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Iran Delays Missile Test to talk to Europe on Nuke Program

Stop Fundamentalism – The Iranian regime has proposed a new round of talks with the west about its suspicious nuclear development program.

The Islamic Republic planed earlier to test its long-range shore-to-sea missiles amid ten-day naval war games to show its ability to control one of the most vital international waterways for oil trade, the Strait of Hormuz. But it suddenly announced it is postponing the test to a later date when Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili invited the five members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany to a new round of talks on it nuclear program in a letter to EU’s High Representative Catherine Ashton, today.  At the same time a European Union official announced that it is open to a new round of talks without any preconditions.

Count down to 2012, the Year of the Dragon

SF News – Organizers of the Hong Kong New Year Celebrations which will be broadcast worldwide via satellite invite their audiences to tune in to see the “flying Dragon Leap for a Prosperous 2012”. 

The Hong Kong New Year Countdown will last a whole 4 minutes ending with a “golden dragon” spiral up.  More than 400, 000 people are expected to show up for the event that cost nearly a million Dollars.

US to Sell F-15 Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia

Stop Fundamentalism – Saudi Arabia has accepted an offer to purchase 84 F-15 fighter jets from the United States.  The deal is aimed at improving Saudi’s military capabilities in the Middle East region, says an Obama administration official.

According to this contract 84 new fighter jets and also upgrades, munitions, spare parts, training, maintenance, and logistics will be provided for the 70 F-15 jets the Saudi Arabia already owns, will be delivered, Assistant Secretary Andrew Shapiro in a State Department Special Briefing .

Iran Takes a Tough Pose – US Can’t Tell Us What to do with Hormuz Strait

 

Stop Fundamentalism – An Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander told news media today that the Americans are not in a position or place to tell us whether or not we can close the Strait of Hormuz. 

“If our interests are threatened, we will reply with stronger threats and will not shy away from advancing our strategic aims,” said IRGC commander Hussein Salami today.

Kurdish villagers die in Turkish Military Air-Raid

Stop Fundamentalism – At least 30 villagers in the Kurdish border region of Turkey have died following an air-attack by Turkey’s military forces today, report AFP and Kurdish media.

The attack was on a village with Kurd population near the Iraqi border. The name of the village is Ortasu in the border region province of Sirnak.

Iranian Political Prisoner, Behrooz Javid-Tehrani Freed

Stop Fundamentalism – A prominent Iranian political prisoner, Behrooz Javid-Tehrani , who was arrested as a student activist for having contact with anti-regime groups has been released, says HRA News Agency, the Iranian dissident Human Rights Activists.

Javid-Tehrani was 19 years old when first he was arrested and overall has spent 11 years in different Iranian prisons for political reasons.

Iraq – Second Rocket Attack on Iranian Exile Camp Ashraf in 24 Hours

Stop Fundamentalism – Iranian Resistance sources reported Tuesday night that another round of rockets have been fired at Camp Ashraf in Iraq where 3400 Iranian exiled dissidents live away from Iranian regime’s rule.  This is the second time in the past 24 hours that the camp has been targeted by Katusha rockets.

The rockets landed inside the camp area at 8 pm local time, exactly the same as the reported attack time last night when the first attack occurred.

The rockets were fired from the southern side of the camp and landed near a residential compound housing the residents.  There are no reports of possible casualties yet.  The residents are searching the area at night time to gather evidence and assess damages.

International Sanctions at Work – Iranian Economy Choking

Stop Fundamentalism – The economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the international community to force this country abandon its suspicious nuclear program is beginning to show major signs of effect on the country’s economy.

Dollar has just taken another jump reaching 1510 Tomans in Iran’s internal market.  That is 45 Tomans rise in just a day.  In recent weeks Dollar’s value has almost doubled showing Iran’s economy to be completely out of control.

Surge of Brazilians Coming to America

SF News – The United States State Department says that the number of Brazilians who requested travel visa’s to the US rose 42 percent comparing to the year 2010.  The department processed a record number of 820,000 visa applications at its Mission to Brazil last year, says a statement posted on State Department’s website.

To deal with the surge the department has had to deploy temporary employees to US Embassy in Brasilia and to US Consulates in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Recife cities until permanent ones can be sent in. 

Rocket Attack Reported on Camp Ashraf in Iraq

Stop Fundamentalism – An Iranian dissident television station, Simay-e Azadi reported today that a number of rockets have hit the southern part of Camp Ashraf in Iraq.  The TV station that stopped its normal television programming to report on the development did not mention any casualties among residents.

The rockets landed close to residential compound, reported the TV station.

Camp Ashraf was the target of raid last April in which 36 unarmed residents were killed.  Since then the Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki has pressed the resident to leave the camp.  The residents have filed for asylum with the United Nations Refugee agency UNHCR.