Stop Fundamentalism – Iranian news agencies reported this morning that a key Iranian nuclear expert and a deputy director of Natanz uranium enrichment facilities, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, 32, died today in Tehran following a bomb blast.
Iraq – At Least 60 Feared Dead After Baghdad Bomb Raid
Stop Fundamentalism – A series of bomb attacks on Thursday may have claimed the lives of at least 60 innocent civilians in Iraq following a raid this morning.
The explosions that have occurred in mostly Shiite populated areas in Baghdad would certainly help further the sectarian divide in the country.
Only a week past America’s official depart from Iraq, this war torn country stays ravaged by bomb attacks and governmental power struggles.
Falling Iranian Currency “Rial” Worries Parliament
Stop Fundamentalism –Iranian Parliamentarians expressed concern about the falling value of Rial, Iran’s Currency, yesterday and blamed the crisis on Ahmadinejad’s government. The members also criticized the Iranian parliament for inaction about the situation.
The Members of the Iranian Parliament called for a special session to discuss the matter urgently.
Iranian Rial for the past few weeks has taken a sharp nosedive and stays as low as half its value from two months ago. Observers consider the crisis as a result of international sanction against Iran’s effort to acquire nuclear weapons.
Iraqi PM Will Meet US Delegation on Conditions; Crisis Continue
Stop Fundamentalism – Iraqi authorities told the news media yesterday that a Delegation from United State including a number of Members of US Congress arrived in Baghdad to discuss the current political crisis in the country.
At the same time Adnan Al-Saraj, a government official close to Nouri al-Maliki told Asharq Alawsat Newspaper that the Prime Minister will only meet the delegation on the condition that it will not discuss the current crisis over Mr. Tariq Al-Hashimi, Iraq’s Vice-President.
Maliki also is asking the US not to make another visit to Iraq without advance notice and official agreement.
France Says Iran is Pursuing Nuclear Arms; Wants Sanctions
Stop Fundamentalism – France is taking a strong stance against Iranian government and is calling for tougher measures against the country as an answer to its ignorance of the international community’s demands to come clean about its nuclear development program.
Alain Juppe, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, told reporters that he is certain that “Iran is pursuing the development of nuclear arms.” He said that last IAEA report was “quite explicit on this point.”
Head of Parliament – Iraq’s Human Rights Violated
Stop Fundamentalism – Osama Al-Nujaifi, a leader of the Iraqia bloc and the Head of Parliament in Iraq expressed concerns in a statement yesterday that “human rights is violated widely in Iraq,” reported Aljazeera TV.
Iraqia bloc that has gone on a head-to-head crash path with the Nouri al-Maliki government since the American Troops pullout, has boycotted the government alleging Maliki to be trying to bring back dictatorial rule to Iraq by isolating dissident voices.
Iran Sets Cyber Crime Policy ahead of New Elections
Stop Fundamentalism – An official of Iran’s Judiciary announced new limitations on using cyber space and content publishing on the internet ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“Publishing criminal content is a crime,” said Abdol-Samad Khoramabadi to news reporters Sunday, referring to using the internet to expose the undemocratic nature of elections in Iran where only certain people approved by authorities get to participate.
Just last week a number of top officials speaking at Friday sermons held across the country said clearly that only those completely dedicated to the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, should be allowed to enter Majlis (Parliament).
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 .
