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The US spying scandal has spread in scope and geography: The latest: The US National Security Agency has spied on Germans, including Chancellor Angela Merkel. Add to that, French diplomats in Washington and at the UN, not to mention Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and of course, the US itself. All based on leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, through Glen Greenwald, the outgoing Guardian journalist, who is feeding the material from Brazil. In this debate, we will discuss what the repercussions of this US spying on its allies would be, and try to get to the bottom of how vast this spying has been, and whether the countries involved will do anything about it.

In the US, the House Armed Services Committee has approved an additional funding in military aid to Israel. The committee has approved that nearly half a billion dollars be given to Israel this year. The approval has not yet been finalized but, it\'s expected to get the final okay by the House Appropriations Committee and Senate. The money is in addition to over three billion dollars in military aid that Washington is already planning to send to Tel Aviv in the coming fiscal year. This comes as the US government has made cuts in food assistance program. The cuts have forced nearly forty-eight million Americans to see their food stamps slashed.

An israeli military drone has crashed in the north of the besieged Gaza Strip. A security source from Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, says the movement has captured an Israeli drone that was flying over east Jabalia. He did not give further details. Hamas\' military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades on its Twitter account has claimed responsibility for shooting down \"an Israeli mini-drone.\" Tel Aviv has denied this. The Israeli army says a \"skylark\" tactical mini-drone crashed in the Gaza Strip due to a malfunction. Israel occasionally carries out drone attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip that have at times claimed lives.

A senior Afghan official says President Hamid Karzai has rejected a provision of a security pact with the United States just days before the country\'s elders gather to debate it. Media outlets have quoted the official as saying that Karzai has rejected the enter-and-search provision. The question of whether foreign troops will be allowed to search Afghan homes after their combat mission ends next year has long been a sticking point of the Kabul-Washington deal. The final draft will be discussed by the Loya Jirga, an assembly of tribal elders, later this week. Karzai has already announced that if the Loya Jirga does not approve the deal, it will not be signed. Last month, the United States and Afghanistan hammered out a draft deal that allows thousands of U-S troops to stay in the country beyond 2014.

France has warned that the Central African Republic is on the verge of genocide. This comes as the U-N is considering sending African and French forces to intervene in the strife-torn country. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has described the situation in France\'s former colony as total disorder. The Central Africa Republic has faced growing chaos since a coalition of rebels staged a coup in March, forcing president Francois Bozize to flee. Last year, France invaded Mali under the pretext of stopping what it called al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country. The invasion has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the country, displacing thousands of people.

U-S President Barack Obama has told Congress his country should not impose new sanctions on Iran if it is serious in negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear energy program. Obama-- who has been speaking to reporters in his last press briefing of the year-- has refreshed his warnings that any new sanctions against Iran could derail the current diplomatic efforts to resolve the differences with Iran. Obama says he understands why some U-S lawmakers want to \\\"look tough\\\" on Iran. But he says the U-S must give diplomacy a chance. Obama has further repeated threats that the U-S keeps all options on the table regarding Iran if it fails to comply to the terms of the nuclear deal that Tehran signed with the permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany last month. Obama says any alternative to the path of diplomacy toward Iran would have unintended consequences for the US. And he added that it would be in the interests of the American people to resolve the Iran issue diplomatically. Obama\\\'s remarks come a day after Congress put a bill on the floor to slap new sanctions on Iran if it breaches the terms of the nuclear deal reached in Geneva last month. The new sanctions would also force the U-S administration to support Israel militarily, diplomatically, and economically in the event Tel Aviv decided to launch an attack on Iran\\\'s nuclear sites.

US President Barack Obama has told Congress his country should not impose new sanctions on Iran if it is serious in negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear energy program. Obama-- who has been speaking to reporters in his last press briefing of the year-- has refreshed his warnings that any new sanctions against Iran could derail the current diplomatic efforts to resolve the differences with Iran. Obama says he understands why some US lawmakers want to \\\"look tough\\\" on Iran. But he says the US must give diplomacy a chance. Obama has further repeated threats that the US keeps all options on the table regarding Iran if it fails to comply to the terms of the nuclear deal that Tehran signed with the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany last month.

Turkey\\\'s political establishment has been rocked by a high-profile corruption probe. The investigation has targeted people close to the administration of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The premier, however, seems to be determined to hit back. The political crisis is the latest in a series of headaches that Ankara has been suffering from in recent years.

The United Nations Security Council has expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis and the deteriorating security situation in South Sudan amid a fierce political battle. The UN said an attack by armed men on its compound in Jonglei state left two Indian peacekeepers dead on Thursday. The targets of the attack were said to be members of President Salva Kiir\\\'s tribe who had sought refuge in the UN compound. The violence began on Sunday in the capital Juba following a failed coup and has since spread rapidly across the country. The president has accused former vice president Riek Machar of attempting to seize power by force. At least 500 people are believed to have died since Sunday in the fighting between the army and Machar\\\'s supporters. The oil-rich country has been struggling to achieve stable government since it seceded from Sudan in 2011, with Western support.

Iran\'s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the assassination of one of its diplomats in Yemen as an inhuman and terrorist act. The ministry has said in a statement that the murder of Abol-Qassem Assadi further revealed the violent and extremist nature of Takfiri militants. Iran has summoned the Yemeni chargé d\'affaires to protest the killing. It has promised to pursue the case and bring the perpetrators to justice. Assadi who was shot by gunmen in Sana\'a died of his wounds on Saturday. Six members of a terrorist group first tried to kidnap Iran\'s commercial attaché but opened fire on him, when they faced resistance.

Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki has blamed QUOTE \"diabolical and treacherous\" Arab states for the recent surge of violence in Iraq. Maliki says Iraq is a target for certain countries that support evil and terrorism. He warned that violence has started to expand and will ultimately reach the countries which are backing it. Maliki did not specify which countries support violence in Iraq. In the past, Iraqi authorities blamed Saudi Arabia and Qatar for fueling unrest in their country. Iraq has seen a surge in terrorist attacks over the past year. The army, in recent weeks, has been fighting militants from al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the western province of Anbar. On Sunday, it launched a major offensive against the militants in the provincial capital, Ramadi.

The UN invitation for Iran to attend the conference on the crisis in Syria has triggered immediate reactions from the US and Syria\'s foreign-backed opposition. The US State Department says the UN must take back its invitation unless Tehran publicly backs the 2012 agreement on a transition government in Syria. The U-S has been the main party opposed to Iran\'s participation in the conference. Meanwhile, Syria\'s foreign-backed opposition has reportedly said that it will withdraw from the talks now that Iran has been invited.

An Afghan refugee who was granted asylum in the UK has accepted substantial libel compensation at the high court in London after the daily express newspaper falsely accused him of being a member of the Taliban. Abdol Shazad who is 20 was recognized as a refugee by the Home Office last February after a four-year battle in which it was found that he was at fear of being persecuted by the Taliban. But a month later The express published a story saying that he was a member of the Taliban and posted an online version of the story under which hateful and abusive comments were posted causing great distress to Mr Shazad Journalists say this type of behavior is indicative of the lack of ethics of large segments of the right wing media.The Legal Counsel for the Express, Chloe Strong Said: \"The allegation in the articles was false and the defendant wishes to offer its sincerest apologies to the claimant for the damage, distress and embarrassment which the publication of the articles has caused him.\" The Daily Express has apologized and agreed to pay him substantial damages. The exact figure is undisclosed. But this type of behavior from elements of the right wing press is unlikely to stop as a result For Mr Shazid at least, there has been some kind of accountability for this unethical journalism.

Syria has demanded a stern and urgent UN condemnation of the massacre of Alawite villagers committed on Sunday by foreign-backed insurgents. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has written a letter to the UN secretary general and the chairman of the Security Council detailing the bloodshed. Officials say more than 50 people --including women and children -- were killed in the attack on the village of Ma\'an in Hama province. Damascus has called for the condemnation of both the militants and their international backers. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has also acknowledged that the massacre happened. The tragedy occurred hours before the launch of the second round of peace talks in Geneva. On Monday, the government delegation began the talks with a draft statement on the massacre. Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said that the foreign-backed opposition should have condemned the incident out of patriotic and moral duty.

What does the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, mean when his eminence says that \"The Iranian Woman Defeated the West\"? And how has the Iranian woman defeated the west? And in general, how does the west view women? What physical manifestation of religiosity and religious value has been able to help the Iranian woman defeat the west? And finally, what has nullified the 200-300 years\' efforts of the enemies of women and their true freedom and independence? The Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, speaks and answers how \"The Iranian Woman Has Defeated the West\".

Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei narrates and explains a tradition from the 5th divinely appointed Imam, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (A), where his eminence (A) speaks about the consequences of \\\"Oppressing One Who Has None But Allah\\\". What was a part of the last will and testament of 5 different Imams (A), one after the other? And in reality, what is the profundity of what we call a \\\'last will and testament\\\'? And even though oppressing in general is Haram, why did the Imams (A) single this kind of oppression out from among others? What is the difference between one who has a supporter and is oppressed, or one who has no supporter and is oppressed? And for which one of the aforementioned conditions, will one be shackled for and punished for quicker? Finally, what are the consequences of \\\"Oppressing One Who Has None But Allah\\\"? Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei expounds upon the wise words in the last will and testament of the 5th divinely appointed Imam, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (A).

Why does Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei say that the Islamic Revolution isn\'t something that can be exported, per say? And if so, how has the Islamic Revolution exported itself outside the territorial boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran? And what is the common word amongst the various nations in the West Asian region? And finally, why has America suffered so many losses in the West Asian region, one after the other? The Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, speaks about how \"The Islamic Revolution Has Exported Itself\". It\'s time to stop worrying about the exportation of the Revolution, because it has already been exported.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has questioned the motive behind the prolonged seven-year Washington presence in Afghanistan. "By keeping its forces in Afghanistan, the US has inflicted a heavy financial burden on its economy," the Iranian president said in a televised interview on Tuesday. Washington and its allies seek a long-time strategy with regards to their policies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he continued. Seven years of occupation have not made Afghanistan any safer, as this year alone over 5,000 people have been killed and US military casualties have increased to the highest levels since the 2001 invasion. Since the US invasion of the country, Afghanistan has also seen a phenomenal increase in the cultivation of opium, which is used to make heroin. The country now feeds the world with nearly 90 percent of its heroin. "Their ulterior motive is to weaken India and China," suggested the president, adding that extra-regional presence can only help create a launching ground for further problems. President Ahmadinejad said the 60-hour assault on Mumbai which killed nearly 172 people and injured almost 300 others was also orchestrated by elements outside the region. "The main motive behind the terrorist attacks, which were orchestrated from outside the region, was to strain relations between Indian and Pakistan," he said. India last week blamed Pakistani-based "elements" over the attacks across its financial capital, saying the terror bore the fingerprint of Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a group blamed for previous attacks in India. "Even if the militants are linked to Lashker-e-Taiba, who do you think we are fighting?" commented Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in reference to his government's operations against al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked militants near the Afghan border.

Jamrud College Principle Embraces Shahadat - Syed Razi Kazmi , the Principal of Jamrud College ,who was kidnapped by yazidi terrorists a few days ago has embraced Shahadat. The noble body has been shifted to Peshawar

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, (IRGC) along with Aerospace Force have introduced a new laser beam guiding missile. The missile is has a range of 5 kilometers and is named Dehlaviye after the city where Mostafa Chamran an Iranian scientist who served as first Defense Minister of post-revolutionary Iran was martyred in the Iran-Iraq war. This new laser beam guided missile can target low flying objects and ground targets. Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahamd Vahidi told Press TV this latest laser technology has received international recognition and has put Iran amongst the few countries worldwide with the capability of producing such a device. Brig. Gen. Vahidi also explained that Iran is fully capable of defending itself against enemies. This latest product of Iran's military is that it is also an anti-armored missile with an anti-jamming station.

Germany chancellor has called the U-S president to demand immediate clarification on reports that the U-S spied on her. The German government spokesman says Angela Merkel had made clear to Barack Obama that if the information proves to be true, it would be completely unacceptable and represents a grave breach of trust. This, after Germany said it had received info that the U-S is spying on Merkel\'s cell phone communications. But the White House says Obama has assured Merkel that her phone is not being monitored. The U-S spying scandal is taking center stage after fugitive American whistle-blower Edward Snowden revealed the details of the program. Washington\'s espionage scandal has already caused outrage among Italian, French, Mexican and Brazilian officials.

Iran\'s peaceful nuclear programme has grabbed media attention since nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany started in Geneva. Russia\'s official position is that Iran is entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This is a position that has been reaffirmed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia is one of Iran\'s major energy partners and has been in charge of building of Bushehr nuclear power plant. But do ordinary Russians share the same view as their politicians? Press TV took to the streets of Moscow to find out. While most Russians questioned by Press TV believe that Iran should be able to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, there are some people who think it\'s not a simple issue. The next round of nuclear talks is seto to be held in November in Geneva, should shed more light on whether diplomacy can prevail in this situation. The majority of people here believe that Iran is entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This notion is also reflected in the Russian government which says that a diplomatic path should be pursued to resolve the nuclear issue.

A pro-autonomy movement in oil-reach eastern Libya has unilaterally declared the formation of a shadow government. The announcement has drawn reactions from Tripoli. The head of the newly declared government says it aims to improve distribution of resources and undermine central authority claiming it has discriminated against the eastern region. The central government in Tripoli swiftly rejected the declaration. The announcement from the pro-autonomy movement comes months after it declared the eastern half of Libya to be an autonomous state called Barqa. The movement is backed by some militias and local tribes.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Lajos Szaszdi, political commentator, about Pakistan, which has made an official call to the United Nations for an end to US drone strikes.

A new report by the Pakistani government has put the civilian death toll caused by US assassination drones at a surprisingly lower figure than previous estimates by government and independent organizations. Pakistan\'s Defense Ministry announced that only 3 percent of people killed by drones since 2008 were civilians. According to the ministry, the US has conducted about 320 drone strikes during that period, killing over 21 hundred militants and 67 civilians. The figure has sparked criticism from public opinion and groups that have been investigating the assassination drones. The Pakistani government regularly criticizes the drone program in public, even though it is reported to have secretly supported at least some of the strikes in the past.

Israel has approved 3,500 new settler homes in the occupied East Jerusalem Al-Quds and the West Bank, a move that the EU said it \\\"deplored\\\", recalling that settlements were illegal under international law. The UN has voiced the same, and the PA has said Israel intends to wreck the so called peace talks. In this debate, we will discuss why this repeated scenario, along with Israel\\\'s illegal actions exercised on Palestinians on occupied lands continues, with impunity.

A senior member of the US administration has admitted that the West has made mistakes in the Afghanistan war. US president\'s special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan says those mistakes have claimed unnecessary lives and prolonged the war. James Dobbins also said that sidelining Iran and Russia after the invasion of Afghanistan by the U-S and its allies was wrong. Dobbins stressed that Tehran and Moscow can play their part in rebuilding the country after the withdrawal of U-S-led foreign forces from Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of military intervention in Syria. Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal says Iran has deployed troops to Syria and that the country\'s under occupation. Faisal was speaking at a joint news briefing with US secretary of state John Kerry in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has been the main supplier of weapons and funds to the insurgents fighting the Syrian government. The weapons which include Israeli missiles are purchased on the black market. Last week, French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Saudi Arabia\'s intelligence chief is the real mastermind behind the insurgency in Syria and leads the militants from a command center in neighboring Jordan. In his absence, Le Figaro says, a CIA officer leads the militancy.