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Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have in a joint statement described their negotiations as \"very productive.\" The two sides have also agreed to hold their next round of talks on November 11 in Tehran. Iran and the I-A-E-A held two days of meetings at two different levels in the Austrian capital Vienna. Iran\'s Deputy Foreign Minister presented Iran\'s new proposal at a meeting with the agency\'s Director General on Monday. The Iranian delegation was headed by Tehran\'s permanent representative to the agency Reza Najafi during the expert level talks.

دشمن از نگاه رهبری Enemy as described by Ayatullah Khamenei - Farsi

[01 Jan 2015] Pakistan described a dangerous place for journalists - English

Iran\'s President Hassan Rouhani has called on China to stand against what he described as the excessive demands of certain countries in nuclear talks with Tehran. President Rouhani told his Chinese counterpart over the phone that China is an important country with significant responsibilities over international issues. He said Tehran expects Beijing to play a stronger role in the efforts to solve the dispute over Iran\'s nuclear program. Rouhani says Tehran is determined to settle the issue within the frameworks of international law. Shi Jinping, for his part, praised what he described as smart steps by Iran over its nuclear program as well as its foreign policy agenda. He says a peaceful resolution of the case will only happen when the nuclear talks are based on mutual respect and the principle of equality.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the flood disaster in Pakistan as the \\\"most urgent\\\" issue of the Muslim world. Addressing crowds of worshippers at Tehran University after Eid al-Fitr prayers on Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed deep sorrow over the catastrophic floods in Pakistan and the lingering humanitarian crisis it has brought to the country. Iran has so far sent more than 400 tons of humanitarian aid including tents, blankets, food and medicine to Pakistan, and has also announced its readiness to play an active role in the reconstruction of the country\\\'s flood-ravaged regions. Ayatollah Khamenei said the measures taken so far to relieve the disaster-hit Pakistanis was far from enough and appealed to all Muslims across the globe to help their brothers in Pakistan. \\\"The Iranian nation and government, other Muslim nations and governments, and Islamic societies including the Organization of the Islamic Conference and Muslims communities in any corner of the world [must] rush to help the Pakistani nation and government and meet the various needs of the flood victims in Pakistan,\\\" the Leader said. The international community has also pleaded for a boost in global relief efforts to help some 800,000 Pakistanis stranded in areas only accessible by air in the aftermath of the country\\\'s worst-ever natural disaster. The floods washed through one-fifth of Pakistan in August, leaving at least 1,760 people dead and affecting at least another 17 million. Ayatollah Khamenei further warned about efforts by some powers to take advantage of the political unrest and security gap in the violence-wracked country. \\\"Some are seeking to turn Pakistan into their military base,\\\" the Leader cautioned, expressing hope that Islamabad would resolve the predicament by fulfilling its obligations.

The Unites States of America is proudly described as \\\"The land of the free and the home of the brave\\\" in its national anthem. But it is almost 200 years since these words were written and times have certainly changed. Perhaps many may now agree that the United States of America is no longer the land where all people are free and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of their own choice. In the decade since Sept. 11, 2001, the US has comprehensively reduced civil liberties in the name of an expanded security state. The most noticeable example of this was the USA PATRIOT act signed into law October 26, 2001.Only Six weeks after the 9/11 attacks the US Congress enacted the sweeping new law that was passed in great haste and secrecy, and that many regard as riddled with flaws that seriously compromise fundamental freedoms. In The Deported we look at the lives of three immigrants to the United States who had come to America to live the dream in a land they thought to be free and fair. Yet in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks their lives spiraled into misery as the US government rushed to wage a war on terror, terrorizing innocent citizens instead.

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have in a joint statement described their negotiations as \"very productive.\"

US President Barack Obama described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as \"a pain in the ass\" in the run-up to the 2012 presidential election, a new book authored by two American journalists reveals. \"We all know that Bibi Netanyahu is a pain in the ass,\" the recently-published book \"Double Down, Game Change 2012\" quotes Obama as having said. The book has been written by John Heilemann of New York Magazine and Mark Halperin of Time Magazine. The book also said Obama \"blamed himself for accepting the distorted political prism through which every effort to achieve a settlement in the region was mediated.\"

Iran\'s deputy foreign minister has described the upcoming nuclear talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany as a test. Majid Takht-e Ravanchi called on the group to enter into negotiations with goodwill and avoid making unreasonable demands. The official also said Iran\'s nuclear issue has multiple and complicated aspects that are not expected to be fully resolved over a couple of meetings. A new round of talks over Iran\'s nuclear energy program is scheduled for November 20 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Iran\'s deputy foreign minister has described the upcoming nuclear talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany as a test. Majid Takht-e Ravanchi called on the group to enter into negotiations with goodwill and avoid making unreasonable demands. The official also said Iran\'s nuclear issue has multiple and complicated aspects that are not expected to be fully resolved over a couple of meetings. A new round of talks over Iran\'s nuclear energy program is scheduled for November 20 in Geneva, Switzerland. The two sides failed to reach a deal during the previous round held earlier this month. Tehran blames a division among members of the sextet for the failure.

HIJAAB | PARDA | Na Bina Se Parda | Molana Abid Raza Naushad | Official Shrine of Imam Ali Reza #Hijaab #Parda #NaBinaSeParda Presenting By Official Shrine of Imam Ali Reza (as) Haram Imam Ali Raza (as) Official The Imam Raza shrine (Persian: حرم امام رضا‎) in Mashhad, Iran is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shiites. It is the largest mosque in the world by area. Also contained within the complex are the Goharshad Mosque, a museum, a library, four seminaries,[1] a cemetery, the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, vast prayer halls, and other buildings. The complex is one of the tourism centers in Iran[2][3] and has been described as \"the heart of the Shia Iran\"[4] with 25 million Iranian and non-Iranian Shias visiting the shrine each year, according to a 2007 estimate.[5] The complex is managed by Astan Quds Razavi Foundation currently headed by a prominent Iranian cleric, Ahmad Marvi. The shrine itself covers an area of 267,079m2 while the seven courtyards which surround it cover an area of 331,578m2 - totaling 598,657 m2 (6,443,890 sq ft).[6] Every year the ceremony of Dust Clearing is celebrated in the Imam Raza shrine.

New footage disputes account of Basij base incident Press TV has broadcast newly-obtained footage of a controversial clash between Basij members and protesters, which shows the Basij base under siege. Tehran became the scene of violence in recent weeks amidst rallies staged in protest at the outcome of the June 12 presidential election -- which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected to a second term in office. People described by Iranian officials as "saboteurs" infiltrated the riots and set fire to a mosque, two gas stations and a military post in western Tehran. At least 20 people were killed and many others were injured in the ensuing violence. The protests came to worldwide attention when major media outlets broadcast footage of what they described as unprovoked attacks by security forces. In Britain, Channel Four covered the news by airing a video of a clash between rioters and Basij members in which a man was seen shooting at the crowd. According to comments broadcast in a video provided by the government in Tehran, journalist Maziar Bahari had provided Channel Four with the footage of the June 15 attack. What was aired by the channel, however, had the scene of the attack on the base censored. The new footage obtained by Press TV shows a group of people attacking the Basij base with Molotov cocktails. The building in question has been deemed as a vital structure and has been confirmed by Tehran officials as an armory. http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=99625§ionid=351020101

Indian troops kill dozens in Kashmir At least 18 people have been killed and over 100 injured in Indian-controlled Kashmir as soldiers open fire on pro-independence rallies in disputed Himalayan region. Security forces opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters in the Budgam and Tangmarg areas. An Indian soldier was also killed in the violence. The protests were particularly intense following the news of the desecration of the Quran in the US. On Sunday, India imposed a curfew in many areas of Kashmir. However, people have been pouring out to the streets across Kashmir to protest against Indian rule despite the curfews. The latest round of public outrage began after a government forces' teargas grenade killed a teenager back in June. More than 80 protesters and by-standers have lost their lives during the unrest ever since. Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/142336.html Kashmiris protest Quran desecration Hundreds of Muslims have defied curfews in Indian-administered Kashmir and hit the streets to voice their anger over desecration of Islam's holy book in the US. Protests were held in the region's main city of Srinagar and its neighboring districts despite strict curfews, The Nation reported on Monday. "Death to the US!" and "Death to Quran desecrators!" chanted the protesters, who described the act as despicable. The protesters also called for punishment of those behind the desecration of the Quran. "These are absolutely pro-Islam protests and we demand befitting punishment to those who have desecrated the holy Quran. No Muslim anywhere in the world will watch the desecration of the holy Quran as a mute spectator. This protest is beyond borders and nationalities," a 55-year-old Kashmiri said. Although an American pastor cancelled earlier plans to burn copies of the Quran, other anti-Islam elements in the US desecrated the holy book in New York and in Washington on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The protest rallies in Srinagar erupted after local television showed a small group of protesters tearing apart and burning pages from the Muslim holy book outside the White House on Saturday. Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/142324.html India knocks Press TV off air in Kashmir India has banned local cable operators in Indian-administered Kashmir from airing Iran's English-language Press TV in the disputed Himalayan region. State Chief Secretary SS Kapur made the announcement in Kashmir's summer capital of Srinagar on Monday. "We have decided to impose a ban on the airing of Press TV broadcasts by local cable operators," Kapur told reporters. The ban comes as Press TV has become popular across the Muslim-majority region due to its enhanced coverage of the regional events over the past three months. Media organizations have strongly condemned the move and demanded that the government put the channel back on air. However, reports say more and more people in Kashmir continue to get their news from Press TV via internet services or direct broadcast satellites. In a separate development, hundreds of Kashmiris have come out to the streets to voice their anger over the desecration of Islam's holy book in the US. Protests were held in the Indian-administered region's main city of Srinagar, and its neighboring districts despite strict curfews in place. The protesters, who were shouting anti-US slogans, described the act as despicable, calling for the punishment of those behind the desecration of the Quran. The protests erupted after pages from the Muslim holy book were torn up and burned in Washington, as well as in other US cities. The move has outraged Muslims all over the world. Meanwhile, at least twelve people were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir as soldiers opened fire on pro-independence rallies on Monday. Unrest in Kashmir has claimed at least 83 lives over the past three months. Kashmir has been rocked by a wave of protests over the death of a teenager back in June. He was killed when Indian police fired teargas shells during demonstrations against India's rule over the mainly Muslim-populated Kashmir. Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/142343.html

دیدار مسئولان و فرماندهان نیروی هوایی ارتش Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Thursday morning with commanders and personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. Speaking at the meeting, which was held on the occasion of the historic pledge of allegiance of air force officers to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) on the 19th of Bahman of 1357, His Eminence said that the continuation of American pressures and threats over the past 34 years simultaneous with offers of negotiations shows their lack of good will. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the vigilance and courage of the Iranian nation in the face of deceptive moves, further reiterating: \\\\\\\"The dear, wise and steadfast people of Iran will enter the arena on the 22nd of Bahman with unity and they will, once more, foil the plot of the enemy to separate the people from the Islamic Republic and the Revolution by initiating a national an d revolutionary move.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei referred to different plots of the enemy such as launching coup d\\\\\\\'états, provoking military conflicts, offering their full support to aggressors, waging hard and soft wars, exerting pressures by establishing an evil media empire and imposing strict sanctions. He added: \\\\\\\"They have done everything in their power to make our people hopeless, lose their trust in Islam and the Islamic Republic and disappear from the scene. But, by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, the people have become happier, more active and more loyal.\\\\\\\" His Eminence discussed the efforts of some American officials to pit the people against the Islamic Republic by imposing more strict sanctions, further stressing: \\\\\\\"Our nation has always responded to these words through the annual rallies on the 22nd of Bahman and this year they will do the same.\\\\\\\" He described wisdom and vigilance as the key to success and stat ed: \\\\\\\"The people accurately read every move of the Americans and the Zionists with vigilance and communal wisdom and they make no mistakes when they take actions and when they adopt positions. This fact is a great national blessing.\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to recent offers by American officials, announcing constantly that they are prepared to negotiate with Iran. He reiterated: \\\\\\\"These comments are not new and they have repeatedly said these things at different junctures. Each time, the Iranian nation judged the Americans\\\\\\\' offers according to their actions.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the Americans who said that the ball is in Iran\\\\\\\'s court, reiterating: \\\\\\\"The ball is in your court because it is you who should answer this question: does it make sense to speak about negotiations while you continue to exert pressures and make threats?\\\\\\\" His Eminence said: \\\\\\\"Negotiations are for th e sake of proving one\\\\\\\'s honest good will. You commit tens of dishonest acts and then you speak about negotiations. Can the Iranian nation believe that you are honest?\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution explained the reasons behind the Americans\\\\\\\' offer of negotiations. He stated: \\\\\\\"Of course, we understand their need for negotiations. The Middle East policies of the Americans have failed and they need to play a trump card in order to make up for this defeat.\\\\\\\" He described the effort to drag the Islamic Republic of Iran to the negotiating table as the American trump card, adding: \\\\\\\"They want to say to the world that they have good will, but nobody has seen any good will.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the American offer of negotiations which was made 4 years ago, stressing: \\\\\\\"At that time, we announced that we will not prejudge and we will wait to see what action they will take. But we saw nothing exce pt for the continuation of their plots, their assistance to those who started the fitna and their support for terrorists who killed the scientists of the Iranian nation.\\\\\\\" His Eminence added: \\\\\\\"As you said, you have imposed crippling sanctions on the Iranian people in order to cripple them. Does this show your good will or insincerity?\\\\\\\" He stated: \\\\\\\"Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides negotiate with good intentions and without planning to deceive one another. Negotiations should be on equal terms. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations, tactical negotiations and their offer of negotiations for the sake of showing off as a so-called great power, are deceptive moves.\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: \\\\\\\"I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary. For this reason, I say openly, honestly and clearly that offers of negotiations are meaningful when the two sides show their good intentions.\\\\\\\" Addressing the Americans, Ayatollah Khamenei said: \\\\\\\"You point the gun at the people of Iran and say, negotiate or we will shoot you. You should know that exerting pressures and making offers of negotiations are not compatible and our nation is not intimidated by these things.\\\\\\\"

Iran and the permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany start a two-day expert-level meeting in Vienna. Tehran has sent experts from nuclear, oil, banking and other industrial sectors. Iran\'s Foreign Ministry\'s director for political affairs, Hamid Ba\'eedinejad, is leading the team. This, as an American delegation, including experts from the country\'s State and Treasury Departments, is also present. The last meeting of the two sides was held in Geneva on October 15 and 16. Following the talks described by both sides as constructive, Tehran and the six powers decided to send their experts to Vienna at the end of October to discuss details of Iran\'s new proposal to resolve outstanding issues over its nuclear energy program. The latest talks come as Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency wrapped up two days of negotiations on Tuesday, which were also described as very productive.

8. The profit motive drives the actions of the corporation and creates a mindset of competition and anything goes. Meet corporate spy and self -described predator Marc Barry as he describes his tactics for gathering intelligence from competing corporations. Juxtapose his attitude with Ray Anderson President of Interface - who - in an epiphanic moment - realized he was a plunderer and it was only a matter of time before the law figures it out.

Dr. Dahlia Wasfi was born to a Jewish mother and an Iraqi father. She recently put her medical career on hold to visit with family members in Iraq - and recently returned from a three-month stay in Basrah and Baghdad. Dr. Wasfi described her experience in Iraq and discussed the life of Iraqis under occupation on April 27 2006 in Washington DC. Such courage to speak truth to power! Very inspiring!

The reality of Backbiting as described in the Holy Quran. This is an awareness to all those who backbite and do not realise the scale of the sin as well as a reminder.

Quds Day keeps Palestinian cause alive Hezbollah\\\'s leader says Quds Day is clearly alive decades after its inception, as a warning to Muslims against abandoning the Palestinian cause. “Thirty years after Imam Khomeini (PBUH) announced Quds Day, it is clearly very much alive…and has always had the support of those generations who supported Imam Khomeini and followed his path,” said Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah during a televised address on the ocassion. He hailed the annual event as an opportunity to reinvigorate the cause of al-Quds and Palestine, “which was and still is subject to destruction, bargaining and forgetfulness.” “The idea is not just for standing at podiums and crying because of (Palestinian) losses,” he said, adding that by marking Quds Day, Muslims highlight their determination to rectify the situation. Nasrallah criticized those who are afraid of the negative repercussions standing for the Palestinian nation may bring, describing the issue as a central cause that concerns the destiny of the entire Islamic Ummah and of future generations. He referred to the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel as a humiliation for Muslims whose noblest sanctities remain occupied by their \\\'racist Zionist\\\' enemy. The Hezbollah secretary general underscored the responsibility of the Muslim community towards al-Quds, Palestine and the Palestinian nation, saying Palestine belonged to the Palestinians, Muslims and the Arab world and that it must revert to its real owners. He refuted the misconception of Israel being a superpower and described the Zionist regime as an entity created by Britain and taken over by the United States, noting that both are using Tel Aviv for their hegemonic aims. The Hezbollah chief then pored scorn on the shameful tactic of begging the founders of Israel in the hope of liberating the occupied territories. He said Israel is the enemy of all Arabs and Muslims and called on the Arabs unite against their common enemy, adding that Premier Ehud Olmert\\\'s resignation is evidence of the Israeli defeat in the July 2006 war. Nasrallah also emphasized that Hezbollah was genuinely devoted to the reconciliation of all Lebanese rival groups in the national effort to realize peace and political stability. The founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, designated International Quds Day in 1979 to oppose Israel\\\'s occupation of Islam\\\'s third most holy city and Palestinian lands in general. Anti-Zionist demonstrations are held on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan in some Muslim countries and by Muslim and Arab communities around the world.

14th July 2008 - Channel 4 aired a discussion on the controversial side of the documentary that they aired - The Qoran - in which they described differences between Shias and Sunnis. Which however were inaccurate and caused disappointed to all shias about the inaccuracy of the information.

The US Role in Haiti-s Food RiotsAs people around the world continue to protest the soaring prices of basic food items the World Food Program has described the crisis as a silent tsunami. The head of the Food and Agriculture Organization blamed the current global food crisis on -inappropriate- policy decisions over the past two decades. Nowhere is this more clear than in Haiti where hungry people are rioting in the streets because they cannot afford to buy rice. Haiti imports most of its rice from the United States which in turn remains heavily subsidized. We speak with human rights lawyer Bill Quigley.

Unconventional weapons used against Gazans Doctor Mads Gilbert is a member of a Norwegian triage medical team present in the besieged Gaza Strip. The team has exposed that Israel has used depleted uranium weapons in its war on the impoverished territory which is home to 1.5 million Palestinians. He described the conditions inside Gaza in an exclusive Press TV interview. Press TV: What can you tell about the uranium findings? Dr. Mads Gilbert:The findings about the uranium I cannot tell you much about, but I can tell you that we have clear evidence that the Israelis are using a new type of very high explosive weapons which are called Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) and are made out of a tungsten alloy. These weapons have an enormous power to explode. The power of the explosion dissipates very quickly and the strength does not travel long, maybe 10 meters, but those humans who are hit by this explosion, this pressure wave are cut in pieces. This was first used in Lebanon in 2006, it was used here in Gaza in 2006 and the injuries that we see in Shifa [Hospital] now, many many of them I suspect and we all suspect are the effect of DIME weapons used by the Israelis. On the long term, these weapons will have a cancer effect on those who survive. They will develop cancer we suspect. There has been very little research on this but some research has been among other places in the United States, which show that these weapons have a high tendency to develop cancer. So they kill and those who survive risk having cancer. Press TV: And what do you have to say about this? Dr. Mads Gilbert:All that is happening in Gaza here now is against international law, it is against humanity and I think it is against what it means to be a decent person. You don't treat other people like this. Even if you disagree with him… maybe even if you fight with them, you don't treat civilians, children and women like this. And I have an appeal to the Israeli doctors and nurses. They are my colleagues. We belong to the same international community, the medical community. I wish that the good doctors and nurses in Israel tell their government to stop these atrocities. We cannot continue with this. We may differ in opinions, but you cannot treat the civilian Palestinian population in Gaza in this way. Today, they were bombing in Gaza City; we received 150 wounded and more than 50 killed. Press TV: Only at Shifa?! Dr. Mads Gilbert:Yes, here in Shifa. I treated a ten-year-old boy. He had his whole chest filled with fragments from the bomb. On his lap was another person's leg that had been cut off. We resuscitated him and did everything we could do to save his life but he died between our hands. This is such a terrible experience and behind the numbers that you report all the time, there are human beings, families, women, grandmothers, children. That is in fact the reality in this situation. Those who are paying the price for the Israeli bombardments now are the common people, the Palestinian people. Half of the population in Palestine are below 15 years and 80 percent of the people in Gaza live below the level of poverty defined by the UN. Now they don't have food, they don't have electricity. It's cold they don't have warmth and in addition to that, they are killed. This must be stopped. Press TV How many people did you see that are effected by this weapon? Dr. Mads Gilbert: Almost all of the patients we have received have these sever amputations. They seem to have been affected by this kind of weapon. Of course, we have many fragment injuries and burns but those who have got their limbs cut off, constitutes quite a large proportion. You know we have a lot to do. Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedics do an incredibly heroic job to save their people. Doctor Eric and I are just a small drip in the ocean, but we learn from them. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to do research, we have to save lives, but this question should be researched by the international community.

So WHO makes United States' decisions - Jan09 - English. US denies Olmert influenced UN vote The US has denied that a telephone call made by Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, to George Bush, the US president, led to the US abstaining in a UN vote on the Gaza war last week. In a speech late on Monday, Olmert said Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, was left "pretty shamed" at the vote and had to abstain on a resolution she had helped arrange. Sean McCormack, a US state department spokesmen, who was with Rice at the UN last week during debate on the security council resolution, said the remarks were "just 100 per cent, totally, completely untrue". McCormack said that Washington had no plans to seek clarification from Israel. Mark Regev, a spokesman for Ehud Olmert, said the Israeli leader stood by his remarks. Telephone influence The Israeli prime minister said on Monday that he demanded to talk to Bush last Thursday, minutes before a vote in the UN Security Council on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. "When we saw that Rice, for reasons we did not really understand, wanted to vote in favour of the resolution ... I looked for President Bush," Olmert said. Bush, who Olmert said was taken off a stage in Philadelphia where he was making a speech, said he was not informed on the resolution and was "not familiar with the phrasing". "I'm familiar with it. You can't vote in favour." Olmert claimed telling the US president. "He [Bush] gave an order to the secretary of state and she did not vote in favour of it, a resolution she cooked up, phrased, organised and manoeuvred for," Olmert said. Bush was in Philadelphia on Thursday morning and gave a 27-minute speech on education policy that ended about 10 hours before the UN vote and there was no interruption of the public event. The Israeli prime minister described Bush as an "unparalleled friend" of Israel. UN call Fourteen of the security council's 15 members supported the legally binding resolution, which has until now failed to stop Israel's offensive in Gaza. Olmert criticised the UN resolution, saying that "no decision, present or future, will deny us our basic right to defend the residents of Israel". Israel launched its offensive on December 27, in what it said was an attempt to stop Hamas firing rockets into southern Israel from Gaza. After an intensive air campaign in the first week, Israel sent ground forces into Gaza in the second week of fighting and continues to push deeper into the strip.

10 February 2009 - International observers estimate that over 30 million Iranians marched across their country, creating a roaring human ocean. International media representatives described the march as perhaps the largest in human history. The February 10 march has become a revolutionary symbol in Iran since the 1979 revolution which toppled the CIA-installed pro-US government of Mohammad Reza Shah who had come to power 25 years earlier when the CIA engineered a military coup which toppled the democratically-elected government of Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh.

US President Barack Obama's choice for a top intelligence post has been described as the "wrong guy for the job" who has made statements against Israel that are "way over the top". That is the view of New York Democratic Senator, Charles Schumer, about Charles Freeman. Freeman had been Obama's pick to head the US National Intelligence Council. The Council oversees US spy agencies. Freeman has now withdrawn. It is the latest embarrassment for a president struggling to staff his new administration.

Dozens of delegates have walked out of a United Nations conference on racism after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, described Israel as a "racist government". Ahmadinejad told delegates at the summit in Switzerland on Monday, that after the Second World War the United States and other nations had established a "cruel, oppressive and racist regime in occupied Palestine". "The UN security council has stabilised this occupation regime and supported it in the last 60 years giving them a free hand to continue their crimes," he told delegates at the Durban Review Conference hall in Geneva. Dozens of diplomats from countries including Britain and France left the hall in protest as he made the remarks. Ahmadinejad also asked the conference: "What were the root causes of the US attacks against Iraq or invasion of Afghanistan? "The Iraqi people have suffered enormous losses ... wasn't the military action against Iraq planned by the Zionists ... in the US administration, in complicity with the arms manufacturing companies?". Many delegates who remained in the hall applauded Ahmadinejad's comments. At least three demonstrators, dressed as clowns and shouting "racist, racist," were expelled as Ahmadinejad began to speak. Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera's correspondent at the conference, said Ahmadinejad had reiterated his views on Israel, especially over its 22-day war on Gaza. He said: "At the time [of the offensive] he said what was going on in Gaza was a genocide ... this was an opportunity for him to say that at a world forum. "There are people in the hall who believe that what Ahmadinejad was saying is correct - that is why there is such a split here."

Dozens of delegates have walked out of a United Nations conference on racism after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, described Israel as a "racist government". Ahmadinejad told delegates at the summit in Switzerland on Monday, that after the Second World War the United States and other nations had established a "cruel, oppressive and racist regime in occupied Palestine". "The UN security council has stabilised this occupation regime and supported it in the last 60 years giving them a free hand to continue their crimes," he told delegates at the Durban Review Conference hall in Geneva. Dozens of diplomats from countries including Britain and France left the hall in protest as he made the remarks. Ahmadinejad also asked the conference: "What were the root causes of the US attacks against Iraq or invasion of Afghanistan? "The Iraqi people have suffered enormous losses ... wasn't the military action against Iraq planned by the Zionists ... in the US administration, in complicity with the arms manufacturing companies?". Many delegates who remained in the hall applauded Ahmadinejad's comments.

An aide to defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi says that the post-election rioters are "not supporters of, or linked to Mousavi or his camp." Mahmoud Rabi'ee, Mousavi's campaign adviser in the Golestan Province, denounced the recent unrest which led to vandalism, arson and clashes with the riot police throughout Iran. Mousavi, who according to the Interior Ministry has lost to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad even in the East-Azerbaijan province where he hails from, cried foul and described the election as a 'charade' - an allegation denied by the president and his interior minister, who was in charge of holding the election. "We are supporting Mousavi to continue the path of [the late leader of the Islamic Revolution] Imam Khomeini and those who lost their lives and made sacrifices for the Islamic Republic," Rabi'ee said on Wednesday. "We have objections to the election results, but we show our objections by the means of silence," he added. The election results, which marked a landslide victory for the incumbent president, caused mass rallies by hundreds of thousands of Mousavi's supporters. On occasions the rallies turned violent and resulted in casualties. Eight people have so far been confirmed dead in the ensuing clashes between the police and the protesters. Many others have been injured in the unrest. Rabi'ee added that a number of 'miscreants' are attempting to de-fame Mousavi and his supporters "by conducting acts of vandalism in our name." The Mousavi camp seeks to pursue its complaints regarding 'electoral irregularities' through legal means and has pleaded the authorities to provide for the peaceful proceeding of the reported 'violations'