Yemen, Syria, Iraq Live Updates

Letter of Invitation: Info session regarding Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537) Sources: Hayakal Bafna East Yemen update : Seizure of 4 trucks containing heavy arms "bound for Houthis" in Sawm, eastern inland Hadhramaut. Islah media makes a disgustingly baseless claim that much loved Hadhrami cleric Habib Umar Bin Hafidz of Dar Al Mustafa has made a deal for Houthi militia to move in force into Tarim. Oman-Yemen border : A place to watch in coming days. Things are being stirred up there, especially in Al Mahra province. Islah media claims that Oman & Iran armed forces in "civilian attire" landed tonight on Al Mahra coast, with Houthi militia. Local sources in Al Mahra told me a few days back small groups of AQAP were deploying along the Oman-Yemen border area from Hadhramaut. There was one media claim that IS militants were on the way to Al Mukalla city from the west. AQAP checkpoints are out in full force in Al Mukalla, city Hadhramaut today, pestering locals. Saleh media say AQAP just received a batch of armoured vehicles from Saudi Arabia. Statement issued by Hadhramaut tribal, civil society, local leaders give Hadi regime till end of October to remove AQAP. Or else. Shabwah governor warns that province may fall to AQAP soon. Houthis still in control of 3 districts. He has also ordered all oil production shut down : Complains that Shabwah produces 35K barrels of crude oil daily sent to Marib refinery, but no fuel gets sent back to the province in return. Saudi war on Yemen? Forget that... Tonight's Ali Abdullah Saleh speech is a brand new Yemeni declaration of war on Saudi Arabia. =============================== Source: Adnan Darwash The 60,000 Toyota 4-wheel drive pickup trucks were not dropped by US C-130 but were driven across the Syrian borders from Jordan and Turkey. The Russians gave Toyota co. engine numbers of cars captured in Syria. Toyota said 60,000 ISIS 4X drive came from Qatar, Jordan, UAE and KSA. All bearded fighters armed by the CIA and assisted by Jordan and Israel are no more than foreign mercenaries implementing USraeli designs. Castro was castigated for sharing similar ideology with USSR. But no-one dares to castigate the Saudis for sharing ISIS/Daesh ideology! 'US exporting revolution (terrorism) to assert imperialism' — RT Op-Edge rt.com/op-edge/318553… Never trust the US: Iraq bombs Daesh based on anti-ISIS Quartet intelligence ptv.io/20Kb Saudi Arabia and US need to rush supplies as Daesh loses 'most' military equipment in Russia airstrikes ptv.io/20Ki US fools never learn: Little doubt US arms delivered to Syrian opposition to fall into terrorists' hands — RT News rt.com/news/318537-us… One million dollar question: Can the US trust the ‘Free Syrian Army’? — RT Op-Edge rt.com/op-edge/318538… Not Unusual: The Americans and the Saudis hire unmarked planes to drop supplies to besieged ISIS in Iraq and to good terrorists in Syria. Not Unusual: Mohamed Al-Golani, head of Al-Nusrat Front in Syria, puts a bounty $ on the head of Assad and Nassarullah but not on Netanyahu! Nothing unusual: ISIS and the Americans are using foreign Mercenaries to do the dirty works for them. Many Iraqis are not trusted by ISIS. An inside Job: Ex-director CIA led 'cover-up' of Kennedy assassination: Report ptv.io/20IX Only a well-connected force can distort facts: Israel one of the sponsors of JFK assassination: American scholar ptv.io/20Ik Biggest blows for Israel: 1.A new Intifada 2.Defeat of terrorist allies in Syria 3.Fall of Barzani 4.Victory of Hezb, Iran . It is better for an unified Iraq and for the Kurds if USraeli agent, autocratic and corrupt Barzani, is toppled and goes to live in the USA. USraeli agents in Syria and Kurdistan are losing ground after being exposed as cheap and corrupt traitors. Iraq is the only country that recognises the Kurdish Language and Culture and considers them as an essential component of the population. Advised by the USraelis, Barzani believed that dividing and weakening Iraq is in the Kurds best interests. The complete opposite is true. The US Policy of Using and Dumping Allies included Kurdish Barzani who was abandoned despite offering MOSSAD and CIA bases in North Iraq. US-appointed Corrupt Al-Maliki and Corrupt Warlord Barzani must face trial for looting Iraq and filling their pockets from shady deals. Long-awaited rebellion against pro-USraeli corrupt autocratic warlord Barzani. Barzani profited from US occupation by selling oil to Israel. The US policy of Using and Dumping allies extends to include the discredited Syrian Mercenaries left at the mercy of Putin's war planes. Autocratic Barzani pockets oil proceeds, central government contributions while Kurdish school teachers haven't been paid for three months. The useless US-led West, the effective Putin's actions and the dramatic drop in the price of oil are having significant impacts inside Iraq. يا جميع أيش الافضل ترجيم انجليزي ل "الدنبوع"؟ By Spraying President Putin of Russia with his winner's Champaign, Lewis Hamilton increased the prestige of Putin and decreased his. China’s military advisers ‘heading to Syria to help fight ISIS’ – report — RT News rt.com/news/316705-ch… Intercepted ISIS communications show 'growing panic' after Russian airstrikes - combat report — RT News rt.com/news/318284-ru… Obama failed to defend US blacks: White officer's fatal shooting of black boy with pellet gun justified: Reports ptv.io/20Fg Jews must go back to 1948 Borders: Israel’s domination of Palestinians makes violence inevitable | Mairav Zonszein gu.com/p/4d7fx/stw @jeremycorbyn The International Community has allowed Israel to breach 39 UNSCO resolutions and to develop and stockpile hundreds of NUKES. @jeremycorbyn After the minimum living wage for a working person, is it timely or appropriate to campaign for a minimum living Pension? @camanpour @ZhannaNemtsova Time has changed while Amanpour continues to be a boring her master's US voice. Supporting Terror: Erdogan, Qatar Emir, Saudi King, Jordanian King, CIA, David Cameron and Fabius Should Get a Dose of their own Medicine. In solidarity with the Palestinians; Jordan, Egypt, Qatar and Morocco should cut all contacts with Israel and expel MOSSAD agents. US help to ISIS! 1. Iraqi Mobilisation force gets bombed by 'friendly' fires. 2. Unmarked planes dropping supplies to besieged ISIS forces. The short-sighted US foreign policy that undermined if not humiliated the Russians in Libya and Iraq pushed Putin to move swiftly in Syria. Saddam was indirectly encouraged by US to invade Kuwait. With tacit US approval, Saudi Arabia went into Yemen. Follow US advice and lose! In order to punish Iran and Russia, the US asked Saudi Arabia to help crashing the oil price. Now the Saudis are in an economic deep hole. Instead of keeping quiet and enjoying their wealth, the Saudis are being pushed to Take Steps Longer than their Legs in Yemen and in Syria! --- It will help US image in the M.E. if pressure is put on Israel to abide by International Law and to stop the killing of Palestinians. Despite being in an Economic Dire Strait, the Saudis can't stop supporting USraeli designs in Syria and Yemen while oil is at $50 a barrel. Ethnic divide of US-Russian attacks on ISIS. Unlike the Sunnis, Shiites of Iraq support Putin and believe US & Saudi allies created ISIS. Double Standards and Selective Morality of the US-led West have been fuelling discontent and causing violence. Question V: Why the UN doesn't interfere to stop the Saudis and their USraeli mentors from attacking Yemen and massacring Civilians? Question IV: Why the UN allows Israel to continue occupying territories from Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon which causes violence? Question III: Why IAEA doesn't put pressure on Israel to dismantle its massive arsenal of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons? Question II: Why no sanctions were imposed on Israel despite being in breach of 39 UN Security Council Resolutions? Question I: Why only Jews were compensated for losses sustained during the Holocaust and not the majority of inmates who were at Auschwitz? Obama may not be a Black President But Putin is a Muslim for opening the largest mosque in Europe and for supporting Iran, Iraq and Syria. Unbelievable Palestinian Courage: Palestinian youths try to disarm Israeli SS troops braving death and disregarding their homes blown up. Nazi practices: 1. German Ueber all. God preferred Jews over other creatures. 2. SS=Schutz Stafel, ISRAEL= IDF 3. Killing with impunity Brave anti-establishment campaigner Corbyn misses meeting the Queen because he was on HOLIDAY dailym.ai/1L1xIMD via @MailOnline Putin missiles are forcing the US to cancel USraeli-Saudi plan to establishing a Sunni province in Iraq on areas currently occupied by ISIS. The US and its allies tried in vain to tie the hands of Putin in the Ukraine. But the Russian Lion's Warplanes came out roaring over Syria. It is unbelievable that the USA and Israel violate International Laws, Human Right Convention and Sovereignty of Countries, with impunity. It is Unbelievable seeing Israeli Children of Nazi atrocities abuse Palestinians in 'modern' concentration camps! Unbelievable Jewish Cowardice: Jews were led like sheep by German SS to Gas chambers. Unbelievable Palestinian Courage: Arab Youths try to disarm Israeli SS troops braving death and disregarding their homes being blown up. Who will punish the Americans? The US governmental and private agencies have been violating the privacy of every human being on earth. =============================== Tue Oct 13, 2015 | 1:28 PM EDT Iraq using info from new intelligence center to bomb Islamic State: official Militant Islamist fighters hold the flag of Islamic State (IS) while taking part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province in this June 30, 2014 file photo. Reuters/Stringer Iraq using info from new intelligence center to...X By Babak Dehghanpisheh BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has begun bombing Islamic State insurgents with help from a new intelligence center with staff from Russia, Iran and Syria, a senior parliamentary figure said on Tuesday about cooperation seen as a threat to U.S. interests in the region. The center has been operational for about a week, and it provided intelligence for air strikes on a gathering of middle-level Islamic State figures, Hakim al Zamili, the head of parliament's defense and security committee, told Reuters. The new security apparatus based in Baghdad suggests the United States is losing clout in a strategic oil-producing Middle East, where it has been heavily invested for years. Two weeks ago Russia started bombing anti-government rebels in neighboring Syria, including the ultra hardline Islamic State, to support its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, to the consternation of the West. Iraqi officials, frustrated with the pace and depth of the U.S. military campaign against Islamic State, have said they will lean heavily on Washington's former Cold War rival Russia in the battle against the Sunni Muslim jihadists. Two Russian one-star generals are stationed at the intelligence center in Baghdad, according to an Iraqi official who asked not to be named. Zamili, a leading Shi'ite Muslim politician, said each of the four member countries has six members in the intelligence sharing and security cooperation cell, which holds meetings in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" that once housed the headquarters of the U.S. occupation. “We find it extremely useful," the Iraqi official said. “The idea is to formalize the relationship with Iran, Russia and Syria. We wanted a full-blown military alliance.” Iran, a longtime Middle East adversary of the United States, already boasts deep influence in Iraq. Iranian military advisers help direct Baghdad's campaign against Islamic State, which aims to expand its self-proclaimed caliphate in the Middle East. It is Russia's participation in the intelligence hub that is causing the most Western anxiety. Washington, with a history of close security links with Baghdad, now worries the intelligence center may foster closer Russian-Iraqi ties, particularly with respect to operations against Islamist militants, a U.S. security official said. The United States believes the main point of the intelligence pact, which also covers operations in Syria, is to show that Russia is taking a greater role in the conflict in the neighboring country, said the official. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said he would welcome Russian air strikes against Islamic State on Iraqi soil. The Baghdad government, and allied Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias who are leading the fight against Islamic State in Iraq, say the United States lacks the decisiveness and the readiness to supply weapons needed to eliminate militancy in the region. Washington denies such accusations. U.S.-led air strikes on Islamic State militants who control a third of Iraq, have failed to turn the tide in Iraq's conflict, which has sapped the OPEC oil producer's finances and fueled sectarian bloodletting. Iraqi warplanes bombed a convoy this week that was thought to be carrying Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, based on information from the center, said Zamili. Security officials later said Baghdadi had not been in the convoy. "We can get a lot of use from Russian intelligence, even if they don't do air strikes," Zamili said. Sami al-Askari, a former member of the Iraqi parliament and one-time senior adviser to ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, said Iraq was aware of the sensitivities of the new arrangement. “The Iraqi government wants to do this in a way that doesn’t look like they’re pushing the Americans away,” he said. (Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Mark Heinrich) ================= BEIRUT (AP) — Amid the ornate walls of Damascus' famed Omayyad Mosque, preacher Maamoun Rahmeh stood before worshippers last week, declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin a "giant and beloved leader" who has "destroyed the myth of the self-aggrandizing America." Posters of Putin are popping up on cars and billboards elsewhere in parts of Syria and Iraq, praising the Russian military intervention in Syria as one that will redress the balance of power in the region. The Russian leader is winning accolades from many in Iraq and Syria, who see Russian airstrikes in Syria as a turning point after more than a year of largely ineffectual efforts by the U.S.-led coalition to dislodge the Islamic State militants who have occupied significant parts of the two countries. The reactions underscore that while the West may criticize Putin for supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, there is some relief in the region at the emergence of a player with a coherent — if controversial — strategy. "Putin does more than just speak," said Sohban Elewi of Damascus, summing up the views of Syrians on opposing camps who regard U.S. policy in Syria and Iraq as fumbled and confused. Russia began its air campaign in Syria on Sept. 30, joining the fray of those bombing Syria at a critical time for Assad and his embattled troops. The Syrian army's loss of the northern province of Idlib opened the way for rebels to come dangerously close to the coastal Alawite heartland, leaving his soldiers there vulnerable and dejected. Russia insists it is targeting the Islamic State group and other "terrorists." But Syrian rebels and opposition activists say Moscow's warplanes in recent days have focused on Idlib and the central province of Hama, hitting U.S.-backed rebels in areas with no IS militants. The planes also have provided air cover for Syrian ground troops who launched an offensive in central Syria, reinforcing the belief that Russia's main aim is to shore up Assad's forces. In addition to the warplanes taking off from a base in Latakia, Russian ships in the Caspian Sea have fired cruise missiles that fly nearly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) over Iran and Iraq to strike Raqqa and Aleppo provinces, in what many see as a show of force meant to portray muscle more than serve a specific military goal. Among Assad's war-weary and frustrated supporters, such elaborate displays of support provide a much-needed psychological boost, and have injected new hope that their flailing battle against rebel factions and the Islamic State group can still be won. "The (Russian) intervention has raised the morale of the Syrian army and the Syrian people alike," said Dr. Samir Haddad from the central city of Homs. "President Putin has a distinguished personality and charisma, and it has become clear that world leaders have gradually started approving, openly or secretly, of this intervention," he said. In Iraq, where the U.S.-led war against IS has stalled, many say they want Russian airstrikes against IS to extend to their country. Buried between paintings of Baghdad architecture, mosques and landscapes, some art shops in Baghdad have begun selling portraits of Putin, a tribute to his intervention in what Iraqis see as the new military front against IS. "Russia does not play games. They are problem solvers, and they do it quietly and efficiently, not like the Americans who prefer to do everything in front of the cameras," said Hussein Karim, a 21-year-old medical student from Baghdad. In one cartoon widely distributed among Iraqis on Facebook and Twitter, U.S. President Barack Obama is dressed as a Sunni sheikh, while Putin as a Shiite imam, suggesting the two are taking sides. Another cartoon shows a bare-chested Putin holding IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the collar of his jalabaya, looking very intimidating. He says to al-Baghdadi: "Where do you think you're going? I'll flatten you like flour," a popular Iraqi expression. Al-Baghdadi, holding a cellphone, shouts: "Obama, save me!" Most of the cartoons portray Putin as muscular — a perception that echoes the one at home in Russia, where he has cultivated an image as a man of action. In addition to conducting his official duties, he often is shown on Russian TV doing such activities as playing ice hockey — as he did last week on his 63rd birthday — or climbing into a submersible to explore the sea. T-shirts with his image are sold at shopping malls, souvenir stores and even from vending machines in Moscow airports. Some depict him looking tough in dark sunglasses, while others show him riding a horse to the words from a pop song: "They are not going to get us." The military intervention in Syria is viewed by many as a sign of shifting alliances in the region as Russia takes a greater role in the fight against IS. Russia has had strong ties with the Mideast for years. The fascination with Putin is driven largely by a longstanding suspicion of the West and anger about decades of U.S. intervention in the region that many say has led to more wars and sectarianism. Many hope a stronger Russia would lead to a more balanced approach. Iraq's prime minister said last month that his government also entered a joint intelligence sharing agreement with Russia, Iran and Syria, opening an operations center in the heart of Baghdad. In Egypt, Russian flags and posters of Putin's face hung across Cairo during his visit in February. At the time, the state-run Al Ahram newspaper profiled him, with photos showing Putin shirtless and holding various weapons, headlined, "A hero of our times." His appeal has extended to Lebanon, where some demonstrators — Christian allies of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group — wore T-shirts bearing Putin's face at a protest Sunday calling for Lebanese presidential elections. "Putin considers the Syrian crisis an excellent opportunity to erode America's standing in the region," said Ghassan Charbel, editor of the London-based Arabic daily newspaper Al Hayat. In a front-page editorial Monday, he warned that while Syria presents Moscow with an opportunity to exact revenge from the West, it may transform quickly into an Afghanistan-like quagmire that threatens to erode Putin's image as a "czar." But the Russian airstrikes also have drawn the ire of rebels in Syria who have formed a joint operations room to fight the new foe. At a recent demonstration in the northern city of Idlib, armed rebels set fire to a Russian flag. "We will trample on your heads," read one banner, addressing the Russians. ___ Salama reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Albert Aji in Damascus and Lynn Berry in Moscow contributed reporting. ==================================================================================================================

Is Iran surrendering to the United States?

Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya is a sociologist, award-winning author and geopolitical analyst. Published time: December 30, 2013 08:46 Reuters/Morteza Nikoubazl Is the interim nuclear deal signed at the end of 2013 a signal of Tehran’s surrender, or is it the opening of a new chapter in American-Iranian relations that could see the normalization of ties? If history is to be learned from, normalization with Washington will also come with risks for Iran. Rouhani won the 2013 Iranian presidential elections by gaining the support of the overwhelming majority of Iranians with approximately 51 percent of the popular vote. His main opponent and the candidate with the second highest number of votes was the mayor of Tehran. Mayor Qalibaf only received about 16.5 percent of the popular vote. The other four candidates (Jalili, Rezai, Velayati, and Gharazi) respectively earned 11.31 percent, 10.55 percent, 6.16 percent, and 1.22 percent of the vote. Many Iranian voters saw these candidates as virtual clones of one another and distinguished Rouhani as the one that offered an alternative program. The consensus president In Washington there has been a tug-o’-war between the neo-con and realist camps about how to deal with Iran. The realists have now come out on top. In Tehran there has also been a parallel tug-o’-war over Iranian foreign policy. The political tug-o’-war in Tehran has seen the reformists and pragmatists contesting the principalist and conservative camp about how to deal with the United States. With the election of Hassan Rouhani the balance in Tehran has changed and loosened the dominant hold of the principalists and conservatives in the Iranian political arena. Despite the fact that he received the endorsement of the reformist camp and all its supporters, Hassan Rouhani is not the Iranian reformist that some have portrayed him as being. His supporters said that Rouhani would undo the damage that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government had caused. Skeptics, however, phrase it like this: “Rouhani was the least bad candidate.” The fact that he was the only presidential candidate that had ties to all the different political groupings in Iran was what set Rouhani apart from the other candidates. His career as a security guru in Tehran, with deep connections to the national security and military structures of Iran, and his history of working with pragmatists and reformers made him acceptable or, at a very minimum, bearable for all the different political cliques in Tehran. In the sense that he has not excessively embraced reformist or conservative tendencies, he has been a genuine moderate so far. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (Reuters/Adrees Latif) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (Reuters/Adrees Latif) Rouhani made it clear that his administration would work for consensus among all of Iran’s political factions through a centrist political program. Since the 2009 protests over the re-election of Ahmadinejad the political divisions and polarization in Iran were sharpened. This is why Rouhani’s messages to the Iranian political establishment, as well as all of Iranian society, were ones calling for political unity and consensus politics. In his first speech as the president of Iran, Rouhani would highlight his platform of reconciliation and diplomatic recalibration: “Let our hearts be cleansed of resentment. Let conciliation replace estrangement and let friendship take the place of animosity. Let this take place. Let Islam’s compassionate face, Iran with its reasonable face, the Revolution with its human face, and the political system with its kind face continue to create epics.” Making sure not to aggravate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his supporters, he would also thank them during his speech: “At this point I must thank and express my appreciation to the previous administrations, especially the Tenth Administration and its honorable former president, and for all of them I have the desire of success day by day.” Iran’s “Yes, We Can” man and grand negotiator President Rouhani presented himself as a negotiator par excellence during the election campaign in 2013. His promise to negotiate with the US and to lift the economic sanctions by changing the dynamics of Iranian diplomacy proved to be very popular with the business class and most of the middle class. “Moderation in foreign policy is neither surrender nor conflict, neither passivity nor confrontation. Moderation is effective and constructive interaction with the world,” he announced as president-elect. Rouhani’s inauguration ceremony on August 3, 2013 even marked the first time that foreign dignatories were formally invited to an Iranian presidential inauguration ceremony, which signaled Rouhani’s intentions to launch his diplomatic charm offensive. Using a spiritual tone, Rouhani let it be known during his first speech as president that he intended to get results, would not let partisan politics get the better of him, and would not silence his political critics: “I feel the heavy weight of these votes and this endorsement. And I seek refuge in God and God alone. I sincerely and humbly ask the compassionate Lord: O Lord, save Thy weak servant from the ills of arrogance and conceit, greed, avarice and envy. O Lord I take refuge in Thee from autocracy in opinion, haste in decision making, putting personal or group interests ahead of those of the public, and from the silencing of the mouths of rivals and critics. O Lord, help me so that I can be Your sincere server and a competent servant of the people and not to forget what happened to those who came before me. There is much to say, but time is short. It is best to cut the talk short and to walk the path. For the path to our goal is long and I am a new traveler.” In many ways, the fanfare and popularity that Rouhani has received and enjoyed in Iran can be compared to that which Barak Obama received in the US when he was elected. Rouhani carried a message of hope for many Iranians. The closing words in his inauguration speech were even turned into a song with a black and white video by Iranian artists just as how Obama’s speech at the 2008 New Hampshire primary was turned into a hit song by artists in the US. The video dedicated to President Rouhani was a copycat version of the Obama video that was produced by Hussein Dehbashi, who produced Rouhani’s election video ads. The Office of the Iranian President would later post the Iranian “Yes, We Can” video on Rouhani’s YouTube page. Tehran does business with Washington Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (2nd L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry (AFP Photo) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (2nd L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry (AFP Photo) As soon as Rouhani became president, he selected Mohammad Javad Zarif to become Iran’s foreign minister. Jalili was replaced as the secretary-general of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 were taken over from the Supreme National Security Council by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Zarif was selected as foreign minister not only because he was an excellent diplomat; Rouhani shrewdly selected Zarif for his experience as Iran’s interlocutor with the United States. Before his appointment as Tehran’s foreign minister, Zarif had served as the permanent representative of Iran to the UN in New York City, from where he served as Tehran’s contact man with the US government and US officials. Foreign Minister Zarif himself has stated that he and US Vice-President Joe Biden share a friendship. As one of the pillars of the Iranian national security establishment, Rouhani himself also has had a long history of dealing with US officials. In the past it was Rouhani that held secret talks with US President Ronald Reagan’s government on behalf of Iran. In this regard, he was one of the Iranian officials who negotiated the arms transfer agreement with Washington during the Iran-Iraq War that led to the Iran-Contra scandal. More recently, Rouhani dealt with the US as the secretary-general of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran during the presidency of Mohammed Khatami. It is no coincidence that US backtracking on attacking Syria led to talks with Iran and a warming of relations. In actuality the talks with Iran had started before the US backed down from bombing Syria. Rouhani’s government had begun dialogue with the US from the moment its mandate commenced. There are enough grounds to suspect that the threats to attack Syria also had the aim of working to gain traction in the secret talks that President Obama was having with Iran via the Sultanate of Oman. The political taboo of dealing with the US publicly has been broken by President Rouhani. Since the start of his term, Rouhani authorized Zarif to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Rouhani himself held a brief, but historic, phone conversation with President Obama. Finally, an interim nuclear deal was reached between Iran and the P5+1, more specifically the United States. Iranian-American rapprochement In 1993, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the realist par excellence who served as US President Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor, announced that “Iran is clearly an aspirant to regional hegemony and it is prepared to outwait the United States.” Brzezinski explained that the Iranians had an imperial tradition as a great power and possessed both the religious and nationalist motivation to contest the US and Russia, and that Iran could count on the sympathies of its neighbors in such a rivalry. Because of Iran, in his own words, “the current American supremacy in the Middle East is built, quite literally, on sand.” Yet, that is not all Brzezinski has said about Iran. He stated that “it is not in America’s interest to perpetuate American-Iranian hostility.” He even went out of his way to warn US policy makers that Iran should not be antagonized by the US government to the point where Tehran would ally itself with Russia and China. Instead Brzezinski pushed for reconciliation as an aim of realist-driven US foreign policy. “Any eventual reconciliation [between the US and Iranian governments] should be based on the recognition of a mutual strategic interest in stabilizing what currently is a very volatile regional environment for Iran,” he explained. The “volatile regional environment” that Brzezinski mentions is formed by the three regions that are linked to Iran: the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East. What he really meant was that Tehran and Washington should work together to influence these regions. Although it is unstated, what Brzezinski has in mind is a plan to get Iran to realign with the US in these regions against Russia and China. The possible negative ramifications of US-Iran rapprochement Critics of Rouhani see him and Zarif as surrendering to US demands as part of some type of internal regime change in Tehran. Such critics have argued that Iran has surrendered to Washington, whereas others have seen the interim nuclear agreement as a victory for Iran. Since Rouhani started negotiating with the US, Supreme Leader Khamenei has been forced to defend Rouhani and Zarif. Khamenei has warned the principalists and conservatives in Iran not to interfere in Rouhani’s negotiation efforts or to portray Rouhani and Zarif as traitors. “They are our own children and children of the Revolution,” Khamenei publicly declared on November 3, 2011. Among the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the political hardliners in Tehran, there are fears that the interim nuclear deal will lead to an even broader agreement and a normalization of relations with the United States that could potentially open the door for alterations in the political structure of Iran and give the reformists the upper hand. There were reserved statements released in November 2013 by Revolutionary Guard leaders, days before the interim nuclear agreement was reached, which assured the public that Iran’s ideology would not change, and that Iran would not bow down to any foreign powers. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AFP Photo) Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AFP Photo) As mentioned earlier, Rouhani’s government has pro-business characteristics. In this regard, there are legitimate concerns that go beyond politics which fear that restored relations with the US could see an opening up of the Iranian economy based on the neoliberal economic policies that many of the reformists—and pro-business conservatives—had embraced and favor that will see the state infrastructure and the public sector in Iran privatized further. If business ties are restored between the US and Iran, and there is a lot of talk about it, the Iranian government could entrench the Iranian economy on a path of neoliberal reforms and privatization. These would be similar to those that marked the Yeltsin years in Russia, which made an elite few rich and let foreign corporations plunder the Russian economy. Then there is the worst case scenario of Iran being used against its Eurasian partners. The insulation of Eurasia is incomplete without Iran. The Russian and Chinese need for a strategic Iranian partner is a component of any defensive strategy or viable alternative against US and EU encroachment into their geopolitical spheres of interest. The US may attempt to use its rapprochement with Iran to manipulate Tehran into hurting Russia and China. Iran’s ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and historic links with the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia could be used to launch an offensive against Moscow in the post-Soviet space, whereas Chinese energy security would be jeopardized if Iran agreed to collaborate with the US in any strategy against the Chinese. Eurasia or nothing! Although the Iranian political establishment is immensely more sophisticated than Libya, Tehran should not ignore how American-Libyan rapprochement ended and at what expense. Colonel Qaddafi even predicted it when he told the Arab League many years ago that the US had no loyalty to any of its Arab clients or friends, and that one day it could execute him. The mere fact that the US government and its allies have a different interpretation of the interim nuclear deal from Iran, China, and Russia is reason to pause with caution too. Of course this could be posturing to appease certain segments of public opinion, lobby groups, and US allies (e.g., Israel and Saudi Arabia) that are threatened by any rapprochement between Tehran and Washington. Yet, the fact that the EU has also refused to lift certain unilateral sanctions is reason enough for Tehran to be cynical. Iran’s place is in Eurasia. It would be a disaster if any rapprochement between the US and Iran came at the expense of Iranian-Russian ties or Chinese-Iranian ties. To his credit, Rouhani’s first foreign trip as president of Iran was to Kyrgyzstan in September 2013 for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is spearheaded by Russia and China. While being realistic, one should always hold onto hope. Iran’s “Yes, We Can” Man and his endeavors will hopefully not end up being the epic disappointment that his American counterpart, President Obama, has been for the people of the United States. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

23 Russians among world’s 500 most powerful people - report

23 Russians among world’s 500 most powerful people - report Get short URL Published time: May 05, 2013 21:21 Edited time: May 05, 2013 22:24 President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.(RIA Novosti / Dmitry Astakhov) 23 Russian citizens have made it into the Foreign Policy magazine’s list of the world’s 500 most powerful people. Dominated by leaders in politics and business, there’s also one military official and one mafia boss in the rankings. The so-called Power Map was compiled on the basis of other influential ratings by such issues as Forbes, Times, Vanity Fair, Wall Street Journal, Global Finance and others. “Think of it as a list of all the most important other lists,” the magazine explained. The list of 500 most influential people in the world, which has been put together by the Foreign Policy for the first time, will be published by in its May/June magazine’s “Power Issue”. According to the magazine, it brings together the individuals, “who control the commanding heights of the industries that run the world, from politics to high finance, media to energy, warfare to religion.” The listing has recognized the global influence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and several other high-ranked officials across the financial and security spheres. The appearance of Moscow mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, in the selection came as somewhat of a surprise to many, but the head of the capital’s administration, who replaced Yury Luzhkov, took the same position in 2010, is seen as an important member of Putin’s team. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.(RIA Novosti / Denis Grishkin) Russia’s business elite also has a strong showing on the Power Map as it includes the likes of Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller, Rosneft President Igor Sechin and the heads of other big companies dealing in natural resources energy and telecom. Rosneft President Igor Sechin.(RIA Novosti / Sergey Guneev) The co-owner of the biggest online company in Russia, Mail.ru Group, Yury Milner, who is an investor in an investor in Facebook, Twitter and other global Internet brands, also made it to the list. Milner’s partner at Mail.ru and Russia's richest man, Alisher Usmanov, whose fortune is estimated at US$18.1 billion, predictably reserved a spot on the list. Head of 'Metalloinvest' Alisher Usmanov.(RIA Novosti / Vladimir Fedorenko) Unexpectedly, the magazine’s Top-500 also includes Semyon Mogilevich, who also represents Russia on the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and is considered to be the “boss of bosses” of the Russian mafia by the US and European law enforcement officers. Mogilevich, who is also known as Sergey Shnaider, is suspected of involvement in illegal arms trade, drug and sex trafficking as well as money laundering. The list is arranged in alphabetic order and is dominated by Americans, occupying 142 positions. Men far outshone females in the rankings with just 50 spot on the Power Map going to women. =========== Russia's Usmanov knocks steel boss Mittal off top of rich list Sun, Apr 21 08:15 AM EDT 1 of 2 By Laurence Fletcher LONDON (Reuters) - Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov has knocked Lakshmi Mittal off the top of this year's Sunday Times Rich List with a jump in his fortune to 13.3 billion pounds ($20.3 billion) after a tough year for the Indian steel magnate. In a list of wealth in Britain whose top spots are dominated by Russian and Indian billionaires, Mittal drops to fourth after eight years at number one as his fortune tumbled 2.7 billion pounds to 10 billion. Uzbek-born Usmanov, who is Russia's richest man and has a major shareholding in British Premier League football club Arsenal, saw his wealth rise by 985 million pounds over the past year, according to the annual survey by the British newspaper. Ranked second last year, Usmanov owns Sutton Place, the former Surrey home of oil baron J Paul Getty. He made 1.6 billion pounds from sales of Facebook shares after last year's stock market listing, while he has a large holding in Russian mobile phone operator MegaFon and controls iron ore miner Metalloinvest. Mittal, the chief executive of the world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal, has been hit by the fall in the value of its shares from more than 12 euros a year ago to less than 9 euros on Friday. The number of billionaires has risen to a record 88, in spite of tough economic conditions for many in the UK, from 77 last year. The collective wealth of the richest 1,000 people is up 35 billion pounds to 450 billion pounds. The biggest riser in wealth terms is Len Blavatnik, who is ranked second after a 3.42 billion pound jump in his fortune, thanks to a rise in his shareholdings, took his wealth to 11 billion pounds. The Odessa-born businessman, who emerged as a tycoon after the Russian privatizations of the 1990s, owns Warner Music and a house in London's plush Kensington Palace Gardens - known as 'billionaires' row' - and has been a major donor to Oxford University. The highest-placed UK-born person is the Duke of Westminster, whose swathes of land in London's upmarket Mayfair and Belgravia rank him eighth with 7.8 billion pounds. The Sunday Times also reported that Michael Ashcroft, the former treasurer of Britain's Conservative party, will next month pledge to give at least half of his 1.2 billion pound fortune to charity. To be included in the list people must have either a British passport or a strong link to the UK such as being based there or spending a significant amount of time there, a Sunday Times spokesman said. ($1 = 0.6554 British pounds) (Editing by Erica Billingham) ============ Russia’s Richest: Forbes publishes billionaire list Get short URL Published time: April 18, 2013 15:00 Edited time: April 19, 2013 06:44 Alisher Usmanov (RIA Novosti /Vladimir Fedorenko) Forbes magazine has published its 10th anniversary edition Russia's ultra-wealthy businessmen. Alisher Usmanov, owner of Metalloinvest, is officially Russia’s richest man, with a fortune of $17.6 billion. In a close second is Alfa Bank’s largest shareholder, Mikhail Fridman, who boasts a fortune of $16.5 billion. In third place is Leonid Michelson, a major shareholder in Russian gas company Novatek, who has $15.4 billion. Mikhail Fridman (RIA Novosti / Valeriy Levitin) Russia’s richest man isn’t Russian by birth. Usmanov was born in Uzbekistan. He first made his fortune in metals, and has since transitioned his investments into telecom and start-up industries. Usmanov is the owner of Metalloinvest, one of the largest iron ore and hot briquetted iron (HBI) producers and suppliers in the world. Metalloinvest recently acquired Udokan, a copper and nickel producer, which has 14.4 million metric tons of copper, one of the world’s top five deposits, according to Metalloinvest. His shift from commodities to technology has paid off for the magnate, as now almost half of his wealth is tied up in telecommunications, internet, and media services. He has expanded his fortune dabbling in the Russian telecom industry and silicon valley start-ups. Usmanov has a 10% share in Facebook. The business tycoon also has stakes in Arsenal football club, and Forbes reported he spent more than $300 million on a private jet last year. This is the second year in a row Usmanov has topped the list, and his tenth straight year within the top 36 richest Russian businessmen. Viktor Vekselberg, owner of Renova, broke into the top five with $15.1 billion, and in sixth place is the President of Lukoil, Vagit Alekperov. In eighth place is Vladimir Lisin, a former steelworker who now owns Novolipetsk Steel, Russia’s most valuable steelmaker, which gained 8.9% in mid-April giving the company a market cap of $1.1 billion, according to Bloomberg. This was much needed recovery after the low steel prices of 2012 have chipped $1.8 billion from his fortune. In ninth place is Vladimir Putin’s right hand man, Gennady Timchenko, a dual Russian-Finnish citizen, and a highly influential energy and construction magnate in Russia. Leonid Mikhelson (RIA Novosti / Aleksey Nikolskyi) In the tenth place is alpha oligarch, and former presidential candidate, Mikahil Prokhorov, with a $13 billion fortune. Prokhorov, like Usmanov, made his fortune in mining, metals, and energy, and switched over to technology pre-crisis. Prokhorov bought an 80% share in the New York Nets basketball team, for $200 million in 2010. Just shy of the top ten is Dmitry Rybolovlev, whose $9.1 billion net worth landed him the 14th position. Rybolovlev reportedly bought a Greek island for $100 million. Rybolovlev beat out other celebrity billionaires like Bill Gates, Madonna, and Roman Abramovich, who were also eyeing the island. Roman Abramovich found himself outside of Russia’s top ten, and is now 13th domestically, and 107th worldwide. The Chelsea football club owner lost $1.9 of his fortune in 2012, putting his 2013 wealth at just $10.2 billion Beating out all Russian billionaires on Forbes overall list, is former national, Sergey Brin, founder and CEO of Google. Brin’s bank account far exceeds all his former compatriots, at $22.8 billion. Forbes has been documenting the world’s richest people since 1987, and Russia’s richest since 1997, Boris Berezovsky debuted Russia’s list in 1997 with a $3 billion capital worth. To even be considered for Russia’s ‘Golden Hundred’, one’s fortune must at least be $500 million. Russia is home to 100 billionaires. Eleven Russian businessmen are included in the Forbes ‘100 Richest’ list in 2013. Russian Ranking World Ranking Name Age Personal Fortune (billions) Associated Companies #1 #34 Alisher Usmanov 59 $17.6 Metalloinvest #2 #41 Mikhail Fridman 48 $16.5 TNK-BP #3 #47 Leonid Mikhelson 57 $15.4 Novatek #4 #52 Vicktor Vekselberg 56 $15.1 Renova, Skolkovo Fund #5 #55 Vagit Alekperov 62 $14.8 Lukoil #6 #56 Andrey Melnichenko 57 $14.4 Novatek, Sibur Holding, First United Bank #7 #58 Vladimir Potanin 52 $14.3 Interros, ProfMedia #8 #62 Vladimir Lisin 56 $14.1 First Cargo Novolipetsk #9 #62 Gennady Timchenko 60 $14.1 Gunvor Group, Novatek #10 #69 Mikhail Prokhorov 47 $13.0 Onexim ===========

38 killed in psychiatric hospital fire near Moscow

Get short URL Published time: April 26, 2013 00:50 Edited time: April 26, 2013 03:54 At least 38 people have been killed after a fire erupted in a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Moscow that housed as many as 41 people, including medical staff. The fire started around 2:30 am Moscow Time (22:30 GMT) in Psychiatric hospital 14 in Ramenskoe. By the time fire rescue arrived, the entire one-story building was engulfed in flames. The fire started in a wing housing special treatment patients. One nurse managed to escape the blaze, bringing two patients out of the building to safety where they were found by firefighters. The nurse told reporters that she was woken up by the fire alarm, and ran into the hallway where she noticed a chair burning. She remembers seeing a flash, she said. Photo from mchs.gov.ru Firefighters found the bodies of 12 dead, according to ITAR-TASS. Four were found near the exit of the hospital, while eight others were found in the wards. The hospital had bars on its windows, preventing people from escaping. Most of the bodies were found still in their beds.

“The fire started when they were asleep,” a law enforcement source told TASS, adding that people had little chance to escape. “Some of them tried to escape but were poisoned by the products of combustion," he said, using a technical term for smoke. The fire, meanwhile, has now been fully extinguished but the building "burned down almost completely.”

The fire, meanwhile, has now been fully extinguished.

“Some windows had bars, some did not,” doctor-in-chief of the facility, Murat Shahov told lifenews. He said that only two patients in the facility could not walk, the rest suffered severe psychological illnesses. “There were patients with acute psychosis, alcoholics and one drug addict. We also had patients with schizophrenia.”

Authorities point to faulty electric wiring and a short circuit as the possible cause. Forty five police have cordoned off the area and are investigating the cause of the fire. Currently there are 120 people working at the site of the tragedy, including 30 pieces of machinery. According to the Ministry of Health 18 ambulances were on site. The Emergencies Ministry has published a list of 41 patients and medical staff who were inside the facility when the fire started (full list in Russian). The patients ranged in age from 20 to 76. The two medical staff listed as “to be verified” are believed to be dead. Fire inspectors have made two visits to the hospital in 2012. During the first visit, a number of fire safety violations were found that were later fixed in time for the second inspection in August that same year. “Primary inspections discovered routine violations: no lampshades on lamps, exit signs were not everywhere, difficult reach fire water supply. In August 2012, they had a re-inspection - all violations had been corrected," Yuri Deshevih from the Emergency Ministry told RIA. Tragic history of fires in medical facilities Tragic blazes in medical facilities are common in Russia with at least 18 cases registered in the past seven years. One of the most notable was in 2009 in the Russian Republic of Komi, where a blaze in an old people’s home in the region took the lives of 23 people. Only three were saved in the incident. Two years earlier, a fire in the city of Tula, again in a home for elderly care, resulted in 32 victims. Luckily 247 patients, including medical staff were saved. That same year, in 2007, another inferno in a care home claimed the lives 61 of victims. Only 35 people were saved. ==================

"One of the patients who survived the fire told investigators that when he woke up, the blaze had already begun and a couch in a common room was burning. He added that a new patient was recently admitted who suffered from drug addiction and constantly smoked, disregarding safety rules"

=================== Fire kills dozens in Russian psychiatric hospital Fri, Apr 26 11:15 AM EDT 1 of 11 By Alexei Anishchuk RAMENSKY, Russia (Reuters) - Thirty-eight people were killed, most of them in their beds, in a fire that raged through a psychiatric hospital near Moscow on Friday, raising questions about the care of mentally ill patients in Russia. The fire, which broke out at around 2 a.m. (6 p.m. ET on Thursday), swept through a single-storey building at the hospital, a collection of wood and brick huts with bars on some windows that was home to people sent there on grounds of mental illness by Russian courts. By mid morning, a few blackened walls were left standing. The roof had caved in on top of the twisted metal frames of what were once beds. Bodies lay on nearby grass, covered with blankets. Only three people escaped from the fire in the village of Ramensky, 120 km (70 miles) north of Moscow, prompting speculation the patients were heavily sedated or strapped down. Irina Gumennaya, aide to the head of the chief investigative department of the Moscow region, dismissed suggestions they had been restrained as "rubbish" but promised blood tests to check whether there were high levels of sedatives. "The wards ... did not have doors, the patients could have escaped from the building by themselves," she said, adding that she believed the most likely cause of the blaze was patients smoking, or perhaps a short circuit. Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said none of the patients were strapped down or subjected to "any such measures that would not have allowed them to react quickly," the state-run RIA news agency reported. President Vladimir Putin called for an investigation of the "tragedy", the latest in a long line of disasters at state institutions that are often ill-funded. Russia's safety record is dismal, accounting for a high death toll on roads, railways and in the air as well as at the workplace. Psychiatrists said the fire was not the first and would not be the last of its kind. "(This happened) because of dilapidated buildings in psychiatric hospitals - a third of the buildings since 2000 have been declared unfit, according to health standards," Yuri Savenko, president of the independent psychiatric association of Russia, told Reuters. Furthermore, junior and middle-ranking staff had miserable salaries and "because of that the staff were asleep", he said. Legal standards governing Russian psychiatric patients "are on the whole satisfactory and on par with European standards, but compliance with them is very weak," lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky said. RUSSIA - "THE MADHOUSE" Putin's critics blamed the state for neglecting its most vulnerable people. "Terrible news ... Those patients who burned were there because they were forced to have treatment," said Dmitry Olshansky, former editor of Russian Life, an online journal. "I read all this and I wonder - what does this remind us of? And then I remember - this is our motherland, the madhouse. Flood, fire, bars on windows ... and we cannot deal with it," he said on his Facebook site. Officials said the blaze consumed the building quickly and firefighters had no chance to save any more people - an account that locals disputed, saying fire engines took more than an hour to reach the scene. "Don't trust anyone who says they (firemen) arrived quickly ... My wife woke me up, we went out on the street with our daughter. Flames were rising high," said a man, who was drinking an early-morning beer at a friend's garage nearby. Asked why the building caught fire, Alexander Yefimovich, an elderly man said: "Why? It's just the usual nonsense." More than 12,000 people were killed in fires in 2011 and more than 7,700 in the first nine months of 2012 in Russia, where the per capita death rate from fires is much higher than in Western nations including the United States. (Additional reporting by Ludmila Danilova, Maria Tsvetkova and Steve Gutterman; writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Timothy Heritage, Philippa Fletcher and Giles Elgood) ============== Dozens dead in psych ward fire near Moscow, 3 survive Get short URL Published time: April 26, 2013 00:50 Edited time: April 26, 2013 12:08 Emergency response team working on the fire scene at a mental hospital in the village of Ramensky. (RIA Novosti/Andrey Stenin) Share on Tumblr Download video (4.23 MB) Embed Tags Health, Russia, Accident, Yulia Shapovalova, Tom Barton, Marina Kosareva, Medicine At least 36 people have been killed in a fire at a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Moscow that housed as many as 41 people, including medical staff. A nurse and two patients were the only survivors. Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the fire, reporting that 36 people died, including two nurses. However, the Emergency Ministry has said that 38 died in the blaze. Authorities point to faulty electric wiring and a short circuit as the possible cause. But, the investigators are looking into all possible causes of the fire, “including careless use of fire", Investigative Committee representative Irina Gumennaya told the media. The fire started around 2:30 am Moscow Time (22:30 GMT) in Psychiatric Hospital 14 in Ramenskoe in a wing for special treatment patients. By the time fire rescue arrived, the entire one-story building was engulfed in flames. The fire burned an area of about 420 square meters. One nurse managed to escape the blaze, bringing one patient out of the building to safety, while another patient managed to get out on his own. The nurse told reporters that she was woken up by the fire alarm, and ran into the hallway where she saw a couch burning. She remembers seeing a flash. Emergency response team eliminates fire at Mental Hospital No. 14 in the village of Ramensky of the Dmitrovsky District in the Moscow Region (RIA Novosti/Press-service of Russian Emergency Situations Ministry) Authorities have recovered 36 bodies at the scene. "Seven died from carbon monoxide poisoning, while others perished from burns", Gumennaya said. The Emergency Ministry reported that 38 people were found dead. Journalists are still not allowed close to the fire site, as rescuers are wrapping up their work. Experts have begun to identify the dead bodies at a local hospital, the Emergency Ministry reported. Rescuers found eight of the dead bodies by the exit inside the psychiatric hospital, suggesting that they were trying to escape but were prevented by the effects of carbon monoxide, RIA Novosti reported, quoting a source close to the investigation. Firefighters were delayed getting to the scene because of a closed river crossing – the trip took an hour instead of the expected 20 minutes, local media reported. “We got to the scene before the firefighters did and the doors were closed, so we broke them down. When we got inside we saw one person on the floor already dead from the smoke”, one of the first witnesses on the scene told local media. The hospital had bars on its windows, preventing people from escaping. Most of the bodies were found still in their beds. “The fire started when they were asleep,” a law enforcement source told TASS, adding that people had little chance to escape. “Some of them tried to escape but were poisoned by the products of combustion," he said. The fire, meanwhile, has now been fully extinguished but the building "burned down almost completely.” Emergency response team working on the fire scene at a mental hospital in the village of Ramensky. (RIA Novosti/Andrey Stenin) “Some windows had bars, some did not,” doctor-in-chief of the facility, Murat Shakhov told LifeNews tabloid. He said that only two patients in the facility could not walk, the rest suffered severe psychological illnesses. “There were patients with acute psychosis, alcoholics and one drug addict. We also had patients with schizophrenia.” Forty five police have cordoned off the area and are investigating the cause of the fire. Currently there are 120 people working at the site of the tragedy, including 30 pieces of machinery. According to the Ministry of Health 18 ambulances were on site. Emergency response team working on the fire scene at a mental hospital in the village of Ramensky. (RIA Novosti/Andrey Stenin) A half-meter-long tunnel was discovered dug out under the burned hospital, suggesting that one of the patients may have been planning an escape, according to Interfax. Investigators reported that the fire started in the hospital’s common room. "One of the patients who survived the fire told investigators that when he woke up, the blaze had already begun and a couch in a common room was burning. He added that a new patient was recently admitted who suffered from drug addiction and constantly smoked, disregarding safety rules", Gumennaya added. Another eyewitnesses described how firefighters could not extinguish the blaze due to a lack of water: “The first car arrived without water. Then another came – also empty. It was only the third car that had water,” local resident Yefim Volkov told the media. Emergency response team working on the fire scene at a mental hospital in the village of Ramensky. (RIA Novosti/Andrey Stenin) Some sources claimed that the patients were unable to escape the building in time because they were sedated by powerful drugs, Korrespondent.net reported. One of the firefighters at the scene told reporters that the"building itself was all wooden, which made it easier for the fire to spread”. The Emergencies Ministry has published a list of 41 patients and medical staff who were inside the facility when the fire started (full list in Russian). The patients ranged in age from 20 to 76. The two medical staff listed as “to be verified” are believed to be dead. Fire inspectors made two visits to the hospital in 2012. During the first visit, a number of fire safety violations were found that were later fixed in time for the second inspection in August that same year. Relatives of those killed in the fire will be paid 500,000 rubles ($16,000) in compensation, RIA Novosti quoted Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov as saying. Moscow declared April 27 to be a day of mourning for those killed in the psychiatric hospital fire.

How US compensated Russia

Published on Nov 10, 2012 by RussiaToday FULL STORY http://on.rt.com/v4hvop The Iraqi Defence Minister has denied that the country has cancelled a major arms deal with Russia. It's in response to the Prime Minister's spokesman who'd earlier said corruption concerns caused the scrapping of a deal sealed only a month ago, to sell Iraq more than 4-billion-dollars' worth of military hardware. RT talks to government and business consultant, Christoph R. Horstel. Iraq buys $4.2 billion in Russian weapons-document Tue, 9 Oct 2012 19:05 GMT Source: reuters // Reuters * Big boost for Russia as arms seller * U.S. State Department says not concerned by deal By Olesya Astakhova GORKI, Russia, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Russia announced on Tuesday it has signed $4.2 billion in arms deals with Iraq, making it the largest weapons supplier to the Middle East country after the United States. The deals, disclosed in a Russian government document issued at a meeting between Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, give Russia a big boost at a time when the future of its arms sales to Libya and Syria is uncertain. Iraq had been all but off limits for Russia's defence industry after the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 which ousted Saddam Hussein, one of Moscow's biggest weapons customers. President Vladimir Putin had vocally opposed the invasion and Moscow has struggled to claw back a share of the markets in energy, arms sales and infrastructure projects in Iraq. "After the fall of Saddam Hussein, it looked like the country was lost forever" as a Russian arms customer, said Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Russian security and defence think tank CAST. "This is absolutely sensational." The contracts will help Russia maintain its position as the world's second-biggest arms seller after the United States, Pukhov said. In Washington, the U.S. State Department signaled it was not overly concerned by the Russian deal. "Iraq overall has initiated some 467 foreign military sales cases with the United States. If all of these go forward, it will be worth over $12.3 billion, so obviously our own military support relationship with Iraq is very broad and very deep," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news briefing. The contracts were signed during visits to Russia by Iraq's acting defence chief in April, July and August, the document showed. It gave no further details and the state agency in charge of the weapons trade could not be immediately reached. The Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported late last month that contracts worth $4.3 billion were being agreed ahead of Maliki's visit. It said they included deals for 30 Mi-28NE combat helicopters and 42 Pantsir-S1 mobile rocket launchers. A spokesman for Russia's state-controlled arms exporter, Rosvooruzheniye, said it never discusses content of arms deals. The contracts comprised the third biggest package of deals for Russian arms sales since the 1991 Soviet collapse, after a $7.5 billion agreement with Algeria in 2006 and a $6 billion sale to Venezuela in 2009, CAST said. Russia delivered about $13.2 billion in weapons last year, said Konstantin Makiyenko, an expert at CAST. Pukhov said the Iraq deals showed the government there "is ready to pursue an independent foreign and defence policy", but that the United States could have tacitly supported them to appease Russia, which scrapped a deal to sell air-defence systems to Iran citing U.N. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear programme. Russian officials also have said Russia lost about $4 billion in arms deals with Libya because of the fall of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, and the future of Russian sales to Syria is uncertain because of the conflict there. =========== UPDATE 3-Iraq scraps $4.2 bln Russian arms deal, cites graft Sat, Nov 10 15:35 PM EST * Maliki cancels arms deals over suspected corruption * Acting defence minister denies charges * Russian deals seen helping Iraq with US pressure By Suadad al-Salhy BAGHDAD, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Iraq said on Saturday it had cancelled a $4.2 billion deal to buy military jets, helicopters and missiles from Russia, citing possible corruption in the contract. In a confusing exchange, the announcement by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's office was immediately contradicted by the acting defence minister who denied the corruption charges and said the Russian arms deals were still valid. The arms agreements were a sensitive issue for Iraq. U.S. military hardware remains key for Iraq's armed forces, but the Russian deal had appeared to open a way for Maliki to push back against U.S. pressure by diversifying his arms suppliers. The Russian sale was agreed just as Washington warned Maliki, who is close to Shi'ite Iran, to curb Iranian flights ferrying weapons through Iraqi airspace to aid Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his fight against a revolt there. Maliki's media adviser Ali al-Moussawi said the decision to renegotiate the agreements was taken after the prime minister was informed about possible wrongdoing in the contract. "Our need for weapons still stands so we will renegotiate new contracts," Moussawi said. "This is a precautionary measure because of suspected corruption." But acting Defence Minister Sadoon al-Dulaimi, who negotiated with the Russians, dismissed the corruption charges and said the deals would go ahead. "We have not transferred even one dinar, there was no agent, no contract was signed. These were just technical and financial offers," he told reporters in Baghdad. Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport declined to comment. Russia's Interfax news agency reported the Russian embassy in Iraq said it had not been informed the deal had been scrapped. The initial announcement about the deal itself was unusually released in a Russian government document issued to reporters during Maliki's visit to Moscow in October. The document said deals were signed with Iraq's acting defence minister in April, July and August. Russia's daily Kommersant said the contract envisaged the delivery of surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon systems, MiG-29M/M2 aircraft as well as armoured vehicles and attack helicopters. NO. 2 IN IRAQ The deals would have made Russia the second largest military supplier to Iraq after the United States, which has sold Baghdad billions of dollars in arms including F-16 fighters and tanks since the 2003 invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. But the Russian agreements fit into the wider context of Maliki's juggling interests over the war against Syria's Assad. Iran and Russia support Assad, while the rebels fighting him are backed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Western powers. Maliki relies on the United States for military aid, but also depends on Iranian influence at home to keep control over Shi'ite allies in his fragile cross-sectarian government of Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds. "One should not rule out pressure from the United States, which certainly does not want to let the Iraqi government - a buyer of American arms or arms from suppliers that are U.S. allies - out of its zone of control," said Ivan Konovalov, a military expert in Moscow. News of the cancellation also came at a time when Russia has been entangled in a series of corruption scandals involving its defence ministry and its space ministry. On Friday, President Vladimir Putin fired the chief of his military staff, days after sacking the defence minister over a corruption and sleaze scandal. [ID: nL5E8M97F1] Iraq had been off limits to Russian defence contracts after the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein. The Sunni dictator had been one of the biggest customers for Russian arms. ===== Iraq denies cancelling $4.2 bln arms deal with Russia over 'corruption concerns' Get short URL email story to a friendprint version Published: 10 November, 2012, 14:41 Edited: 11 November, 2012, 00:12 TAGS: Arms, Military, Russia, Iraq, Corruption, Sean Thomas, Lucy Kafanov Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (L) shakes with his Iraq's counterpart Nouri Al-Maliki during meeting in the Gorki residence outside Moscow, on October 9, 2012 (AFP Photo / RIA Novosti / Pool / Yekaterina Shtukina) (21.9Mb) embed video Iraqi Prime Minister's spokesperson Ali Mussawi told RT that the deal hasn't been cancelled, it is simply under review. He also confirmed it was because of earlier allegations of corruption from the Iraqi side. Iraqi Defense Minister Saadun al-Dulaimi also confirmed that there was no cancellation of the agreement. "The deal is going ahead," he said. Earlier, media reports claimed the deal – which would have made Russia Iraq’s second-biggest arms supplier after the United States – was cancelled.

“When Maliki returned from his trip to Russia, he had some suspicions of corruption, so he decided to review the whole deal. … There is an investigation going on, on this,”Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's spokesperson Ali Mussawi said.

The deal – which was signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Maliki in October – will either be go through or be cancelled only after the Iraqi anti-corruption committee presents it findings. Officials in Moscow have not yet commented on the matter. The Russian embassy in Baghdad said it has not received word from the Foreign Ministry, and was not informed about the cancellation by Iraqi officials. The sale was signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Maliki in October, and would have made Russia Iraq’s second-biggest arms supplier after the United States. The deal is one of the largest in both the modern history of Russia and for postwar Iraq. Experts speculated that the package likely would have included shipments of aircraft, helicopters, armored vehicles and air defense weapons. Though the details of the deal were kept secret, military analysts believe it was competitive enough to spark concerns in Washington, the primary arms dealer for Iraq. Military experts speculated that the deal may be cancelled due to pressure from Washington, and may result in punitive sanctions.

Director of the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade Igor Korotchenko told RIA-Novosti news agency that if the deal does get axed, it would be an unprecedented event in the history of Russia's arms trade “Self-respecting states and governments don’t act this way,” Korotchenko said. RIA-Novosti also quoted an unnamed arms expert who warned that Iraq may incur harsh sanctions for the move: “If the deals were drawn up in a proper way from the legal point of view, the Iraqi side may suffer multi-million dollar losses by paying off punitive fees.” The expert went on to add that statements about suspected corruption have never been a legitimate basis for the annulment of contracts, especially in military-technical cooperation.

=== متحدث:العراق يلغي صفقة اسلحة مع روسيا قيمتها 4.2 مليار دولار Sat Nov 10, 2012 12:02pm GMT اطبع هذا الموضوع[-] نص [+] 1 / 1تكبير للحجم الكاملبغداد (رويترز) - قال متحدث باسم رئيس الوزراء العراقي نوري المالكي يوم السبت ان العراق ألغى صفقة أسلحة قيمتها 4.2 مليار دولار مع روسيا للاشتباه في فساد لكنه يعتزم اعادة التفاوض بشأنها. وهذه الصفقة كانت ستجعل روسيا ثاني أكبر ممول للسلاح للعراق بعد الولايات المتحدة التي باعت لبغداد اسلحة قيمتها مليارات الدولارات منها طائرات مقاتلة اف 16 ودبابات منذ الغزو الامريكي للعراق عام 2003 . وقال علي الموسوي المستشار الاعلامي لرئيس الوزراء ان حاجة العراق للسلاح مازالت قائمة ولذلك سيتم التفاوض على ابرام عقود جديدة. وصرح بأن العراق اتخذ هذا القرار كخطوة احترازية بسبب وجود شبهات فساد. ولا يملك العراق سلاحا جويا حقيقيا منذ سقوط الرئيس الراحل صدام حسين وهو بحاجة ماسة للطائرات للدفاع عن حدوده ومجاله الجوي. وقالت صحيفة فيدوموستي الروسية في وقت سابق من العام ان الاتفاقات الروسية تشمل 30 طائرة هليكوبتر قتالية طراز ام.اي-28 ان.إي و42 قاذفة صواريخ متنقلة. ================= الدباغ: أطالب المالكي بالتحقيق بصفقة السلاح الروسية وتبرئة اسمي منها المحرر: NQ السبت 10 ت2 2012 12:48 GMT المتحدث الرسمي باسم الحكومة علي الدباغ السومرية نيوز/ بغداد طالب المتحدث باسم الحكومة العراقية علي الدباغ، الاحد، رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي بإجراء تحقيق شامل بصفقة السلاح الروسية وتبرئة اسمه المتداول "ظلما". وقال الدباغ في حديث لـ"السومرية نيوز"، "اطالب رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي بإجراء تحقيق شامل في ملابسات صفقة السلاح مع روسيا ونشر النتائج، تبرئة لاسمي الذي تم تداوله ظلما وكيدا". وكان عضو لجنة الأمن والدفاع البرلمانية حاكم الزاملي، كشف في حديث لـ"السومرية نيوز"، أمس الجمعة، عن إلغاء الحكومة العراقية صفقة شراء الأسلحة الروسية لوجود شبهة فساد فيها، مؤكدا تشكيل لجنة جديدة للتفاوض غير التي أٌرسلت الى روسيا سابقا، فيما أشار إلى أن مبلغ الفساد في الصفقة "ضخم جدا". وتناولت عدد من وسائل الإعلام المحلية، اليوم السبت (10 تشرين الثاني 2012) خبراً أكدت فيه "تورط" عدد من المسؤولين العراقيين بصفقة السلاح الروسية بينهم المتحدث باسم الحكومة العراقية علي الدباغ. وكان رئيس لجنة الأمن والدفاع البرلمانية حسن السنيد قد دافع، في (13 تشرين الاول 2012)، عن عقود التسليح التي وقعها رئيس الحكومة نوري المالكي مع روسيا وتشيكيا، مؤكدا أن الأسلحة التي سيتم استيرادها دفاعية وليست هجومية، كما اشار حينها إلى أن وفدا عراقيا سيزور البلدين بعد أسبوعين للتوقيع على الصيغ النهائية لتلك العقود. وأعلنت روسيا، في (9 تشرين الأول 2012)، أنها وقعت صفقات لبيع أسلحة بقيمة 4.2 مليار دولار مع العراق لتصبح أكبر مورد سلاح له بعد الولايات المتحدة، فيما ذكرت صحيفة فيدوموستي الروسية أن صفقة الأسلحة البالغة قيمتها 4.2 مليار دولار ويجري التفاوض حولها تشمل طائرات ميغ 29 و30 مروحية هجومية من طراز مي-28، و42 بانتسير-اس1 وهي أنظمة صواريخ ارض-جو. وأنهى رئيس الحكومة نوري المالكي، في (12 تشرين الأول 2012)، زيارته الرسمية التي شملت روسيا وتشيكيا والتي أثارت ردود فعل متباينة من قبل الكرد حيث أبدى التحالف الكردستاني، في (13 تشرين الأول 2012)، قلقه بشأن صفقات التسليح التي عقدتها الحكومة العراقية مع روسيا وتشيكيا، داعيا إلى توضيح آليات تلك الصفقات، فيما طالب بعدم استثناء قوات البيشمركة منها. وتسعى الحكومة العراقية إلى تسليح الجيش العراقي بجميع صنوفه، حيث تعاقدت مع عدد من الدول العالمية المصنعة للأسلحة المتطورة منها الولايات المتحدة الأميركية لغرض تجهيز الجيش من مدرعات ودبابات مطورة وطائرات مروحية وحربية منها الـF16 والتي أعلن مكتب القائد العام للقوات المسلحة نوري المالكي، في (13 أيار 2012)، أن العراق سيتسلم الدفعة الأولى منها عام 2014. =========== Kurdistan Rejects Maliki’s Demand For Control of Kurdish Peshmerga Forces 8.11.2012 By Bassem Francis and Mohammad al-Tamimi. Al-Hayat (Pan Arab). More Sharing Services Share | Share on facebook Share on myspace Share on google Share on twitter Kurdish Peshmerga troops prepare 122-mm howitzers during a deployment in the area near the northern Iraqi border with Syria, which lies in an area disputed by Baghdad and the Kurdish region of Ninawa province, August 6, 2012. Photo: Reuters/Azad Lashkari. • See Related Articles November 8, 2012 ERBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan region 'Iraq',— A senior official at the Ministry of Peshmerga in Iraq’s Kurdistan region has called the demand of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to place the Peshmerga forces under the jurisdiction of the federal government an “illusion.” He vowed to make an official response in the next week to the accusations by Maliki. Meanwhile, a Kurdish lawmaker accused the prime minister of obstructing the ongoing negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil. In an interview with Al Sumaria TV on Monday evening [Nov. 5], Maliki declared his willingness to release funding for the Peshmerga forces if they place themselves under the jurisdiction of the federal authorities, since the constitution prohibits the financing of the Peshmerga, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). He accused the KRG of “violating the constitution by controlling the weapons left behind by the former Iraqi army, including tanks, artillery and rocket launchers, while the other federal [entities] are getting armed with light weapons.” He revealed that he has “evidence supported by figures and copies [of transactions] belonging to the persons who [sign] contracts and buy weapons in the region.” Maliki described the objections to the formation of the Tigris Operations Command as “unconstitutional, because the federal army has the right to have a presence in Basra or Zakho, and no one has the right to prevent it constitutionally. There are implicit intentions and a lack of desire for the federal authority to have control or a presence.” He said that the army “is more [entitled] than the Turkish troops to have a presence [in Iraq’s Kurdish region].” He wondered about “the reasons behind the silence over the continued presence of Turkish troops in the al-Amadiyah and Bamarni bases since 1995 until today, while these bases are equipped with tanks, armored vehicles and aircraft, and convoys enter and exit them amid complete silence.” He warned the Peshmerga against “committing a mistake by attacking the Iraqi army.” Spokesman for the Ministry of Peshmerga Lt. Gen. Jabbar Yawar told Al-Hayat that the ministry “will hold a press conference next week to provide clarifications on Maliki’s recent statements.” Deputy Minister of Peshmerga Anwar Haji Osman told Nawkho news agency, which is affiliated with the KRG Ministry of Interior, that “demanding placing the Peshmerga under the control of the Iraqi army is an illusion and pure fantasy.” The Iraqi government has refused to include the Peshmerga budget in the 2013 federal budget considering that it is not part of the Iraqi defense system. This happened despite the negotiations conducted by two Kurdish delegations — one partisan and the other governmental — with the Maliki government last month. Chuan Mohammad Taha, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi parliament representing the Kurdistan Alliance, told Al-Hayat that “the negotiation phase requires wisdom and avoiding escalation. Unfortunately, Maliki's remarks are seen as escalatory with the aim of obstructing the negotiations.” He added: “As for the deployment of the Iraqi army, it is normal provided that the army’s loyalty is to the nation, not a person or particular faction. We have remarks on the mentality of managing the defense system in light of the loss of balance within the army and involving it in the political conflicts.” With regard to the Turkish military presence in the region, Taha said that “this presence is inherited according to an agreement between Ankara and the former regime,www.ekurd.net but what surprises us is why they are raising the issue now and did not discuss it with the Turkish officials during their visits to Baghdad.” He noted that the Peshmerga forces “possess old weapons, and the Iraqi government is evading the responsibility of arming these forces, which have the right [to armament] according to a constitutional article. We seek to include the Peshmerga in the defense system in terms of armament, rehabilitation and management, but have it under the command of the General Commander of Armed Forces and the Kurdistan region’s presidency.” Nawshirwan Mustafa, leader of the Kurdish opposition Movement for Change, said that the objective of his visit to the province of Kirkuk Tuesday [Nov. 6] was to support the decisions of the local government. He called for distancing the military from political disputes. Mustafa said in a press conference that his movement supports the province of Kirkuk, its management and components through their representatives in the Iraqi parliament and the Iraqi Kurdistan parliament. Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Omar Karim reiterated his opposition to the “formation of the Tigris Operations Command” in Kirkuk as a result of Maliki’s accusation to him that he breached the constitution. The local administration announced its refusal to cooperate with the Tigris Operations Command following the prime minister's decision to assign to it the security files in the provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala and Salahuddin. Also, the Ministry of Peshmerga threatened to confront it if it enters the Kurdistan region. Kirkuk is witnessing political and ethnic differences as a result of the Kurds’ demand for the implementation of Article 140 of the constitution, which calls for the provision of financial compensation to the Arabs who were recruited in the 1980s, returning the expelled Kurds after providing them with financial compensation and holding a referendum on appending Kirkuk to the Kurdistan region in the future. Translated from Al-Hayat (Pan Arab). al-monitor.com Copyright ©, respective author or news agency, al-monitor.com | alhayat.com Kurdistan, Iraq ============== Dabbagh and al-Dulaimi and the grandson of Badri and Lebanese broker involved in the Russian arms deal corruption and abolish monarchy and form a committee to negotiate a new 10 تشرين الثاني (نوفمبر) 2012 November 10 (November 2012) وبعد تحقيقات سريعة في موسكو اكتشف المالكي أن "الاخصائي بالمرجعية" والناطق بأسم مجلس الوزراء علي الدباغ، بالإضافة إلى "ابو الوزارتين" وزير الدفاع ووزير الثقافة سعدون الدليمي والمستشار في رئاسة الجمهورية عبد العزيز البدري (نجل رجل الدين السني الذي اعدمه صدام عبد العزيز البدري) فضلا عن سمسار لبناني مقرب من "حزب الله" هو حسن فياض ، هم من رتبوا أمر النسبة التي تبلغ أكثر من 200 مليون دولار. After prompt in Moscow discovered Maliki that "specialist points of reference", the spokesman for the Council of Ministers Ali al-Dabbagh, in addition to the "Abu ministries" Minister of Defense and Minister of Culture Saadoun al-Dulaimi and adviser in the Presidency Abdul Aziz al-Badri (son of the Sunni cleric executed by Saddam Abdel Aziz al-Badri) as well as a broker to close to the Lebanese "Party of God" is Hassan Fayad, are arranged is the percentage of more than $ 200 million. فيما وصفت لجنة النزاهة في مجلس النواب، صفقة السلاح العراقية الروسية بـ"المشبوهة"، مطالبة رئيس الحكومة نوري المالكي بإيقافها، وإعادة التفاوض بشأنها من خلال لجنة يتم اختيارها بدقة، ابلغت مصادر مطلعة على الصفقة، ان الرئيس الروسي بوتين فاجئ المالكي أثناء المفاوضات وهو يشير له بأن حصته البالغة 5 % مضمونة، فما كان من المالكي إلا التساؤل عن ذلك... As described Integrity Committee in the House of Representatives, arms deal Iraqi Russian as "suspicious", demanding Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki halted, and renegotiated through a committee to be selected carefully, informed sources familiar with the deal, Russian President Putin surprised Maliki during the negotiations which indicates him that its 5% stake guaranteed, what was the Maliki only wonder about that ... ويضيف المصدر بأن بوتين قال للمالكي أثناء اللقاء أن مسؤولاً كبيراً في الوفد العراقي هو من رتب كل شيء بخصوص نسبة (عمولة) المالكي وفريقه. The source adds that Putin said the owners during the meeting that a senior official in the Iraqi delegation is arranged everything on the proportion of (commission) al-Maliki and his team. وبعد تحقيقات سريعة في موسكو اكتشف المالكي أن "الاخصائي بالمرجعية" والناطق بأسم مجلس الوزراء علي الدباغ، بالإضافة إلى "ابو الوزارتين" وزير الدفاع ووزير الثقافة سعدون الدليمي والمستشار في رئاسة الجمهورية عبد العزيز البدري (نجل رجل الدين السني الذي اعدمه صدام عبد العزيز البدري) فضلا عن سمسار لبناني مقرب من "حزب الله" هو حسن فياض ، هم من رتبوا أمر النسبة التي تبلغ أكثر من 200 مليون دولار. After prompt in Moscow discovered Maliki that "specialist points of reference", the spokesman for the Council of Ministers Ali al-Dabbagh, in addition to the "Abu ministries" Minister of Defense and Minister of Culture Saadoun al-Dulaimi and adviser in the Presidency Abdul Aziz al-Badri (son of the Sunni cleric executed by Saddam Abdel Aziz al-Badri) as well as a broker to close to the Lebanese "Party of God" is Hassan Fayad, are arranged is the percentage of more than $ 200 million. اللافت في الموضوع هو اقدام الرئيس الروسي على إقالة وزير دفاعه أناتولي سيرديوكوف "على خلفية فضيحة احتيال بعدة ملايين من اليورو تورطت فيها شركة تابعة لوزارة الدفاع"، دون ذكر المزيد من التفاصيل في موسكو. Interesting topic is the feet of Russian President sacked his defense minister Anatoly Serdyukov "against the backdrop of a fraud scandal multimillion euro involving a subsidiary of the Ministry of Defense", without giving further details in Moscow. ويربط مراقبون بين قرار الإقالة هذا وخفايا صفقة الأسلحة العراقية التي كثرت التحليلات بشأنها. Observers links between the decision to dismiss this Khvaya Iraqi arms deal that abounded analyzes them. ساحات التحرير Liberation squares ................................................. ................................................. كشف عضو في لجنة الأمن والدفاع البرلمانية، الجمعة، عن إلغاء الحكومة العراقية صفقة شراء الأسلحة الروسية، مؤكدا تشكيل لجنة جديدة للتفاوض غير التي أٌرسلت الى روسيا سابقا، فيما أشار إلى أن مبلغ الفساد في الصفقة "ضخم جدا". A member of the Commission on Security and Defense parliamentary Friday, the cancellation of the Iraqi government deal to buy Russian weapons, confirming the formation of a new committee to negotiate is sent to Russia earlier, as pointed out that the amount of corruption in the deal "very large." وقال حاكم الزاملي في حديث لـ"السومرية نيوز"، إن "الحكومة ورئيس الوزراء بينوا أن صفقة شراء الاسلحة الروسية فيها شبهة واضحة وفساد يصل الى 195 مليون دولار"، مبينا أن "رئاسة الوزراء ألغت هذه الصفقة وتم تشكيل لجنة جديدة للتفاوض غير التي أُرسلت الى روسيا سابقاً". The governor said Zamili said in an interview for "Alsumaria News", "The government and the Prime Minister indicated that the purchase of Russian arms where suspicion and clear and corruption up to $ 195 million," noting that "the prime minister canceled the deal was formed a new committee to negotiate is sent to Russia previously. " وأضاف الزاملي وهو نائب عن كتلة الاحرار أن "زيارة رئيس الوزراء الى روسيا سبقتها زيارات متكررة لبعض المسؤولين"، مشيرا إلى أن "هناك وسطاء وبعض العلاقات الجانبية والتدخلات التي أثارت حفيظة الجميع". He Zamili, a deputy from the Liberal bloc that "Prime Minister's visit to Russia was preceded by frequent visits to some officials," adding that "there are brokers and some side relationships and interventions, which raised the ire of everyone." وأوضح عضو لجنة الأمن والدفاع أن "مبلغ الفساد في الصفقة ضخم جدا وهناك تورط لبعض الأشخاص"، لافتا إلى أن "الصفقة تم رفضها من قبل الكثير من أعضاء لجنة الأمن والدفاع النيابية الذين تيقنوا من وجود فساد فيها". The member of the Security and Defense Committee that "the amount of corruption in the deal so huge and there's involvement to some people," pointing out that "the deal was rejected by many members of the Commission on Security and Defense parliamentary who are certain about the existence of corruption in it." واعتبر الزاملي أن "الجيش العراقي يحتاج الى التسليح و التدريب لوجود أخطار واستهداف للعراق"، مبديا رفضه أن "تكون اغلب الأموال التي تخصص للتسليح تذهب الى جيوب المفسدين". Zamili considered that "the Iraqi army needs to arming and training of the existence of the dangers and the targeting of Iraq," expressing his refusal to "most of the funds that are allocated to the arm goes into the pockets of the corrupt." وكان رئيس لجنة الأمن والدفاع البرلمانية حسن السنيد قد دافع، في (13 تشرين الاول 2012)، عن عقود التسليح التي وقعها رئيس الحكومة نوري المالكي مع روسيا وتشيكيا، وفي حين طمئنا أن الأسلحة التي سيتم استيرادها دفاعية وليست هجومية، أكد أن وفدا عراقيا سيزور البلدين بعد أسبوعين للتوقيع على الصيغ النهائية لتلك العقود. The Chairman of the Commission on Security and Defense parliamentary Hassan Sinead has defended, in the (October 13, 2012), for armament contracts signed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki with Russia and the Czech Republic, while Tmina that the weapons will be imported defensive rather than offensive, confirmed that an Iraqi delegation will visit the two countries Two weeks after the signing of the final versions of those contracts. وأعلن عضو اللجنة حاكم الزاملي، في (20 تشرين الأول 2012)، عن قرب تشكيلها لجنة لمتابعة عقود التسليح التي أبرمتها الحكومة العراقية مؤخرا، مشيرة إلى أن تشكيل اللجنة يأتي استجابة لدعوة زعيم التيار الصدري مقتدى الصدر وللكثير من المطالبات الأخرى. Committee member announced of quitting, (20 October 2012), closely formed a committee to follow up the armament contracts concluded by the Iraqi government recently, noting that the formation of the committee comes in response to a call cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and many of the other claims. وأعلنت روسيا، في (9 تشرين الأول 2012)، أنها وقعت صفقات لبيع أسلحة بقيمة 4.2 مليار دولار مع العراق لتصبح أكبر مورد سلاح له بعد الولايات المتحدة، فيما ذكرت صحيفة فيدوموستي الروسية أن صفقة الأسلحة البالغة قيمتها 4.2 مليار دولار ويجري التفاوض حولها تشمل طائرات ميغ 29 و30 مروحية هجومية من طراز مي-28، و42 بانتسير-اس1 وهي أنظمة صواريخ ارض-جو. Russia announced, in (9 October 2012), it has signed deals to sell weapons worth $ 4.2 billion with Iraq to become the largest arms supplier to him after the United States, as reported Vedomosti, Russian arms deal valued at $ 4.2 billion and is being negotiated include MiGs 29 and 30 attack helicopter Mi -28, and 42 Pantsir - S 1, a missile systems - atmosphere. =============== Washington offers deploying its troop in the disputed areas Sunday, 18 November 2012 09:49 Shafaq News /An informed Kurdish source said on Sunday, that Washington entered on crisis line after forming Dijla forces between Baghdad and Erbil to end it, while offered to re-deploy the U.S. troops in the disputed areas and considered the armed clash with Peshmarga troops as a “red line." The source said in remarks quoted by a Kuwaiti newspaper, and briefed by "Shafaq News", that" U.S. diplomats in Baghdad have begun contacts and meetings with the two parties, (Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki )and (Kurdistan Region’s President Massoud Barzani) to end the problem and reach a joint agreement to manage the disputed areas. " "One of the submitted solutions is to re-deploy the U.S. forces in the disputed areas to ensure there are no clashes between the army and between the Kurdish Peshmarga", adding that "al-Maliki rejected this proposal." He added that "Washington does not oppose to re-deploy its military forces in the region if the disputes parties wanted that," stressing that "U.S. Vice President , Joe Biden responsible of the Iraqi file is excited for this step because the U.S. administration will not allow the outbreak of any fighting between Baghdad forces and Erbil forces on the basis that any development represents a severe strike to the United States, which supported the political process in Iraq for nearly ten years. " The source pointed out that "Biden told Maliki that the armed clash with Kurdish Peshmarga is a red line", warning that "U.S. forces will intervene in the event of the outbreak of fighting in Kirkuk and any other area." "The U.S. National Security Chancellery is convinced that the movements of al-Maliki to impose his military control on Kurdistan is due to the Iranian and Syrian regimes," adding that "moving in this period under the name of Dijla Operations Command established by Iraqi Prime Minister aims to undermine the Turkish influence and countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council’s influence, which has grown dramatically in Kurdistan Region recently . " The disputed areas between Erbil and Baghdad witnessed major security tensions after the government announced the formation of Dijla Operations Command, which has subjected the army and police forces in Kirkuk, Diyala and Salahuddin provinces and Erbil’s rejection of these forces because no one discussed the matter with it when it was formed. The armed clash occurred between the guards of one of the headquarters of Kurdish parties in Tuz Khurmatu district in Salahuddin province and a force of the federal police on Friday, killing one civilian and wounding ten policemen. http://www.shafaaq.com/en/news/4093-washington-offers-deploying-its-troop-in-the-disputed-areas-.html

Four dead, 49 missing as Russian oil rig sinks

Get short URL email story to a friend print version Published: 18 December, 2011, 07:56 Edited: 18 December, 2011, 12:05 Drilling rig overturns in the Sea of Okhotsk (26.2Mb)embed video TAGS: Russia, Accident, Vehicles, Cary Johnston, Jacob Greaves Rescuers have saved 14 of the 67 people who were on board a floating oil rig which capsized in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, according to latest reports. Four more have been found dead. The Kolskoe rig was being towed by an icebreaker and a tow boat to Sakhalin Island after finishing its drill mission when the disaster happened. A distress signal was sent from it on Sunday morning. The Emergencies Ministry says 14 people have been saved and four found dead. Earlier it said two of the people picked up from the icy water were in a critical condition. Nine of the people rescued have been deemed stable enough to be transported to land via helicopter for further treatment. Four of those are currently in transit. All workers at the rig have warm swimming suits and life vests, the rescue service says. There were also four inflatable rafts on the facility. Rescuers found two of those, but discovered nobody on board. The search is being conducted by the two vessels which were towing the rig and a helicopter. A third ship is heading towards the wreck site. Also a transport plane from the Russian Pacific Fleet has been sent to the location with additional rafts, which may be dropped from the air to assist anyone they manage to find. The rig itself has completely sunk. Authorities said it had little fuel left and those supplies were in sealed tanks, so the environmental damage to the region will be minimal, if any. The incident happened 200 kilometers off Sakhalin Island. Conditions at sea have been very severe lately, with waves up to six meters high and winds of 70 kilometers per hour in the area. A storm caused the rig to tip over. It damaged two of its air tanks, which gave buoyancy to the platform. This tilted it and it capsized in a roughly 20 minutes. This happened as helicopters were preparing to evacuate 53 crew members and 14 passengers from it, because staying aboard was deemed too risky in such conditions. Investigators say the most likely cause of the disaster was violation of safety regulations for transportation of the rig in stormy weather. The Kolskoe rig was built in 1985. At 70 meters long and 80 wide, it was one of the largest oil rigs in Russia. It was due to set sail for drilling off the Vietnamese coast at the end of its current mission.