established by an executive order, is to examine oil industry practices and the government's role in the disaster.

Albania names library after Ferdowsi

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:57 PM PDT

A library named after the Iranian epic poet Ferdowsi has been inaugurated in Albania as part of worldwide ceremonies marking the millennial anniversary of Shahnameh.

The library, located in southern Albanian city of Berat, was launched on Sunday, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

Israeli troops reconstruct occupation

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:03 PM PDT

Israeli servicemen have replayed the occupation of a Palestinian city, more than 40 years after it was run-over by the Tel Aviv regime.

The Israeli soldiers rehearsed the town's capture on Monday with the codename, the Kfir Brigade, the Israeli-based website Ynetnews reported.

Israel rejects Qatar's pro-Gaza offer

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:59 PM PDT

Israel has reportedly rejected a proposal to resume diplomatic ties with Qatar in return for allowing the emirate to carry out reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

An article the Israeli English-language daily Haaretz published Tuesday on its website cited an unnamed official as saying the Qataris proposed the reopening of Israel's office in Doha and the renewal of severed bilateral ties.

Blast heard near Afghan parliament

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:43 PM PDT

A loud explosion heard earlier in the Afghan capital of Kabul is believed to have been created by a car bomb targeting a NATO convoy, sources say.

Fresh reports indicate that the Tuesday morning explosion occurred near a military base, killing over 20, according to Reuters.

NATO convoy attacked in Kabul

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:43 PM PDT

A loud explosion heard earlier in the Afghan capital of Kabul is believed to have been created by a car bomb targeting a NATO convoy, sources say.

Fresh reports indicate that the Tuesday morning explosion occurred near a military base, killing over 20, according to Reuters.

PA to press ban on settlement goods

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:28 PM PDT

The Palestinian Authority (PA) moves to raise awareness about its trade ban on goods produced by Israelis living in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The House to House campaign, due to be launched on Tuesday, involves 3,000 volunteers dispensing relevant leaflets to the Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency reported.

Sarkozy hails Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:17 PM PDT

The French president has welcomed a nuclear fuel swap agreement between Iran and Turkey, saying Paris is ready to discuss it with other members of the P5+1.

Iran on Monday agreed to send some 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of 20 percent uranium.

Greece gets 1st Eurozone rescue loans

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:11 PM PDT

Cash-strapped Greece has received the first shipment of the rescue package, amounting 14.5 billion euros (18 billion dollars), extended by the Eurozone countries.

"The money has been transferred," said a spokesman for the European Commission on Tuesday.

Iran national flies home from France

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:54 AM PDT

Iranian national Ali Vakili-Rad, who spent 16 years in prison in France, has left Paris and is expected to arrive in Tehran later on Tuesday.

According to IRIB, Vakili-Rad will arrive in the Iranian capital at 10:30 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

'Sanctions sabotage Iran declaration'

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:38 AM PDT

Turkey has warned the US and its European allies that talk of new sanctions can jeopardize Iran's nuclear declaration and lead to mistrust.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Tuesday that the declaration, which names Turkey as the site of a UN nuclear fuel swap proposal, was a breakthrough.

Processed meat, heart disease linked

Posted: 18 May 2010 11:31 AM PDT

While high red meat consumption had long been linked to various health concerns, a new study finds processed meat is responsible for the majority of heart events.

According to the study published in Circulation, each 50 grams daily servings of processed meat, such as sausages, is associated with a 42% higher chance of coronary heart disease and a 19% greater risk of diabetes.

US bars life sentences for juveniles

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:30 AM PDT

The US Supreme Court has ruled that teenagers who commit crimes in which no one is killed may not be given life sentences without the chance of parole.

The ruling issued on Monday says that life imprisonment without parole in such cases violates the US Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment, Reuters reported.

Jamaican PM says he won't resign

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:19 AM PDT

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has brushed off calls to step down over his efforts to protect a West Kingston community leader in his West Kingston constituency.

Golding acknowledged last week that he had authorized the campaign involving the Los Angeles-based lobbying firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips to persuade Washington to drop its extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke, the Associated Press reported.

Cell phones do not cause brain tumors

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:11 AM PDT

Despite the increasing concern about the possible link between mobile phones and brain cancer, World Health Organisation (WHO) officials find no such association.

Many of the previous studies had suggested a strong connection between the amount of cell phone talk time and developing brain tumor in the long run.

Freedom Flotilla sets sail for Gaza

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:10 AM PDT

The Freedom Flotilla of three cargo ships and five passenger ships plans to attempt to break the siege of Gaza, and the first ship has already set sail.

Tel Aviv has imposed a land, air, and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip since mid-June 2007, when the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas gained control of the territory.

India hails Iran's fight for right

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:06 AM PDT

Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna says his country wants a developed and prosperous Iran, lauding Tehran for standing up for its rights.

"India praises Iran for fighting for its interests," Krishna said in a meeting with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the Iranian capital Tehran on Tuesday.

Egypt plans to block Nile Basin deal

Posted: 18 May 2010 09:07 AM PDT

Egypt says it is angered by Ethiopia's inauguration of a new dam on the Nile River and will block the deal recently signed by four Nile Basin countries.

Egyptian officials met on Sunday in Cairo to intensify diplomatic efforts to delegitimize the deal for fair utilization of the Nile's water signed by Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda on May 14.

'Reiss worked for French spy agency'

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:56 AM PDT

French citizen Clotilde Reiss, who was arrested in Iran in 2009, worked for a French intelligence agency, a former French spy says.

The French teacher was arrested on charges of taking part in a Western plot against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Deadly bombing hits Afghan capital

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:44 AM PDT

A blast outside an army recruitment centre in the capital Kabul has killed at least six people, sources say.

Abdul Ghafar Sayedzada, the head of criminal investigations for the police in Kabul, told the Reuters news agency that Tuesday's explosion took place near the national parliament "but we have no more details".

Thai talks fail to get breakthrough

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:43 AM PDT

Violence has continued on the streets of the Thai capital after direct talks between the government and a protest leader failed to produce a ceasefire.

Al Jazeera's Aela Callan, reporting from the capital Bangkok, said gunshots and some explosions could still be heard as clashes between anti-government protesters and government forces continued on Tuesday, but things were quieter than the day before.

Fog hampers Afghan crash search

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:34 AM PDT

Dense fog is hampering the efforts of rescuers searching for the wreckage of an Afghan passenger jet that crashed with 44 people on board, officials say.

At least 70 rescue workers are searching on the ground but dense fog has continued to cover the area of the crash near the 12,700ft-high Salang Pass, a major route through the Hindu Kush mountains that connects Kabul, the capital, to the north.

Bolivian president meets the Pope

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:30 AM PDT

Bolivian President Evo Morales has met Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican.

Morales, who once called the Roman Catholic Church a political opponent, talked to the Pope about climate change and immigration on Monday, the BBC reported.

China tycoon jailed for graft

Posted: 18 May 2010 08:29 AM PDT

The founder of an electronics chain who was once China's richest man, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of offering bribes, insider trading and illegal business dealings.

A court in Beijing also fined Huang Guangyu 600 million yuan ($88m), and the authorities seized another 200 million yuan in assets, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.

Naxalites blamed for deadly attack

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:56 AM PDT

A passenger bus has been blown up in India, killing at least twenty people including civilians and police officers, a local police official reported.

On Monday, a government statement said it is believed that Maoist rebels were behind the attack.

Court stops BA cabin crew strike

Posted: 18 May 2010 07:34 AM PDT

Britain's high court has ruled that a planned strike by British Airways cabin crews is unlawful.

Monday's decision stopped the planned lengthy walkout just hours before it was due to begin.

Russia hails Tehran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:30 AM PDT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has welcomed the nuclear fuel declaration made by Iran, Turkey, and Brazil on Monday.

"What was done by our colleagues needs to be welcomed. This is the politics of a diplomatic solution to the Iran problem," AFP quoted Medvedev as saying to reporters in Kiev.

'Declaration addresses concerns of 5+1'

Posted: 18 May 2010 06:23 AM PDT

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim says all the main demands of the 5+1 group have been addressed in the nuclear fuel swap declaration made by Iran, Turkey, and Brazil on Monday.

"If the 5+1 group member states, especially the USA, the UK, France, and Germany, read the joint statement carefully, they will realize all their main demands have been addressed in it," IRNA quoted Amorim as saying in Tehran on Monday.

Haiti frees US 'child kidnap' woman

Posted: 18 May 2010 05:48 AM PDT

Laura Silsby, the leader of a group of 10 Americans detained while trying to take a group of 33 children out of Haiti without proper documents, has been released by a Haitian judge.

Initially charged with kidnapping children in the aftermath of Haiti's devastating earthquake in January, Silsby was ordered released on Monday by a Haitian judge after she was convicted on a lesser charge of illegal travel.

Leftists on Social Networking Sites Freak Out!

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:37 AM PDT

The progressive Obama uber-alles brigades on Digg and at sites like FreakOut Nation are starting to get nervous. They are surveiling Occidental Dissent and Majority Rights and they are terrified of a white backlash. They are even starting to espouse weird conspiracy theories that OD has gamed Digg and is kicking them off the front page:

US commission to probe oil spill

Posted: 18 May 2010 04:23 AM PDT

The US is to set up a presidential commission to investigate the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and study industry practices and the role of government oversight.

The panel will be established after Barack Obama, the US president, signs an executive order, and a formal announcement is expected later this week, an Obama administration official said.

Blast traps miners in Turkey

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:21 AM PDT

Thirty miners have been trapped more then 500 metres underground after an explosion in a state-run coal mine in northern Turkey.

Rescue workers were struggling to reach the miners on Monday after the blast, triggered by methane gas, ripped through the Karadon mine in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak.

Mottaki meets G15 attendees

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:20 AM PDT

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has held talks with Belarusian, Nigerian and Indian diplomats on the sidelines of the G15 summit in Tehran.

Mottaki on Monday discussed ways to expand Tehran-Minsk relations in his meeting with the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko.

Elena Kagan and the Decline of WASP America

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:14 AM PDT

Elena Kagan's impending confirmation on the Supreme Court has produced several comments on the decline of WASP America. Writing in the Wall Street Journal ("That Bright, Dying Star, the American WASP"), Robert Frank's article is an expression of Jewish triumphalism and contempt for WASPs. Discussing the New York banking elite, he points to the bad old days when "the strictly homogenous crowd of Protestant blue-bloods spent their mornings comparing golf scores and vacation homes." Among several causes for the decline of the WASPs, Frank mentions the decline of family connections and the rise of a meritocracy.

France releases Iranian national

Posted: 18 May 2010 02:08 AM PDT

The French government has released an Iranian national after he served 19 years of a life sentence on the charge of assassinating Shapour Bakhtiar.

Ali Vakili-Rad was arrested in 1994 in Switzerland and subsequently extradited to France where he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of killing Bakhtiar -- the last prime minster of the Pahlavi monarchy in Iran.

Somali officials resign amid tensions

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:54 AM PDT

Somalia's prime minister and speaker of parliament have handed over their resignation to the president amid a widening drift in the fragile government.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharma'arke and Parliament Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohammed Nur Madobe announced their decision in Mogadishu on Monday, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Key Oklahoma Bombing Witness Denied Access to Attorneys Fears for Life

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:36 AM PDT

David Hammer, the death row inmate who authored two books on the Oklahoma City bombing, was locked down by prison officials following his interview last week on the Alex Jones Show.

Margaret Roberts, a journalist who wrote the preface to Hammer's 2004 book Secrets Worth Dying For: Timothy James McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing, contacted Alex Jones today.

Leader calls for better ties with Africa

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:25 AM PDT

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has held separate meetings with two African heads of state, as the 14th summit of G15 closed in Tehran.

In meetings with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Algerian chief executive Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei hailed strong relations between Tehran and the two African nations.

Massive floods leave 6 dead in Europe

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:24 AM PDT

Six people have died and thousands have been forced to leave their homes in Europe after heavy rains hit central and southeastern part of the continent, causing massive floods.

People in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia saw their lives paralyzed on Monday when their neighborhoods were struck by heavy rains.

Israel Planning More Home Demolition, Evacuation In East Jerusalem

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:21 AM PDT

The Israeli government is planning to demolish and evacuate dozens of Palestinian homes and buildings in Silwan and Al Bustan neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem. The plans were presented to the Israeli government and its legal counselor in preparation to present them to the "Planning and Construction" Committee in Jerusalem.

Attorney Qais Nasser, stated that the first plan targets Al Bustan neighborhood as Israel is planning to turn it into a "green and archeological site". The neighborhood includes 88 Palestinian buildings that the Jerusalem Municipality issued demolition or evacuation orders against them.

Saudi officer in World Cup terror 'plot'

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:19 AM PDT

A high-ranking army officer from Saudi Arabia has been accused of planning an attack during the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa, an Iraqi official says.

Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim Atta said Monday Colonel Abdullah al-Qahtani participated in the planning of a terrorist act in South Africa.

How Should a White Female Evaluate Potential Rape Threats?

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:17 AM PDT

Obviously, if a woman is wary of being raped she'll assess a Man in his twenties as a greater potential threat than an old man or a little boy. Also, it is thought by many women that certain traits in the appearance of a Man, such as a scuzzy hairstyle and clothing, tends to correlate with an increased likelihood of him being a rapist. But what about the most obvious and unmistakable of appearance traits, whether a man is White or Black?

AL hails Iran nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:11 AM PDT

Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa has praised Iran's nuclear declaration as a positive step towards dispelling Western fears over its nuclear program.

Iran announced a nuclear declaration on Monday following trilateral talks with non-permanent UN Security Council members Turkey and Brazil -- under which Iran agrees to swap its low-enriched uranium for reactor fuel in Turkey.

How the Dreyfus Affair Explains Sarkozy's Burqa Ban

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:10 AM PDT

France is once again beset by the politics of the veil. After a 2004 ban on "all conspicuous" religious symbols in French state schools -- a measure that barred the wearing of crucifixes, Sikh turbans, and Jewish skullcaps but was clearly targeted at headscarf-wearing Muslims -- President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken it a step further.

Now he is pressing for a total ban on the public wearing of the full veil, or burqa, by Muslim women, framing the legislation in terms of national identity: "[The burqa] will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic," he said last year. The veil made women "prisoners behind netting" and "is not the idea the French republic has of women's dignity."

Stolen artworks recovered in Argentina

Posted: 18 May 2010 01:00 AM PDT

Argentine police have recovered a $4 million set of works by national and international artists, five months after they were stolen from a private collection.

Some 77 paintings were recovered along with original porcelain on Saturday, Reuters reported.

3D images peer inside beehives

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:57 AM PDT

An international team of scientists has developed a new technology to scan live honeybee colonies and peer into them without disturbing the insects.

Swiss Bee Research Centre entomologists and scientists at the University of Bath devised the Diagnostic Radioentomology (DR) technique, which allows researchers to take 3D images of what happens inside beehives.

Erekat: "Mitchell And Abbas To Meet Wednesday"

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:57 AM PDT

Dr. Saeb Erekat - fateh.ps

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, stated Monday that President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S Middle East Envoy, George Mitchell, will meet this coming Wednesday not Tuesday as previously declared, and intend hold talks on the issues of borders and security.

Dr. Erekat said that the talks would focus on borders and security in an attempt to advance those issues in order to set the boundaries of the two-state solution.

UN praises Iran for nuclear declaration

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:54 AM PDT

The UN has welcomed the announcement of a nuclear declaration by Iran while the US says there are still "serious concerns" over Tehran's nuclear program.

Martin Nesirky, spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon, described as "encouraging" Iran's announcement of a nuclear declaration but said Tehran must comply with Security Council resolutions.

Israeli Official: "Solidarity Ships Will Not Be Allowed To Reach Gaza"

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:52 AM PDT

freegaza.ps

Head of the European Division at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Noar Gilon, stated Monday that Israel will prevent solidarity ships, planned to reach the Gaza Strip this month, from reaching the coast of Gaza.

Gilon claimed that those who want to send aid to Gaza must coordinate the issue with the Israeli government.

Ballack ruled out of World Cup

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:47 AM PDT

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been forced out of the World Cup due to an ankle injury he suffered in Chelsea's FA Cup final match with Portsmouth.

The German Football Federation (DFB) said on Monday that Ballack's scan showed that he had partially torn a ligament in his right leg in the Saturday match.

The Rights Stuff

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:44 AM PDT

In mid-March, right after his tumultuous visit to Israel, Joe Biden enjoyed a much more tranquil day in Amman. While there, he met with leading activists and civil society groups. The next day, the government-affiliated Jordan Times printed a sneering attack on the U.S. vice president, accusing him of clumsily meddling in Jordan's domestic affairs by meeting "clandestinely" with hopelessly marginal organizations preoccupied with "amassing foreign funds without necessarily having any real message that resonates with the wider public."

An Awkward Celebration in Moscow

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:37 AM PDT

On Victory Day in Moscow, the city government closed off the main thoroughfares of the city and marched tanks and artillery through the streets. Nearly a million Russians packed in to see the old T-34s and the impossibly massive Iskander missiles trundle past. MiGs and helicopter gunships roared overhead. It was sunny, it was hot; people were happy, orderly. They waved Russian flags and cheered and whistled. The soldiers in the tanks waved back and blew kisses. One of them snapped pictures with his phone.

Italy may have found Caravaggio bones

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:33 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered the skeletal remains of a man in Porto Ercole, which they say might have belonged to the 16th-century Italian painter, Caravaggio.

Carbon dating showed that the remains belonged to a man between 37 and 45 years of age, the same period in which the artist died, and one set of bones was compatible with Caravaggio.

Israel rebuked for doubting Iran

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:27 AM PDT

The Brazilian government has rebuked Israel for hasty reaction to nuclear fuel swap agreement between Iran, Turkey and the Latin American country.

"Israel has the right to say what it wants, but it is the first time that Iran has agreed to send its nuclear fuel to a third country," an adviser to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was quoted by AFP as saying.

India tests nuclear-capable missile

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:14 AM PDT

India says its armed forces have successfully test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The army launched the surface-to-surface Agni II missile off an island in Orissa state in eastern India, The Hindu reported.

Turkey: No need for Iran sanctions

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:09 AM PDT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there is no need for UN Security Council sanctions against Iran, given that a nuclear declaration has been announced.

"My expectation is that after this declaration there will not be a need for sanctions," Erdogan was quoted by Reuters as saying on Monday.

Lula's Tehran Misadventure

Posted: 18 May 2010 12:08 AM PDT

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva heads to Tehran this week, a sort of victory lap for what he hopes will be a monumental piece of foreign policy: bringing Iran's leadership to the nuclear negotiating table. Last week, Tehran agreed "in principle" to Brazil and Turkey's offer to facilitate talks on an agreement proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last October. Should that initiative succeed, it will surely be remembered as Lula's crowning achievement.

Canada unveils largest whale skeleton

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:57 PM PDT

The University of British Columbia has opened the Beaty Biodiversity Centre, which gathers chief investigators and unveils Canada's largest blue whale skeleton.

The centre is composed of a Biodiversity Research Centre and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, which houses over two million specimens, and is due to open this fall.

US trio's moms to depart for Iran

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:45 PM PDT

The mothers of the three Americans detained for illegally crossing the Iranian border last year are to travel to Tehran on Tuesday to meet their children.

"It's going forward as scheduled. They are leaving tomorrow," said Samantha Topping, spokeswoman for Cindy Hickey, Nora Shourd and Laura Fattal, the mothers of the detained Americans.

Iraq court backs banned 'Baathists'

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:39 PM PDT

An Iraqi appeals court has reinstated nine winning candidates from the March 7 parliamentary election who had been disqualified for alleged links to the Baath party.

Eight of the nine candidates were from the Iraqiya coalition of former prime minister Iyad Allawi, which won the highest number of seats in the election.

Somali cabinet set for shake-up

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:32 PM PDT

Sharif Ahmed, the Somali president, has said he will appoint a new prime minister in an attempt to resolve a bitter power struggle between the current premier and the speaker of parliament.

On Sunday, Sheikh Aden Madobe, the speaker, said that parliament had passed a vote of no confidence in the government, but this was disputed by some members and Modobe resigned on Monday.

BP soaks only one-fifth of gushing crude

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:27 PM PDT

The method employed by the British Petroleum (BP) to stem the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, only captures one-fifth of the oil gushing out from its damaged well.

Earlier on Monday, BP officials announced that they have put a mile-long suctioning tube into the leaking well to gather the spewing oil.

Filipino governor dies in chopper crash

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:27 PM PDT

A helicopter carrying a local Filipino governor and his staff members has crashed into houses, killing all four people aboard and a girl on the ground.

Quezon Governor Rafael Nantes was returning to Manila from his hometown on Monday when the chopper crashed in Lucena city southeast of the capital, shortly after take off, provincial police Chief Ericson Velasquez said.

A force more powerful

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:02 PM PDT

Later this month, ships from all over the world will converge in the Mediterranean and set sail for the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip. This international coalition is called the Freedom Flotilla.

The Free Gaza Movement has sailed eight missions to Gaza in the past three years, five of them successful. The last three were violently stopped by the Israeli Navy; the boat Dignity was rammed three times and the Spirit of Humanity turned back in January 2009, then seized and all aboard arrested.

NATO death toll hits 200 in Afghanistan

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:51 PM PDT

At least 200 NATO soldiers have died in Afghanistan since the start of 2010 as the Taliban escalate their attacks against the US-led forces in the country.

The figures are based on the independent icasualties website that tracks NATO military deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Israel warns against Gaza flotilla

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:38 PM PDT

A senior Israeli official has warned activists planning to break a naval blockade of Gaza later this month that their flotilla of cargo ships and passenger boats will be stopped.

Naor Gilon, a deputy director general at the foreign ministry, said on Monday that the action would be a "provocation and breach of Israeli law".

Miss USA Contestant Supports Arizona Illegal Immigration Law

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:35 PM PDT

During the Miss USA 2010 competition last night, judge Oscar Nunez asked first runner up Miss Oklahoma USA, Morgan Elizabeth Woolard, if she supports Arizona immigration bill SB 1070.

"I'm a huge believer in states' rights. I think that's what's so wonderful about America," Woolard said. "So I think it's perfectly fine for Arizona to create that law." She also added that she is against racial profiling.

US admiral welcomes Iran swap deal

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:32 PM PDT

A top US military official has welcomed Iran's nuclear swap deal with Turkey but said there was still a long way before an end to Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West.

US Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, told reporters in Washington that the deal was a "potentially good development" and "an example of what we all hope for, which is a diplomatic system that encourages good behavior" from Iran.

US admiral welcomes Iran 'nuclear swap'

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:32 PM PDT

A top US military official has welcomed Iran's nuclear swap deal with Turkey but said there was still a long way before an end to Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West.

US Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, told reporters in Washington that the deal was a "potentially good development" and "an example of what we all hope for, which is a diplomatic system that encourages good behavior" from Iran.

32 miners trapped in Turkey mine

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:18 PM PDT

A mine explosion in northern Turkey has trapped at least 32 workers underground, marking the third mine blast in the past six months in the country.

The incident occurred at Karadon mine in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak on Monday. There has been no official word on the cause of the explosion.

German synagogue damaged in fire

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:02 PM PDT

Unidentified arsonists have tried to set ablaze an old Synagogue in a German town, but the attack has left little damage in the historic site, police say.

The attack took place in the western city of Worms on Monday after vandals used a flammable liquid to torch the 11th-century building.

Katrina Van Den Heuvel's racist anti-white rhyme

Posted: 17 May 2010 09:57 PM PDT

Katrina V.D. Heuvel, Communist-American Princess, calls the GOP male, pale and stale.

I have a rhyme for Ms. Heuvel. Writers at "The Nation" are shrewish . . . and, um. Well, I forgot the rest of the rhyme, but maybe you can fill it in for me.

G15 summit concludes in Tehran

Posted: 17 May 2010 09:43 PM PDT

A summit of the Group of 15 developing countries has ended in Tehran with Iran handing the group's rotating presidency to Sri Lanka.

The summit ended with a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

You are subscribed to email updates from Rebel Newsflash To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)