Russia concerned over instability in Libya – Foreign Ministry

The Libyan debacle is still 'haunting' Moscow which automatically is making Moscow unyielding and extremely defiant on Syria. Russia, after abstaining from the UN vote that endorsed the no-fly zone in Libya, was appalled at the sudden turn of events which favoured NATO and its regime change music.

It tried to retrace its step, calling for diplomatic solution but hard due to the UN approval the no-fly zone turned NATO-agenda received.

Since the demise of Gaddafi, Libya has been embroiled in one form of violence or the other. The latest being the death of about 30 people when protesters demanding a regular and national army is formed and militias wielding of arms be stopped clashed with militias. The  militias are not ready to lay down their weapons, using them instead to hold the government to ransom at will.

The protest near the headquarters of the first brigade of the Libya Shield militia in the second-largest Libyan city, Benghazi, on June 8 devolved into clashes between local residents, Libya Shield members and the police.

Moscow revealed it is concerned by an armed incident in Benghazi, Libya, in which about 30 people died and 100 were injured, according to a comment from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s information and press department.

“Supporting the country's progress along the path of democratic renovations, we urge the Libyan sides to show self-control and good sense and step up efforts towards broad national consent on the future state model of post-conflict Libya,” Interfax said, citing the Monday statement.

Changing Syria: US to decide whether to arm Syrian rebels

The Syrian war has largely been ongoing with Washington taking serious caution, probably because it is an Obama not a Bush. The intervention in Libya which led to massive NATO bombardment in the guise of protecting civilians has also not helped matters.

The Libyan no-fly zone turned to songs of regime change barely some weeks after it was endorsed by the UN and France launched its first strike. In the case of Syria, Britain has been the front-runner in likely decisions to arm the rebels. Just as France was able to mount pressure on Washington in Libya, the pressure of Britain could soon play out to her favour too.

Washington may decide as early as this week on whether to arm Syrian rebels, a US official said on Monday. The question of whether to arm the rebels is on the agenda for White House meetings for the early part of this week, Reuters reported. US Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly delayed a planned trip to the Middle East in order to attend the meetings in Washington. This is coming at a time when the Syrian government is coasting closer to victory; first by winning Qusayr and now pounding Aleppo to wrestle it from the control of rebels.

Obama had earlier said the use of chemical weapons in Syria will amount to crossing the 'red line'. After this was fervently tied around his neck for him to act when allegations of such weapons' usage were leveled against the government of Assad, Obama said allegations must be corroborated by pure evidence and facts must be duly established.

Russia has acted to prove another Libya will not be possible. It is consistently ready to bolster the military capabilities of Bashar al Assad's Syria with the latest move being the shipment of S-300 missile batteries which Moscow says is to prevent 'hotheads' from entering into conflict and deter those who want to escalate the crisis.

US and China to join forces on cyber-security

The first stage of US-China talks on hot-button issues in bilateral relations have ended, and no landmark decisions were announced. After over two hours of talks, US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping said the two nations agreed to closer cooperation on issues of cyber-security, and to improve military ties. 

Ahead of the talks, Washington repeatedly blamed Beijing for hacking attacks against US intelligence and industries.

Beijing has consistently denied it is waging cyber wars on Washington. Recently, Washington accused China of hacking into its systems and stealing vital military documents; charges Beijing immediately denied. 

Beijing stated that Washington was limiting the capacity and capability of Chinese to develop their own military industrial complex. It went further to say that Washington was insulting the intelligence of Chinese, that China does not need to spy on Washington for its military power.

United States Deploys Forces to Niger; Nigeria to host Drone Base

It is no longer a surprise that energy drove France to Mali because of Niger's Areva. Though France had an ulterior motive of her own to be in Mali, she however received massive accolades for the intervention. On getting to Mali, she deployed troops to Areva in Niger. Now, it is the US' turn.

The US military deployed about 100 troops in Niger to help coordinate intelligence sharing with the French, whose forces are currently fighting to seize Islamist-controlled territory in Mali, President Obama announced Friday.

The US forces are armed with “weapons for the purpose of providing their own force protection and security,” Obama said in a letter to Congress, adding that Niger officials consented to their deployment. The president said the troops will operate out of Niger to help gather intelligence information about the conflict in Mali, but did not elaborate on any specific plans that will be assigned to them.

The announcement comes just a few weeks after the Nigerian Defence Ministry revealed their approval to host an airbase for unarmed American spy drones, which could be used in Mali to monitor Islamists.

Killing Africa's Future: Mali's Crisis Disrupts Schooling of 700,000 Children - Unicef

The education of some 700,000 children in Mali has been disrupted due to the violence in the country according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The organisation  added that there is an urgent need to rebuild schools, train teachers and provide learning supplies.

Since the violence began over a year ago, at least 115 schools in the north were closed, destroyed, looted and sometimes contaminated with unexploded ordnance. Of the 700,000 children affected, 200,000 still have no access to school, UNICEF said in a news release.

Many teachers were among those displaced and have not returned to the northern part of the country. Instead, they are working in the already overcrowded schools in the south, which cannot cope with the amount of displaced students from the north.

"When a teacher is afraid to teach and when a student is afraid to go to school, the whole education is at risk," said UNICEF's Representative in Mali, Françoise Ackermans.

In the north, only one in three schools is now functioning. In some towns, all schools remain closed, as is the case in Kidal, while in others a few have opened. Five per cent of schools have now reopened in Timbuktu.

UNICEF noted that the violence has also had a significant psychological impact on children, who have reported hearing gunshots at school and at home.

The agency said it is working with the Malian educational authorities to accelerate the return of children to school. Since December, UNICEF has trained 1,190 Malian teachers to provide psychological support and mine-risk education to children. In addition, more than 16,000 children have received educational materials across the country.

Other UN agencies have continued to work in Mali to assist the estimated 1.2 million people that have been affected by armed operations.

This was a war that  was started covertly by the West and now they claim to be the 'rescuer.' Mali was a country that enjoying relative peace and flourishing democracy till the United States started pumping cash into her military on the one hand and France started bribing rebels on the other hand.

Those who ignited the fire are now the firefighters; appearing in deceitful robes like saviours.

CONSPIRACY OF THE CUSTODIAN

Unearthing the gone glory of the Media

Society grows or retards according to the information available to it and the actions forthwith which the pieces of information engineered. No other sector of the society makes the information available and effectively spread it other than the media. The media is the custodian of the society. Everything about a people is known through no other means than the media. The richness in culture, tradition not excluding the organisation of the country in politics and economics are portrayed to the outside world through the artistic exertions of journalism. The job of the journalist anywhere in the world can never be circumvented. In this, the journalists are committed to two guiding principles which are the umbilical cords of the job. Professionalism and Objectivity. In keeping to these ethics, they shoulder a large and heavy load; balancing facts and fictions, separating lies from truths and also keeping the nucleus of the society alive.

Many a time the journalists have swayed in their quest in the separation of facts and fictions as well as promoting more of lies than truths especially when the lies are paid for or wanted by the government of the host country. Propaganda. Loss of prestige. Fox News in the US is clearly notorious for propaganda in the US. Even the Canadian government rejected it as a local broadcasting station. It can only be watched via satellite in Canada. Aljazeera is clearly quite in the propaganda race too. I took special time to view the Arab Spring from different angles, always switching constantly consistently from CNN to Aljazeera. CNN was simply awesome in objectivity though the impression I had for long had about it was that of a Western media bulldog. Aljazeera clearly made it flagrantly known that the Qatari government did not like Maummar Gaddafi and Bashar al Assad. Marvelous propaganda. 'Un-professionalism' at its heights. When CNN was keen on the Bahrain protest and that of Saudi Arabia, complaining of Western connivance and silence, Aljazeera mentioned them in passing. Despite this, Aljazeera still has more educative, innovative and factual programmes than most international media.

Back home, the media in Africa is nothing but ordinary news arena, mostly imbalanced and uninteresting. Gory tales. Horrific news. The media is clearly more of an horror movie news industry. There is no gainsaying the fact that Africa has more of outrageous events than those that positively catch the mind but the media has forgotten that there is a generation to be nurtured after the heinous thieves ruling the continent might have been deposed or gone naturally to meet their king, Lucifer. I wonder if the tales of woes now are more than those of the past. Definitely by all standard NO. Africa now only needs more objectivity and problem-solving media criticism. Constructive criticism. Africa needs a media that will charge the system and not continue to make the thieves influential criminals. Africa needs a media that will tell the people what they need to do. Africa needs a media that will not be too quick to announce to the world that there is a riot after election as witnessed in Ghana.

During the US election, the Republicans objected to the process in Florida claiming they will contest the result. Many hiccups occurred in the process that produced Obama but all were kept at the base so that distractions will not occur. So also was that of George Bush. The media knows that it is capable of disrupting even the best electoral process in the world. Did we ever hear of the African-like election tales and stories? Rigging is so cheap in the US that only a $2 dollar microchip will perform the magic. Both the Republicans and Democrats know this. Who heard of Patraeus during the campaign and election? How about the US drone fired at by Iran? Media guides societies. Africa does not need a media that only makes bribery and corruption look institutionalised. Africa needs a media that juxtapose facts and developments in different African countries as well as in the world. Africa needs a media that will unearth the past and remake it for the modern age. Africa needs real investigative journalism.

When the continent was really hot with almost 2/3^rd of the wars and conflicts domiciled in it, the media of then still had time to broadcast educative programmes for children and youths. We also heard more from our parents. They contributed to the morals of many today. All these programmes we reminisce today as growing adults and we silently cry. The Tales by Moonlight (traditional African stories of great and dynamic morals), the Village Headmaster (western education in an indigenous act), Checkmate, Palace (showing real fatherly love). There were many too in indigenous languages. How about foreign ones? The most popular was the 'The Rich also Cry'. This movie gave many of us the strong-will that money is not all. We watched 'Passion' and realised the West (US) has charms and voodoo power too. So educative and informative. Programmes with near-adult contents like deep kissing were always broadcast at night where parents would have guided their children to bed. What we have today is extreme adult movies shown in broad daylight even on weekends when children will be at home mostly likely to view them. Where are the 'Power Rangers' and 'Voltron' that simulate a quasi-technology desire in us? All gone. Mexican soaps and even African-style porn mostly coming from Ghana have flooded the media.

We are a continent of great cultural heritage, envied by many in the world. Taking a leaf from China and India, we would see and realise that their cultural pattern influenced their developments. China's censorship of the media is mostly centred on political events. She did not make the mistake of allowing her awe-inspiring culture to be silenced. India is same. Porcelain today is China's traditional commodity and now re-packaged to be accepted in the modern world. Numerous documentaries about great China are shown on CCTV. India is doing same in NDTV. What do we have in Metro TV in Ghana? AIT and many others in Nigeria? Political news on corruption always; making these nefarious ones popular rather than contrast the past and their acts as well as broadcast programmes to show the upcoming ones that this was not the way it was and it can never continue. One day all must be revolutionalised for good. The media has gone along with the society in the extremely colossal search for wealth; thrown ethics, professionalism and objectivity into the thrash bin. No investigative journalism.

Youths need to know that African women were not slaves as portrayed by Western media. They need to know that traditional leadership in Africa was based on the interest of the people not the pockets. They need to know that slave trade and colonialism changed all these. They need to learn about the Amazon of Dahomey. They must know about Queen Amina of Zaria. They should be enlightened about Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. They must know about the Queen mother in the Kikuyu and Ashanti kingdoms. They must know how powerful they were before and immediately after Western-infested contacts. The West bribed African leaders and media not to broadcast 'The Root' again claiming it makes African children and youths hate them. What nonsense! So they never wanted hatred and they destroyed the future from slave trade to colonialism and now neocolonialism. Besides, 'The Root' never made us hate anyone, it built our resolve back then to build our Africa because we could not withstood the sufferings and felt we need to tell the world that Africa shall be free and advanced. I am so sure it will do same magic to the coming ones too.

They must learn that when African women were great traders and farmers, German men used chains and padlocks to lock the private parts of their women till around the 16^th century. They must know that no African woman ever disguised her name to be accepted by the society. The TS Elliot and others of today were women with the pseudonym of men because of the European male stigmatisation of women. African youths must know that all these historical and indigenous feats can be brought back and re-fashioned with modern trends. They need to know that no place is like home. The media needs to bring back the African nucleus for the coming generation if truly Africa must advance.

Nigeria, Israel and Iran: Treading a Dangerous Path

Nigeria might be threading a path so dangerous for the corporate existence of the country with the SSS report that Iranian Terror Cell was uncovered in Lagos.

The State Security Service said in Abuja on Wednesday that it had uncovered a terror network, coordinated by Iranians, in Lagos.

 The SSS said this while parading a leader of an Islamic sect, Abdullahi Berende, and two others said to be operators of the Iranian terror cell gathering information about Israelis and Americans living in Nigeria.

Paraded alongside 50-year-old Berende were Sulaiman Saka and Saheed Adewunmi. The three were said to be working for Iranian terrorists planning to attack Americans and Israelis in the country. Another suspect, Bunyamin Yusuf is said to be at large.

This report comes a day after Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel on irrigation farming. The report has every semblance with the model employed by the United States last year to pit Saudi Arabia against Iran when she announced a terrorist trained by Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG), the highly trained and professional paramilitary body of the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces, wanted to attack the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington.

The allegation died a natural death. Experts in the United States reported that the alleged attacker has psychological disorder and that Iran and the IRG could not have carried out such attempted attack. The body is far sophisticated in acts than that.

Now, Nigeria wants to follow the same path. Why Iran? These two nations; US and Israel have the most sophisticated intelligence units (CIA and Mossad) that can penetrate any regime and destabilise any government. Already, they believe Nigeria will disintegrate come 2015. Now, we are inviting them in full.

The implication of this with regards to the Tel Aviv and Washington styles is that militants will be annoyed in the North of Nigeria, hence they will increase attacks all in the name of the incident. Nigeria will then call on the US and Israel to send in 'intelligence experts' who rather than uncover plots to attack Nigeria will work secretly for the demise of the fragile entity.

Nigeria will be so gullible if all because she has signed an MOU with Israel on farming, she wants to frame and rope Iran in other to appease her and the US.

Will Iran Ease Up?

Tehran is prepared to ease Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for pledges about the country's ability to enrich uranium, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

Ramin Mehmanparast said that an important "opportunity" awaits next week's talks in Kazakhstan between Iran and six world powers, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.

“We will offer ways for removing possible concerns and ambiguities to show our goodwill, if Western countries, especially the US, fully recognise the nuclear rights of countries, which shows their goodwill,” Mehmanparast said. Same-level mutual actions can be followed by Iran to reach an "understanding point," he added.

This declaration is likely not to yield any meaningful result because one of the cogent conditions to make Washington listen is for Iran to allow full access of the UN Nuclear Watchdog, IAEA into its facilities, a move Iran resents.

Iran continues to reiterate that her Nuclear Programme is completely for peaceful means; medical research for isotopes while the West with the interest of Israel at heart believes she wants to produce nuclear weapons.

Nato Airstrikes Ban in Afghanistan

                                              Afghan President; Hamid Karzai

Afghan president Hamid Karzai signed a decree prohibiting members of the Afghan security forces from requesting NATO airstrikes during operations in residential areas.

Karzai promised to issue the ban two days ago, and signed it on Monday, amidst anger over a NATO airstrike requested by the national intelligence service that local officials said killed at least 10 civilians and four fighters in northeastern Kunar province.

"No Afghan security forces, under any circumstances, any circumstances, can ask for the foreigners' planes for carrying out operations on our homes and villages", Karzai said at a Sunday press conference.

The presidential order is directed at the defence and interior ministries, and the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan spy agency.

It states: "During your operations, do not call for air support from international forces during operations on residential areas." The coalition, however, can still carry out airstrikes on its own accord.

General Joseph Dunford, the US commander in Afghanistan, said he believes the American-led NATO coalition can operate effectively under the terms of the ban.

General John Allen, the erstwhile US-led NATO commander had earlier passed a similar rule aimed at mitigating civilian casualties. Dunford reiterated that NATO will continue to assist the Afghan government in more ways than airstrikes.

The US-led military coalition said last June that it would use airstrikes only in self-defence, as a weapon of last resort, and would avoid hitting structures that could house civilians.

That followed a bombardment that killed 18 civilians celebrating a wedding in Eastern Logar province, which drew an apology from the US commander.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said that 83 civilians were killed and 46 wounded in aerial attacks by international military forces in the first half of 2012.

Karzai's decree came after a NATO statement that an Afghan soldier who killed his US counterpart, in a so-called "insider attack" in Eastern Afghanistan last year, was killed in last week's Kunar province airstrike. He was identified as Mahmood.

Mahmood is thought was responsible for the May 11 killing of US army lieutenant Alejo Thompson, who died during an insider attack on a base in the Northeastern province. The attack also wounded two US soldiers. The Taliban said he joined the armed opposition group.

US is due to withdraw all her troops from Afghanistan by 2014 after the initial withdrawal of 34,000 soldiers.

Cuba and the United States: Who is tired of Who?

                               

                                 Cuban President: Raul Castro

A seven-member delegation of US lawmakers arrived in Cuba in an effort to improve political relations that have been frozen since US government contractor Alan Gross was imprisoned there in 2009.

Democratic senator Patrick Leahy, who saw Gross and met with Cuban president Raul Castro and other high-ranking officials a year ago, led the group of five senators and two members of the House of Representatives on a three-day visit to communist Cuba.

"There are obvious problems between our two countries, but we are not here to negotiate. We are here to listen and then go home and talk about what we see," according to Patrick Leahy.

"We all want to see relations improve and both sides take steps in that direction," US Senator Patrick Leahy said.

The lawmakers, all Democrats except for Arizona senator Jeff Flake, include congressmen Chris Van Hollen, who represents Gross's district in Maryland, and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts; and senators Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

Members of the group said they planned to meet with Gross, parliament president Ricardo Alarcon, foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez and perhaps Raul Castro.

Leahy said the delegation would like to take Gross with them when it leaves for Haiti on Wednesday, an occurrence that might not see the light of day.

"There are obvious problems between our two countries, but we are not here to negotiate. We are here to listen and then go back home and talk about what we see," he said.

Despite the tension between the US and Cuba, more people travelled between the two countries in 2012, cash remittances sent to the island also increased, as did food-for-cash sales under a 2000 amendment to US trade embargo.

President Castro has lifted most travel restrictions and freed Cubans to buy and sell homes and cars over the past year, even as he accelerates efforts to reform the Soviety-style economy in a more market-friendly direction. The Obama administration has said relations will not improve while Gross remains in custody.

In addition, under the 1996 'Helms-Burton' law, sanctions cannot be lifted until Cuba's one-party communist political system is changed, a demand rejected by the Cuban government. Gross, 63, was arrested in Havana in December 2009 and sentenced to 15 years in prison for installing Internet networks under a secretive US program the Cuban government considers subversive.

The case put the brakes on a brief warming in long-hostile US-Cuba relations during the first 11 months of Obama's first term in office. Raul Castro's mild reforms have helped in reducing tensions between Havana and Washington.

Cuba has linked Gross' fate to that of five agents imprisoned in the late 1990s for infiltrating Miami exile organisations and US military bases. The agents, known as the Cuban Five, were sentenced to long terms ranging from 15 years to life and are considered heroes in Cub.

When Fidel castro became ill, Obama extended an 'olive branch' to Cuba and Raul Castro to help bring about democratic change, a move many Cubans rejected. Now, it seems Cuba struck the US where it matters.

On Tax: Americans Renounce Citizenship

Thousands of Americans pack their suitcases, rip up their US passports and move permanently overseas to prevent Uncle Sam from taking their money evey year in anger over the latest tax hikes each year. In the first three quarters of 2012, more than 1,100 Americans renounced their citizenship and made their homes elsewhere, according to the Federal Register.

Available data does not yet include those who left in the fourth quarter, but it is on track to surpass the 1,781 Americans who relinquished their passports in 2011. And the number of Americans who ditched the US in 2011 was seven times higher than those who left in 2008.

With 6 million US citizens living abroad and continuing to pay US taxes, expatriates increasingly abandon their citizenship for the sake of saving cash. The US is the only industrialized country that requires its overseas citizens to pay income taxes – even if their income is generated abroad.

And for wealthy expatriates, the financial consequences of remaining a US citizen are most severe. Individuals earning more than $400,000 a year and married couples earning more than $450,000 a year will be paying an income tax rate of 39.6 percent – which is up from last year’s rate of 35 percent.

Those who earn more than $1 million annually will pay Uncle Sam about $170,341 more this fiscal year, according to the Tax Policy Center. Those who fear losing their savings frequently move to countries that do not tax their incomes.

One third of all billionaires that moved from the US to another country chose to go to ‘tax havens’ such as Switzerland, Bahamas, and Singapore, according to a 2012 study by the Research Institute of Industrial Economics.

While those who forego their citizenship will lose protection from the US government and could face difficulty in visiting the US, expatriates increasingly consider it worth it – including high-profile celebrities like 73-year-old American-born singer Tina Turner and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Turner, who is worth an estimated $200 million, in January became a Swiss citizen and ditched her US citizenship. Saverin, whose net worth is an estimated $2.2 billion, holds Brazilian citizenship and lives in Singapore. Bloomberg estimates that the Facebook co-founder saved at least $67 million in federal income taxes by cutting his ties to the US.

But while the rich and famous make headlines for escaping the IRS’ grip on their finances, all American expatriates are subject to US taxes and are required by law to file estimated taxes and income, estate and gift tax returns. Some lawmakers are even trying to subject Americans to taxes even after giving up their citizenship. Sens.

Charles Schumer and Bob Casey last yearsuggestedthat Congress vote for a law that would force former US citizens to pay taxes for years after renouncing their citizenship – as well as ban them from ever returning to the US.

But in the short-term, ditching the US comes with its own financial penalties: Americans renouncing citizenship are required to pay an often-hefty exit fee. Those whose net worth is more than $2 million or whose annual income tax average is more than $145,000 are required to pay a 15 percent tax on capital gains above $641,000 and taxes on other assets including retirement accounts at the income rate of 39.6 percent.

As the only country to tax its citizens abroad, the US is pushing thousands of its citizens away.
“If you don’t mind where you live and the tax becomes excessive, then leaving might be a good choice,” Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, told Yahoo! Finance. “Countries have less of a hold on people. Governments have to raise more taxes, but they can’t go too far.”

Uganda to launch her first Space Observer

Uganda will soon launch the first space observer called Cadimella, Capt. Chris Nsamba, the chief executive officer and founder of the African Space Research Programme (ASRP), has revealed.

Nsamba was briefing the Vice-President, Edward Ssekandi, who inspected the launch pad of the space observer at Kimaka Airfield in Jinja said "This has demonstrated that Ugandans can also participate in sophisticated programmes. This is impressive and the Government will support the association. I am going to brief the President about this," Ssekandi said.

Nsamba and his eight-man team demonstrated to Ssekandi how the space probe works while in transit in the orbit. The team also hid the space probe and demonstrated to the Vice-President how it can be tracked using satellite in case it lands in another country.

Nsamba revealed that the space probe has self-defence, anti-time missile features, which protect it from being hit by missiles destined to destroy it in case it passes in the space of another country. After its launch, they will put a mouse in it and will have it lifted to the stratosphere by a helium balloon.

The space probe is fitted with cameras with a wide angle fish-eye lens to be used in taking pictures of Uganda from space and other features on the planet. The others are a thermometer and Global Positioning System trackers.

"We shall send a mouse to space. If it comes back alive, it will mean that Uganda is able to send human beings into space and we shall embark on constructing a new space observer that a person can use," Nsamba said.

"As the space probe orbits the planet, it will pick dust molecules for our laboratory research," he noted. His team had already launched a prototype test and was able to take some pictures while in space. Cadimella will orbit the space twice and come back with samples. In case it lands on water, they can command back to the surface.

ASRP has a core representation in Dallas, US which handles all international matters outside Africa.
The space probe will be used to scan meteoroids and asteroids closest to earth's orbit.

However, this like any other project, Uganda's space ambition will come with some challenges. Nsamba said they faced some challenges like building the motherboard and problems with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which had prevented them from flying it due to space laws.

French Gift to Mali Islamists

­
The revelation by the former US ambassador shows that most of the wars fought by Western Nations are wars they covertly or overtly financed. The heavy weapons used by Islamists in Mali came from NATO's supply against Gaddafi.

The ambassador reveals:

In recent years France and other European countries have channeled millions of dollars in ransom payments to Al Qaeda-linked militants, according to a former US ambassador to Mali. The militants are thought to be from the same groups now fighting French troops in the troubled North African state.

In an interview aired on a French channel on Friday, Vicki Huddleston, who served as ambassador from 2002-2005, said that France had paid $17 million to free French hostages seized from a uranium mine in its former colony Niger in 2010.

She added that at least $89 million could have been paid out through intermediaries by European countries between 2004 -2011. North Africa's AQIM military organization has been active in northern Mali since 2003. The militants have kidnapped dozens of hostages for ransom over the last 10 years.

The incoming invasion of Africa is really on course.

Are Sanctions Crippling Iran or Making Iran

Iran has presented its first domestically designed defence fighter-bomber jet with limited stealth capabilities. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed that the plane was designed for defense purposes, and will not be used for aggression.

Code-named Qaher-313 ('Conqueror'), the jet is an advanced single-seat single-engine military plane. It is reportedly capable of engaging targets on the ground, as well as achieving air superiority in dogfights.

According to photos published by Fars news agency, the jet boasts impressive technical specifications, with a ‘stealth’ design similar to that of the US F-22 and Russian T-50.

The large wingspan and inclined outward tail fins resembles the F-35, as well as the unusual-looking wings and modern seamless canopy. The jet may have been constructed using composite materials.

Before now, Iran has made numerous giant strides in domestic computer and internet application advancement, agricultural development and complex military capabilities since sanctions were slammed on the country by the US and EU.

 

"Now the speed of Iran's development in science and technology does not depend on circumstances, it depends on our will," Ahmadinejad said on Saturday in remarks carried on state television. "We should set higher targets. We see that it is possible, we have the capabilities."

"This project carries the message of brotherhood, peace, and security and it doesn't pose any threat to anyone. There is no intention to interfere in any other country's affairs," he said.

Iran is commemorating the 34th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah in 10 days of events that began on Thursday.

Is Brazil the New China in Africa?

Africa continues to be the home of all powers in the world; emerging or established. After the coming and exploitation of Europe, the United States followed. China is still currently doing hers and now Brazil. African leaders never showed any sign of moving beyond the continent's inverstments beyond its frontiers so as to be a relevant player in the world. All they make her do is accept others to exploit her.

Brazil's role as a trade partner with Africa is increasing, but the political links between the continent and Brazil may prove more important. In December, senior representatives of the Chinese and Brazilian foreign ministries met in Beijing for what was billed the 'second China-Brazil consultation on African affairs'.

They claimed to have expanded their consensus on Africa issues. It is understandably tempting to draw parallels between China and Brazil's economic and political engagement in Africa, and both have generated much speculations. But how similar are the two emerging powers' interactions with the continent?

While Brazil is often held up as the 'new China', the two countries have very different motivations for their presence in Africa. Unlike China, Brazil is relatively self-sufficient in terms of natural resources, and as a result Brasilia has not pushed the Chinese model of large-scale resource-backed infrastructure deals.

As far as Brazil's exports are concerned, Africa has nowhere near the strategic importance of markets in China, the US, or even Argentina. As such, it seems that Brazil's relationship with Africa has thus far been predominantly political rather than commercial.

Since the first term of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-10), the Brazilian government has strengthened its diplomatic ties across Africa.

After taking office, Lula quickly doubled the budget of the Itamaraty (Brazil's foreign ministry), leading to a concerted expansion of embassies in developing countries in general, especially in Africa. Brazil now has 37 embassies on the continent - more than the UK, a former colonial power. Between them, Lula and his foreign minister Celso Amorim visited Africa 80 times between 2003 and 2008.

Furthermore, Brasilia often invokes its historical, social, linguistic, and cultural links with Africa as a means to position itself as a 'natural' partner. Lula often spoke of an "historic debt" that Brazil owes to Africa, a reference to the historical exchanges between Africa and Brasil in terms of culture, traditions and people (Brazil is home to more people of African descent than any other country outside Africa).

Although domestic rather than foreign policy appears to be the priority of the current President, Dilma Rousseff, she has continued to chart a similar course. Notably, she has talked of a shared experience of colonialism and last year spoke of building a relationship with Africa entirely free of the "colonial practices that devastated my continent and the African continent, free of all the colonial hells that we lived".

There are clear links between these two parts of the world, but promoting them is also a diplomatic exercise. Such overtures towards Africa fit Brazil's more general policy of presenting an image of being a benign and neutral leader among developing countries.

This strategy is cogently designed with the objective of giving Brazil more projection in multilateral forums such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and of achieving the government's long-standing ambition to securing a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Alongside the political push, trade between the two regions has grown in total value over the last ten years, covering a wide range of sectors including oil and gas, fertilisers, beef, agricultural produce, minerals and automobiles. However, data from 2010 shows that Africa still only accounts for 5.3% of Brazil's total trade, a percentage that has decreased steadily since 2007, while trade with Asia has increased.

Nevertheless, while Brazil's strategy is political in emphasis, Brazilian businesses have often been central to the government's outreach programme. Lula and Rousseff have both fiercely advocated the formation of 'national champions': Brazilian conglomerates that expand the country's clout abroad and that aim to become worldwide market leaders.

To this end, the Brazilian state, via the Brazilian Development Bank(BNDES), often supports its private companies' African investments, taking advantage of its financial strength as a means to demonstrate Brazil's increasing global prominence. In Africa, Brazil's major construction and extractive firms - such as Petrobras, Vale and Odebrecht - have led the way in terms of investment and sales volume.

And while Brazilian investment in Africa remains a fraction of China's, investment value grew from $69 billion to $214 billion between 2001 and 2009. There have been particularly large investments in Lusophone Africa, often facilitated by credit offered to Brazilian companies by the BNDES: in Angola, BNDES credit has reached $3.2 billion. Notably, while Chinese policy banks such as the

China Exim Bank typically provide finance direct to African governments, the BNDES supports the expansions of Brasilian firms rather than foreign administrations. Further, Brazilian firms have often had to negotiate conflicting pressures from Brasilia: to promote Brasil abroad, but also to prioritise domestic investment and job creation in a time of diminished growth.

This is in contrast to Chinese policy whereby in the past decade, Chinese state-owned enterprises have often been charged with a mandate to aggressively expand at all costs in Africa. Brazil's expansion has been more cautious.

Brazilian investment in Africa is likely to continue in coming years. But as more investors inevitably make decisions in Africa on the basis of private interest and commercial returns, Brasilia may find it difficult to protect its national brand.

Private actors with differing agendas are becoming ever more visible, and there is a risk that this will undermine Brazil's political project of portraying itself as a partner which always prioritises mutual benefit in a spirit of co-operation and equality.

Iran and World Powers should stop Bickering - Lavrov

Russia's foreign minister has taken a quick and smooth swipe at World powers and Iran. Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Global powers and Iran should "stop behaving like little children" and agree a date and place for new talks on Tehran's nuclear programme.

European officials have accused Tehran of circumventing the arrangement of a meeting with the six nations, including Russia, that are trying to prevent Iran from developing atomic weapons. Tehran says its nuclear programme is entirely for peaceful purposes.

"Some of our partners in the six powers and the Iranian side cannot come to an agreement about where to meet," Lavrov told a news conference after talks with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.

"We are ready to meet at any location as soon as possible," Lavrov said. "We believe the essence of our talks is far more important (than the site), and we hope that common sense will prevail and we will stop behaving like little children."

Three rounds of talks in the first half of last year between Iran and the six powers - Russia, the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany - produced no breakthrough, increasing speculation Israel could attack Iranian nuclear installations.

Talks had been expected to resume after the U.S. presidential election, possibly as early as this month. An Iranian news agency reported this month that talks might resume on January 28 and 29, but the EU said there was no agreement.

Iran continues to perform her war games in and around the Strait of Hormuz in preparation for a possible 'attack' if possible by the U.S. and Israel. The U.S. too and other allies have also performed similar war games around the strait.

Another Nigeria and Libya: Mali Forces and undue Executions

Mali could be on the verge of creating a haven for a long-term insurgency-style of continuous attacks that could gradually consume West Africa with the constant human rights abuses the Malian army has been accused of committing.

Mali's army has sealed off a central town amid allegations that some of its soldiers had summarily executed dozens of people allegedly connected to rebel fighters. The experience of Nigeria in the Boko Haram menace ought to be a foundation structure for counter-activities on the rebels.

The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues said on Thursday that in the central town of Sevare at least 11 people were executed in a military camp near a bus station and the town's hospital, citing evidence gathered by local researchers.

Credible reports also pointed to around 20 other people having been executed in the same area and the bodies having been dumped in wells or otherwise disposed of, the organisation said. At Niono, two Malian Tuaregs were executed by Malian soldiers, according to the FIDH. All these executions and killings are properly documented.

The rights group, Human Rights Watch, said its investigators had spoken to witnesses who saw the executions of two Tuareg men in the village of Siribala, near Niono. The group also said witnesses had reported "credible information" of soldiers sexually abusing women in a village near Sevare, and called on the government to urgently investigate these incidents, AFP news agency reported.

The majority of the al-Qaeda-linked rebels being hunted by the armies are either Tuaregs or Arabs, reports say.

 But Mali's army has denied the claims. General Ibrahima Dahirou Dembele, the Malian army chief, promised that any soldier involved in abuses would be brought to book.

"One mustn't get confused. Every white skin is not a terrorist or a jihadist and among the enemy which attacked our different position were many black skins. We are among brothers, whether one is black or white."

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French defence minister, urged extreme "vigilance" against any abuses, saying the "honour of the (Malian) troops is at stake".

Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, said: "We cannot accept any rights violations. The international community will face a very serious situation if (the intervention force) is identified with abuses." The rebels in Mali are the same people NATO and the West armed against Gaddafi in Libya a Russian official said.

A circulating news now is that the rebels have become factional and one group is ready for negotiation. How credible this group will be is yet to be known as it is almost a tradition for rebel groups to split under such intense firepower.

Mali could end up becoming another Libya in which weapons will be freely circulated among groups after being delivered by Western powers. The Kremlin confirms this as well as Hillary Clinton in her statement delivered to congress on Wednesday.

Patriot Missiles Arrive in Turkey

Turkey's defence against the Assad regime has been bolstered with the arrival of the Patriot Missiles. In a bid to avoid direct confrontations with the the Syrian military as much as possible, Turkey called for the deployment of the missiles to guard her border with Syria.

The Turkish port of Iskenderun welcomed a German ship carrying patriot missile equipment as part of an effort to stop violence in Syria from spilling over its borders.

240 German troops had earlier touched down in Turkey to be deployed to the border with Syria, as part of a NATO mission. The Suecia Seaways vessel later arrived on Monday after the Netherlands-registered Louise Russ ship also carrying missile kits pulled into the area on Sunday night. 

The German batteries are part of a NATO contingent of Patriot missiles that intercept incoming ballistic missiles, which will remain in Turkey for a year. Two Dutch and two US batteries are also being deployed to other parts of southern Turkey.

In December, NATO announced its decision to position Patriot anti-missile systems near Turkey's southern border to defend against the threat of cross-border attacks and bringing the United States and its allies closer to the Civil War raging between Syrian opposition rebels and President Bashar Assad's regime.

Turkey, a NATO member, requested the missiles to boost its air defences. Violence has flared along the border in recent months, with Turkey firing artillery across the frontier to retaliate for Syrian shells hitting Turkish soil.

Iran and Russia have objected to the move saying Syria could just be a smokescreen to upturn the military balance and calculations in favour of NATO and the United States. They believe the missiles might be available more to spy on their weapons' systems than counter Assad's forces.

Obama and the Second Term Swearing-in Ceremony

Providence does bring a kind of symmetrical and coincidental occurrences which makes analysis sometimes obfuscating and sometimes interesting. As Israel prepares for election on January 22, Obama's inauguration comes up for his final lapse in the White House on January 20 which makes the affairs interesting.

The expected population is around 800,000, a sharp drop in the 1.8 million audience his first term swearing-in ceremony in office commanded in 2009. This is expected as the president has had more tough time battling established 'popular culture' with his skin pigmentation being a sort of impediment.

From Obamacare to Israel to fiscalcliff to gun control and recently back to Israel, the President has been seen by many whites as an 'imported leader' but his leadership sagacity has made him held his ground and come out hale and hearty.

On Sunday, following a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Obama will be sworn in officially at the White House at 1655 GMT, meeting the constitutional requirement that he do so on January 20. That portion will be private - except for a media presence - with a small audience of mostly family members.

Both times he will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice John Roberts who, in 2009 after flubbing the oath the first time, administered it to Obama again in the White House the day after his inauguration. The president's two recitations this year will be the third and fourth time he has taken the oath.

Obama's speech will focus on the American values, his imbroglio with the Republican-led house on issues like fiscalcliff, immigration laws, gun control and his major agendas in his second term. He will also bear in mind the changes in the Middle East, the United States' commitment to Israel and America's 'international responsibilities'.

The US and NATO in Mali?

The stage could be set for the coming of the United States and NATO into Mali. NATO and the United Kingdom has reiterated that they will not intervene militarily in Mali with boots on the ground. UK has sponsored France with aircraft and ready to provide more logistics. The call within the Republican circle that Obama should respond to France is reminiscent of Libya.

France has called on the Security Council of the United Nations to discuss and this might shore of international support for the mission. The Islamists on their part have promised France a long war. The have being launching a counter-offensive to drive home the point that the war is continuous and could get to mainland France.

The Obama administration should give France whatever aid it needs to combat Islamist militants in Mali, the top Republican on foreign affairs issues said Tuesday. 

“I expect the Obama administration to honour appropriate requests for intelligence and logistics support from France,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said in a statement. “When confronting a shared threat, we should have our ally’s back.”

Royce's comments come amid reports that France is beefing up its intervention to roll back Islamists who have taken over the northern part of the desert country and are threatening the rest of the country. The French intervention was requested by the country's president, who took over following a military coup last year that has been denounced by the Obama administration.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Monday the United States has a “responsibility” to help roll back the al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali.

“I welcome France taking the initiative to combat this serious security threat in West Africa,” Royce said. “The vast area of Northern Mali gives these al Qaeda-linked militants space to operate, and the weapons flowing out of Libya makes them deadly. This cancer could not go unaddressed.

“This isn’t avant garde for the French. They have shown leadership in working with Ivory Coast and other African governments to improve security. Paris understands the high stakes.”

If the United States is involved, then NATO cannot be extricated from Mali too. The fear is that another Libya might be brewing in West Africa and more weapons will be in circulation; hence, another vicious circle of violence and instability if they leave.