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Japan revises down its growth rate as the economy slows down more than the government initially estimated for the third quarter of 2013. Tokyo had initially predicted a 0.5 percent growth for the three months to September, but now it has revised it down to 0.3. This as, in the previous quarter, the east Asian country had seen a 0.9 percent growth. Many say the downward revision is mostly due to a downturn in corporate capital spending. Japan is the world\'s third largest economy.

Friends, let this not come as a surprise to you. This is the reality we are living in where it is ‘estimated that one billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. That’s roughly 100 times as many as those who actually die from these causes each year. About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger related causes… Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.’ --HOW YOU CAN HELP -- Don’t waste natural resources. Be thankful to God for His gifts and blessings. Be mindful of your responsibility toward other human beings. Think about what the Prophet (saws) would do. Have mercy and compassion toward all humankind. Next time you spend money on those unnecessary luxuries of your life, think for a moment about the plight of the poor and oppressed around the world. Be aware of the materialistic forces and the contradictions of the dominant economic systems that are at the roots of global inequality. Don’t become a part of this system. Don’t become a slave of consumerism and endless materialistic competition. Understand that it is not enough to just keep yourself from engaging in consumerism. It's not always easy to protect yourself and your family against the multi-billion dollar industry of marketing. Join forces with other like-minded people. Strengthen your communities that can serve as a buffer against corporations. Engage in collective action. Transform people's consciousness and hyper-consumeristic lifestyles. Among other things, join a local organization that is working against subtle forms of oppression, like hunger, poverty, illiteracy, domestic violence, anorexia and bulimia, perfect body images, and endless materialistic competition. If there isn’t any, start one today! For ideas, you can look into doing online activism. Check out moveon.org’s work. Some online organizations also invite web surfers to click on their sites regularly. They say every click earns them revenue to support their causes. The Hunger Site is an example. Some may also invite you to buy their T-shirts and other souvenirs. I guess, you can buy these items if you think they can help spread the word and encourage people to join a good cause. But, in general, more shopping and more consumption cannot be a solution to human suffering. Selling consumers to products through clicks or ads is exactly what we need to shun. Because that feeds into the same loop of consumerism. My suggestion: Donate directly! And, encourage others to do the same! Lastly, remember the advice Imam Ali gave in his Last Will: “My advice to you is to be conscious of Allah and steadfast in your religion. Do not yearn for the world, and do not be seduced by it. Do not resent anything you have missed in it. Proclaim the truth; work for the next world. Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed.” Become a friend and supporter of oppressed people and an enemy of oppressors and all forms of oppression."

The Palestinian Exile - also known as Al Nakba - Arabic for - The Catastrophe- -refers to the ethnic cleansing of native Palestinian peoples all during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. From December 1947 until November 1948 Zionist forces - namely the Irgun - Lehi - Haganah terrorist gangs - expelled approximately 750 000 indigenous Palestinians --almost two third of the population--from their homes. Hundreds of Palestinians were also murdered for refusing to leave their homes. The most notable massacre is the Deir Yassin Massacre in which an estimated 120 Palestinian civilians were brutally murdered by an Irgun-Lehi force. Other massacres include the ones at Sahila - 70-80 killed - Lod - 250 killed- and Abu Shusha - 70 killed -. About 40 other massacres were carried out by Zionist forces in just the summer of 1948. Not only did Zionist forces conduct massacres of Palestinian civilians - rape occured as well. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris - In Acre four soldiers raped a girl and murdered her and her father. In Jaffa soldiers of the Kiryati Brigade raped one girl and tried to rape several more. At Hunin which is in the Galilee two girls were raped and then murdered. There were one or two cases of rape at Tantura south of Haifa. There was one case of rape at Qula in the center of the country. At the village of Abu Shusha near Kibbutz Gezer - in the Ramle area - there were four female prisoners - one of whom was raped a number of times. And there were other cases. Usually more than one soldier was involved. Usually there were one or two Palestinian girls. In a large proportion of the cases the event ended with murder. Because neither the victims nor the rapists liked to report these events- we have to assume that the dozen cases of rape that were reported- which I found are not the whole story. They are just the tip of the iceberg.- during Al Nakba - Palestinians were murdered raped and ethnically cleansed from their villages. According to Israeli historian Ilan Pappe - In a matter of seven months 531 villages were destroyed and 11 urban neighborhoods emptied.- Palestinians were forced into were forced out of Palestine and into neighboring countries - i.e. Lebanon Syria and Jordan - where they lived in refugee camps. Many were also sent to camps in West Bank and Gaza Strip. Most Palestinian towns were demolished and taken by the newly established Israeli government to make room for new Jewish immigrants. Old Palestinian infrastructures as well as many ruins dating back from the Canaanites Romans Greeks Crusaders Arabs and Ottoman Turks were completely destroyed. This signified the end of historical Palestine and the birth of modern-day Israel. Al Nakba marked the beginning of the Palestinian refugee crisis. Al Nakba destroyed a thriving and diverse Palestinian society and scattered them into diaspora. According to the UNRWA - the number of registered Palestinian refugees today is approximately 4.5 million. These refugees are dispersed throughout the world - many of which are still living in poverty-stricken refugee camps. Today the situation keeps worsening and thousands die from malnutrition - contaminated water - or scarce medical supply. Israel has since refused to allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and has refused to pay them compensation as required by UN Resolution 194 which was passed on December 11 1948. Historically the Israeli government Israeli schools and Israeli historians have denied that Al Nakba has occured. However The New Historians - a loosely-defined group of Israeli historians - have recently published information recognizing the Al Nakba tragedy and controversial views of matters concerning Israel - particularly events concerning its birth in 1948. Much of their material comes from recently declassified Israeli government papers. Leading scholars in this school include Benny Morris - Ilan Pappe - Avi Shlaim - and Tom Segev. Many of their conclusions have been attacked by other scholars and Israeli historians - who continue deny Al Nakba even occured.

Latest News: 15th May 2008 Saudi-Israeli plot against Hezbollah Thu, 15 May 2008 16:36:28 Prince Bandar bin Sultan (L), Ehud Olmert Former Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Bandar bin Sultan asks Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert to move against Hezbollah. Saudi's Prince Bandar bin Sultan has formally requested Olmert to move the Zionist regime's military forces in the north of the Occupied Lands on the border with Lebanon as a threat against Hezbollah if the latter did not stop attacking government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Filkka - Israel website revealed Wednesday. Bandar bin Sultan arrived in the Occupied Territories in his private plane directly from Jeddah airport to Lod Airport in Tel Aviv. Bin Sultan asked Olmert to do what is necessary to support PM Siniora, offering to bear all the financial costs of any Israeli war against Hezbollah. Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert who is under investigation in a bribe case, said that he could not do so now, assuring his guest that he could not wage a war on behalf of Saudi Arabia, but he will discuss the issue with the Israeli officials in order to carry out military maneuvers in the south of Lebanon. Old News UK bribery disgrace in trade with Saudi Arabia: Former Saudi Ambassador to the US, Prince Bandar bin Sultan received hundreds of millions of pounds in secret payments from Britain's top defence manufacturer with the knowledge of Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, according to the BBC. The payments made by BAE Systems were actually a conduit to Bandar for his role in the multi-billion al-Yamamah arms agreement, Britain's biggest ever export deal signed in 1985, the state-funded broadcaster said it had learned Thursday. The alleged bribes were said to have been discovered during a year-long inquiry conducted by Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO), but which was abruptly halted last December after Blair said the investigation was a threat to national security. The dropping of the investigation also came amid concerns that it might jeopardize a new multi-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia to supply Eurofighters. The BBC said that the payments, believed to total more than Pnds one billion (Dlrs 1.9 bn), were sent to two Saudi embassy accounts in Washington, were written into the government-to-government arms deal contract in secret annexes. Allegations previously made in the British press have also suggested that Mark Thatcher, son of the British prime minister at the time, was also involved in the deal. The al-Yamamah deal included the supply of more than 100 Tornado aircraft and is estimated to have been worth over Pnds 40 billion (Dlrs 78 bn) over more than a decade. The new claims, to be made in the BBC's current affairs Panorama programme next Monday prompted the head of parliament's committee which investigates strategic exports, Labour MP Roger Berry, to call for a proper investigation into the allegations. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said that if ministers in either the present or previous governments were involved there should be a "major parliamentary inquiry". "It is one thing for a company to have engaged in alleged corruption overseas. It is another thing if British government ministers have approved it," Cable said

Courtesy vikesfreak on youtube. Some parts may not be available on this site. Viewer discretion advised. CONSUMING KIDS - WITH VIRTUALLY no government or public outcry in the US the multi-billion dollar youth marketing industry has been able to use the latest advances in psychology anthropology and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. American kids now influence an estimated 700 billion dollars in annual spending targeted virtually from birth with a relentless bombardment of sophisticated commercial appeals designed to sell everything from Hollywood merchandise and junk foods to iPods cell phones the family car and vacations. The result is that childhood itself has been commercialized. Drawing on the insights of experts industry insiders and children themselves Consuming Kids traces the evolution and impact of this disturbing and unprecedented phenomenon exposing the youth marketing industry-s controversial tactics and exploring the effect of hyper-consumerism on the actual lived experience of children.

Courtesy vikesfreak on youtube. Some parts may not be available on this site. Viewer discretion advised. CONSUMING KIDS - WITH VIRTUALLY no government or public outcry in the US the multi-billion dollar youth marketing industry has been able to use the latest advances in psychology anthropology and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. American kids now influence an estimated 700 billion dollars in annual spending targeted virtually from birth with a relentless bombardment of sophisticated commercial appeals designed to sell everything from Hollywood merchandise and junk foods to iPods cell phones the family car and vacations. The result is that childhood itself has been commercialized. Drawing on the insights of experts industry insiders and children themselves Consuming Kids traces the evolution and impact of this disturbing and unprecedented phenomenon exposing the youth marketing industry-s controversial tactics and exploring the effect of hyper-consumerism on the actual lived experience of children.

Courtesy vikesfreak on youtube. Some parts may not be available on this site. Viewer discretion advised. CONSUMING KIDS - WITH VIRTUALLY no government or public outcry in the US the multi-billion dollar youth marketing industry has been able to use the latest advances in psychology anthropology and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. American kids now influence an estimated 700 billion dollars in annual spending targeted virtually from birth with a relentless bombardment of sophisticated commercial appeals designed to sell everything from Hollywood merchandise and junk foods to iPods cell phones the family car and vacations. The result is that childhood itself has been commercialized. Drawing on the insights of experts industry insiders and children themselves Consuming Kids traces the evolution and impact of this disturbing and unprecedented phenomenon exposing the youth marketing industry-s controversial tactics and exploring the effect of hyper-consumerism on the actual lived experience of children.

Islamic Hijab in France - A law banning Islamic headscarves and religious symbols from French state schools came into effect on Thursday, the first day of term. The ban triggered massive demonstrations in France and protests in several cities around the world earlier this year. Critics condemned the law as an attack on religious freedom and said it would stigmatize the estimated 5 million Muslims in France. Some Muslim groups pledged further protests, calling the restriction anti-Islamic

Yemen's Houthi fighters have accused Saudi Arabia of helping the Yemeni army in its deadly offensive against them in the north-western province of Saada. Zaidi Shia fighters, known as Houthis, issued a statement on Friday saying that at least two Saudi warplanes have bombed their positions in the al-Malahid district. The fighters' statement has been dismissed by the Yemeni army as a baseless allegation. Fighting between Yemeni troops backed by fighter aircraft and Shia fighters has killed dozens, mostly fighters, since the government launched a wide offensive against Shia tribes earlier in the month. The Shia fighters have been engaged in on and off fighting with Yemen's army since 2004. Press TV correspondent in Yemen, Akram Al-Hindi, says the military's campaign against Houthi fighters is expected to intensify in the coming days -- despite the growing civilian death toll. "We have heard that there was a short truce between the government and the Houthi fighters but shortly after that the fighting erupted again," Al-Hindi said. "The treaty which was signed based on Qatar agreement and Doha agreement has been declared dead from the Yemeni government side," he added. According to the correspondent, the Houthi fighters claim that the government is intensifying its military offences and this calls for the end of the truce between the two sides. "This shows that the violence will continue," Al-Hindi concluded. The Houthis say they are defending themselves against religious oppression. The government says it is fighting an armed insurgency seeking to reinstate imamate rule, which ended in a 1962 coup. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, an estimated 119,000 people from the northwest Yemeni town of Saada are currently displaced.

A NEW BOOK FROM NORMAN G. FINKELSTEIN. For the Palestinians who live in the narrow coastal strip of Gaza, the December 2008 Israeli invasion was a nightmare of unimaginable proportions: in the 22-day-long action 1,400 Gazans were killed, several hundred on the first day alone. More than 6,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged. The cost of the destruction and disruption of economic life, in one of the world’s poorest areas, is estimated at more than $3 billion.

Although a new study has doubled the US war costs, it does not account for the enormous subsequent expenses for the injured troops, a US analyst says. "The cost of taking care of [the injured troops] … has not really been taken into account seriously, either by economists or by political figures in the United States," historian and investigative journalist Gareth Porter told Press TV on Thursday. The new study, conducted by the Nobel Prize winner for economics Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard University Professor Linda Bilmes, shows that the long-term costs of the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq doubles initial estimates, suggesting the revised six-trillion-dollar figure. The analyst also warned that "the institutional interests of the military itself [is] so enormous that the [US] military is absolutely determined to avoid an end to this war any time soon." Porter called on the people and the politicians in the United States to take action to make their government bring the wars to an end. http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/144762.html **************** Wars could cost over $4 trillion Authors of the book The Three Trillion Dollar War now estimate that the total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could top $4 trillion over time. A lagging economy, increases in the cost of medical care, higher than expected expenditures on post-combat medical and psychiatric care, and a surge in disability benefits are likely to place a significant strain on the federal budget. House Veterans Affairs Chairman, Bob Filner (D-California), stated: "This may be more of a crisis than the Medicare and Social Security problems we have looming...It rivals both in the potential impact. This is another entitlement we've committed ourselves to, and it could break the bank." Filner aims on utilizing the latest cost estimates to propose a "veterans trust fund" to pay for the long-term war expenses, a proposal that has so far found minimal support in the Democratic-led House due to the startling price tag associated with it. Having already blown past original cost projections, combat operations alone in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have cost nearly $1.1 trillion in nine years. With well over 30,000 maimed for life, a PTSD epidemic, and record suicide rates (in the military), an estimated price tag of at least $4 trillion over the next several years appears to be reasonable. As a result, those who claim to be fiscally conservative should take a long hard look at the immense cost of open-ended, overseas wars, especially at a time when America could be facing a debt crisis in the not-too-distant future. Vague objectives, shifting benchmarks, imprecise definitions of victory, and unclear exit strategies inevitably lead to costs that far exceed initial budget estimates. In addition, those who claim to espouse a more progressive, anti-war stance should take a long hard look at the current war policy, as the trillions being spent could be better invested in infrastructure, health care, education, alternative energy, and other domestic programs. Perhaps the strategy of electing leaders who espouse peace, fiscal responsibility, and change in U.S. foreign policy, yet intensify wars, spend even more on the military, and adopt much of their despised opponents' previous platform, should be more critically examined. http://caivn.org/article/2010/09/30/wars-could-cost-over-4-trillion

On this edition of Peter Lavelle's CrossTalk, he asks his guests how we should understand Iran's soft power in the Greater Middle East. Is it under-estimated in western mainstream media?

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah says the Egyptian Revolution will leave an impact on all regional and global developments. “It has always been said that Egypt is the mother of the world. This is right and you (Egyptians) who are there, you are the great people who can, with your will and solidarity, change the face of the world,” Nasrallah said in a speech on Monday. “You are waging the war of Arab dignity. Today, with your voices, blood and steadfastness, you are retrieving the dignity of the Arab people; the dignity which was humiliated by some rulers of the Arab world for decades.” He explained that the delay in announcing Hezbollah\\\\\\\'s stance was not because of hesitance or any confusion. Hezbollah was afraid if it announced its stance earlier, the protesters in Tunisia and Egypt would be accused of being moved or controlled by Hezbollah or the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and they would be accused of serving a foreign agenda, Nasrallah added. Now that the people are overcoming the Mubarak regime, “We are gathering here to announce our solidarity and our standing side by side in support of the people of Egypt … We are also side by side with the people of Tunisia,” the Hezbollah leader said. Nasrallah elaborated on some fundamental points about the Egyptian revolution. “We are witnessing a real popular revolution; a real Egyptian nationalist revolution. Muslims and Christians are participating in this revolution. Islamic factions, secular parties, nationalist parties and all walks of life are participating,” he said. “This revolution is the result of the determination and commitment of the Egyptian people,” and contrary to the US and Israeli propaganda that say it is just “a revolution for bread,” the movement is also a “political, humanitarian and social revolution,” he pointed out. Millions of Egyptians have for two weeks taken to the streets across the country to call for the ouster of the Mubarak regime. More than 300 people are estimated to have been killed since the protests began. People from all walks of life are flooding into Cairo\\\\\\\'s Liberation Square and many have been spending nights at the square despite heavy military presence. Also in Alexandria, people have gathered at the city\\\\\\\'s main square chanting their revolution will not die. Meanwhile, the Egyptian revolution coalition has reportedly rejected negotiations with the government of Vice President Omar Suleiman. On Sunday, millions of Egyptians were out on the streets in the capital and other major cities to honor hundreds of their countrymen killed during the anti-government rallies. Hostility toward the United States is widespread among the protesters as they hold Washington responsible for Mubarak\\\\\\\'s grip on power. Demonstrators say they will not leave the streets until Mubarak steps down.

Tens of thousands of protesters crowded central London on Saturday to protest government cuts to public services, streaming in from around the country with banners, balloons and whistles. Organisers of the march estimated that at least 100,000 people were joining in the demonstration, what the Trade Union Council called the largest civil society demonstration in years. Police say some protesters have thrown paint bombs and light bulbs filled with ammonia at officers. A group of black-clad demonstrators also threw paint bombs at shops and banks on the main shopping streets of Oxford Street and New Bond Street. The group had broken away from the larger march organized by the TUC to protest against government cuts to public services.

Tens of thousands of mostly peaceful demonstrators streamed into central London on Saturday to march against government budget cuts, with a small breakaway group smashing its way into a bank, breaking windows and spray painting logos on the walls. Another group of black-clad protesters hurled paint bombs and ammonia-filled light bulbs at police. Organisers of the march estimated that at least 250,000 people from across the country were peacefully joining in the demonstration, the biggest protest in London since a series of rallies against the Iraq war in 2003. Police said they were not giving out crowd estimates.

Ever since the war on Gaza in late 2008, Turks have openly sided with Palestinians and have been extremely critical of Israeli military operations and it's blockade on Gaza. Turkish protesters marched to the Israeli consulate in Istanbul to mark "Nakba Day", the annual commemoration of the displacement of Palestinian people after Israel evicted them from their territories and homes in 1948. In that year, an estimated 700,000 Palestinians were displaced as hundreds of villages were destroyed, something these protesters say can not be ignored.

Infowars.com has received alarming reports from within the ranks of military stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas confirming plans to initiate a full-scale U.S.-led ground invasion in Libya and deploy troops by October. The source stated that additional Special Forces are headed to Libya in July, with a Calvary Division (heavy armor) and three corps deploying in late October and early November. Initial numbers are estimated at 12,000 active forces and another 15,000 in support, totaling nearly 30,000 troops. This information was confirmed by numerous calls and e-mails from other military personnel, some indicating large troop deployment as early as September. Among these supporting sources is a British S.A.S. officer confirming that U.S. Army Rangers are already in Libya. The chatter differs in the details, but the overall convergence is clear-- that a full-on war is emerging this fall as Gaddafi continues to evade attempts to remove him from power.

Occupy Calgary draws several hundred protesters Hundreds of people drummed, chanted and protested issues ranging from income disparity, capitalism and corporate politics to homelessness and fiat currency during “Occupy Calgary.” They began their protest at the foot of the locked glass doors of downtown Bankers Hall on Saturday afternoon. After about two hours, a crowd estimated to be between 300 and 500 people marched to Olympic Plaza, where several vowed to camp out over the weekend. Police said there were no arrests. The demonstrators had remained peaceful. Following similar protests in cities across Canada, the Occupy Wall Street movement is drawing thousands of people across the world to set up campsites in urban parks. It began in New York in September; when protesters began a sit-in at Zuccotti park to object to Wall Street’s role in the 2008 financial collapse. “There’s a high disparity between the rich and the poor in Calgary,” said SAIT journalism student Sarah Pynoo, 19. “We’re one of the richest cities in North America, but we have enormous homelessness problems. “And there are thousands of people living below the poverty line and that’s worrying.” The protest was rich with signs, flags and even a few raging grannies. One cardboard sign, painted in a dark silhouette of a mouse, featured a red mouth with the sign “corporate politics eats people.” Some protesters tried to draw awareness to investment fraud issues in Alberta. Others on 9/11 truth, a return to the gold standard, and mainstream media bias.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran\'s Islamic Republic, has paid a visit to the Province of Kermanshah. The province of Kermanshah, with an estimated population of 2 million, has various religious, ethnic and cultural groups. Iran\'s dominant faith is Shia Islam, but despite this the Shia leader is warmly welcomed in Kermanshah, a province with a large Sunni and Jewish population among others. This is a province that has had its own fare share of challenges since the revolution and the 8 year Iran-Iraq war that followed. He made speeches in different cities of the province, visited the families of the martyrs, and talked of change and renewal in Iran\'s governmental system. His visit to Kermanshah is the subject of this week\'s program.

Since the Israeli army's attack on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara in 2010, Ankara has become increasingly outspoken in support of Gaza, the blockaded Palestinian territory the ship was trying to reach. The support has come in financial terms as well: the estimated $2m per year the Turkish government donated to Gaza before the flotilla attack, has now jumped to $48m. Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnston reports from Gaza.

Within days-- the US will hit 15 trillion dollars in debt. That's fifteen with 12 zeroes behind it. The numeric milestone comes at a time when Americans as a whole have a distrust of Congress for how it spends their money. Across the country protests and public discontent is rising over federal spending from conservatives and liberals. Occupy protests that started at Wall Street in New York have spread across the country. They're angry with banks that received federal funds but insist on charging customers extra fees. They call it bank transfer day. In the Eurozone, President Obama spends time in Cannes, France, for the G-20 summit that takes place as Europe is trying to determine a bailout package for debt-ridden Greece. But while the president is overseas-he has to fight for a reelection battle back at home. republican rivals are pointing to the country's crawling economy and describe it as a result of weak leadership. And the US' struggling recovery was dealt another blow this week with a lackluster jobs report. U.S. employers hired an estimated 80,000 people last month, worse than economists expected. The unemployment rate only dropped a tenth of a percent down to 9 percent. Congress is still so divided that President Obama is trying to find ways to get the country moving by using executive orders instead of a preferred legislative process. Meanwhile, as lawmakers squabble the US debt steadily rises with the national poverty rate and the number of dissatisfied Americans.

[14 May 2012] Palestinian prisoners continue hunger strike - Middle East Today - English An estimated 1,600 to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners began an open-ended hunger strike on April 17. They do this to protest against Israel's administrative detention rules, the use of solitary confinement, maltreatment of sick detainees, and difficulty in securing family visits and strip searches that are imposed on visitors. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh calls on Israel to release Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike to protest their detention. Arab League permanent representatives held an urgent meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss the situation of Palestinian prisoners and hunger-strikers in Israeli jails

[23 June 2012] Iranian president in Venezuela to boost bilateral ties - English Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warmly greeted his close ally Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the presidential palace in Caracas. The Iranian leader arrived in Venezuela's capital from stops in Brazil, where he attended the United Nations Rio+20 conference in Rio de Janeiro, and Bolivia.Chavez and Ahmadinejad vowed to keep building closer ties. The Venezuelan president has expressed solidarity with Iran on its nuclear energy program which Iran insists it's for peaceful purposes. Caracas and Tehran have signed an estimated five billion dollars worth of trade deals and accords since 2001 including construction projects, car factories and most recently an agreement for Caracas to manufacture unmanned aerial aircrafts better known as drones.The United States has looked at these accords with disapproval and last year put sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company for making deals with Iran's energy sector.Chavez criticized the sanctions against Iran and pledged to continue being Tehran's key ally in Latin America.This is President Ahmadinejad second visit to Venezuela this year. According to Hugo Chavez there have been more than 300 bilateral accords signed by both countries.

[16 July 2012] Turkmenistan not deterred with West sanctions against Iran - English Turkmenistan not to be deterred by the western sanctions against Iran', Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister, Rashid Moradov, reiterated this, at the end of his two days visit to Tehran. According to Moradov, currently there are 148 Iranian enterprises in Turkmenistan which have 85 contracts and projects underway estimated at over 4.7 billion dollars. He expressed the need to increase trade with Iran especially in energy resources such as oil, gas and electricity and petrochemical materials.

Dealing in cash only is the traditional method used by tax dodgers to avoid paying the state a portion of their incomes. Now, though the digital era has taken centre stage and money can be shifted electronically right around the globe using any number of accounts. The European Commission says forcing institutions to become more transparent is the key to curtailing the problem. The Commission says it is vital that governments around the world co-operate with the EU on this issue. We asked ordinary EU citizens about their views on these latest measures which are designed to curtail illegal tax evasion within the union estimated to be worth one trillion euro annually. Jerome Hughes, Press TV, Brussels

A United Nations human rights body has criticized the Tel Aviv regime for torturing Palestinian children, saying the Israeli military frequently uses them as human shields in its operations. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said on Thursday Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank and blockaded Gaza Strip are normally not allowed to have their birth registered, and are denied access to health care, decent schooling as well as safe drinking water. The UN report also stated that an estimated 7,000 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17, but some as young as nine, have been arrested, interrogated and detained over the past ten years. Press TV has conducted an interview with Paul Larudee, from the Free Palestine Movement, about this issue.

Egypt\'s interim foreign minister Nabil Fahmy makes indirect reference to Israel\'s nuclear weapons arsenal that\'s estimated to contain hundreds of warheads.

The UN humanitarian chief urges the UN Security Council to impose more pressure on all sides involved in the Syrian conflict to allow greater access for the provision of assistance. Valerie Amos said the Security Council should put its full political weight on both the government and opposition parties to ensure that previous calls for access are realized. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator added that 9 point 3 million people currently need assistance to survive. The figure stood at 6 point 8 million in September. Amos also said that 6 point 5 million people are now internally displaced. On October 7, the United Nations estimated that over four million more people would be forced out of their homes in 2014 due to the escalation of the conflict. The UN said two million Syrians are expected to seek refuge outside the country, while another 2.25 million will be internally displaced next year.