The 28-year-old man from Leicester city,UK has proved himself to be probably the worst learner driver in Britain by failing in driving theory tests for 92 times, having spend has spent £2,852 in his unending struggle for The hour-long theory exam which includes multiple-choice questions about road rules.
No one can take the practical driving test until passing it
Giving him company was One man aged 33 took 22 attempts to pass. None of the drivers were named by the DSA(Driving Standards Agency ) due to data protection laws.
No one can take the practical driving test until passing it
Giving him company was One man aged 33 took 22 attempts to pass. None of the drivers were named by the DSA(Driving Standards Agency ) due to data protection laws.
Voters in Japan have elected a 36-year-old woman Naomi Koshi, a graduate of Harvard law school as the country's youngest female mayor, in Otsu, the capital city of Shiga prefecture.
Shiga's governor is also female, making it the first place in Japan where a region's two top jobs are held by women.
Koshi, who was backed by the centre-left Democratic Party of Japan of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, beat 70-year-old Makoto Mekata. Koshi got 51,735 votes, while Mekata got 42,232, the final result showed.
"I want to work on expanding childcare and other services," the Mainichi Shimbun quoted Koshi as telling cheering supporters late Sunday.
The previous record holder was Kazumi Inamura, who won the race in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, in 2010 at age 38.
Shiga's governor is also female, making it the first place in Japan where a region's two top jobs are held by women.
Koshi, who was backed by the centre-left Democratic Party of Japan of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, beat 70-year-old Makoto Mekata. Koshi got 51,735 votes, while Mekata got 42,232, the final result showed.
"I want to work on expanding childcare and other services," the Mainichi Shimbun quoted Koshi as telling cheering supporters late Sunday.
The previous record holder was Kazumi Inamura, who won the race in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, in 2010 at age 38.
Iran accused Europeans on Monday of waging "psychological warfare" after the EU banned imports of Iranian oil, joining the United States in new sanctions aimed at preventing Tehran from getting nuclear weapons.
The sanctions ban all new oil contracts with Iran and freeze the assets of Iran's central bank in the EU.
The EU currently buys about 20% of Iran's oil exports.
"European officials and other countries which are under America's political pressure... should consider their national interests and not deprive themselves of Iran's oil to help US officials achieve their secret aims," Mr Mehmanparast added.
The sanctions ban all new oil contracts with Iran and freeze the assets of Iran's central bank in the EU.
The EU currently buys about 20% of Iran's oil exports.
"European officials and other countries which are under America's political pressure... should consider their national interests and not deprive themselves of Iran's oil to help US officials achieve their secret aims," Mr Mehmanparast added.
Libya said on Monday that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi would face trial at home, threatening a showdown with the International Criminal Court which may decide to prosecute the son of Libya's former dictator in The Hague.
Minister of Justice Ali Humaida Ashour told Reuters that its application, submitted to the ICC last Friday, to try Gaddafi had been accepted "so the trial will be in Libya under Libyan law".
Libya does have the right to put Saif al-Islam on trial under international law, but only if the ICC agrees it is able to mount a fair trial, something Libya's prime minister on Saturday assured it would do.
Minister of Justice Ali Humaida Ashour told Reuters that its application, submitted to the ICC last Friday, to try Gaddafi had been accepted "so the trial will be in Libya under Libyan law".
Libya does have the right to put Saif al-Islam on trial under international law, but only if the ICC agrees it is able to mount a fair trial, something Libya's prime minister on Saturday assured it would do.
A magnitude-6.2 earthquake has struck just off the shore of south-central Chile, the same area that devastated by a massive temblor two years ago. There are no immediate reports of damage and authorities say it will not cause a tsunami.
Today's quake was centered 50 kilometers northwest of Concepcion, and was relatively shallow at 20 kilometers under sea level. But Chile's navy announced that it wasn't the kind of quake to generate a deadly tsunami of the kind that ravaged nearby coastal cities when an magnitude-8.8 quake devastated Chile in 2010.
The US Geological Service says the quake struck at 1.04pm local time (1604 GMT). Chile's national emergency office says there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Today's quake was centered 50 kilometers northwest of Concepcion, and was relatively shallow at 20 kilometers under sea level. But Chile's navy announced that it wasn't the kind of quake to generate a deadly tsunami of the kind that ravaged nearby coastal cities when an magnitude-8.8 quake devastated Chile in 2010.
The US Geological Service says the quake struck at 1.04pm local time (1604 GMT). Chile's national emergency office says there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Syria on Monday rejected the Arab League’s wide-ranging new plan to end the country’s 10-month crisis, saying the League’s call for a national unity government in two months is a clear violation of Syrian sovereignty, as violence raged.
Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets in a suburb outside the capital, Damascus to mourn for 11 residents who were either shot dead by security forces or killed in clashes between army defectors and troops a day earlier, activists said.
An activist group said 23 people were killed in Syria on Monday.
The crowd in Douma — which one activist said was 60,000-strong — was under the protection of dozens of army defectors who are in control of the area after regime forces pulled out late Sunday, said Samer al-Omar, a Douma resident.
President Bashar Assad blames the uprising that erupted in March on terrorists and armed gangs acting out a foreign conspiracy to destabilize the country. His regime has retaliated with a brutal crackdown that the U.N. says has killed more than 5,400 people.
On Sunday, the Arab League called for a unity government within two months, which would then prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held under Arab and international supervision.The proposal also provides for Assad to give his vice president full powers to cooperate with the proposed government to enable it to carry out its duties during a transitional period.
Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets in a suburb outside the capital, Damascus to mourn for 11 residents who were either shot dead by security forces or killed in clashes between army defectors and troops a day earlier, activists said.
An activist group said 23 people were killed in Syria on Monday.
The crowd in Douma — which one activist said was 60,000-strong — was under the protection of dozens of army defectors who are in control of the area after regime forces pulled out late Sunday, said Samer al-Omar, a Douma resident.
President Bashar Assad blames the uprising that erupted in March on terrorists and armed gangs acting out a foreign conspiracy to destabilize the country. His regime has retaliated with a brutal crackdown that the U.N. says has killed more than 5,400 people.
On Sunday, the Arab League called for a unity government within two months, which would then prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held under Arab and international supervision.The proposal also provides for Assad to give his vice president full powers to cooperate with the proposed government to enable it to carry out its duties during a transitional period.
China suffers second bird flu death in a month, health authorities said, the second human death from the virulent disease in the country in just under a month.
The latest victim, 39, fell ill on January 6 and was subsequently admitted to hospital in Guiyang – capital of Guizhou province – where his condition rapidly deteriorated, Tests on the patient before he died confirmed he had contracted the H5N1 virus
"So far, 71 people who had close contact with the victim have not developed abnormal symptoms," the health department said.He is the second man to die from bird flu in China in less than a month, after a bus driver in the southern province of Guangdong passed away from the disease on December 31.
Concerns about avian influenza have risen across southeast Asia after China in late December reported its first fatality from the H5N1 virus in 18 months.
The latest victim, 39, fell ill on January 6 and was subsequently admitted to hospital in Guiyang – capital of Guizhou province – where his condition rapidly deteriorated, Tests on the patient before he died confirmed he had contracted the H5N1 virus
"So far, 71 people who had close contact with the victim have not developed abnormal symptoms," the health department said.He is the second man to die from bird flu in China in less than a month, after a bus driver in the southern province of Guangdong passed away from the disease on December 31.
Concerns about avian influenza have risen across southeast Asia after China in late December reported its first fatality from the H5N1 virus in 18 months.
Deadly strike by Islamist sect Boko Haram left Around 100 of them killed in bomb attacks and gunbattles in the Nigerian city Kano late on Friday, a local government security source said,
Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Saturday for the wave of strikes. The sect has killed hundreds in the north of Africa's most populous nation in the last year.
A spokesman for Boko Haram contacted reporters in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, where the sect is based, to claim responsibility for Friday's bombings. Copies of a letter apparently from the group were also dropped around Kano.
The letter, written in the Hausa language spoken in northern Nigeria, said the attacks were retribution for police arrests and killings of members of the sect.
Boko Haram became active around 2003 in the northeast state of Borno but its attacks have spread into other northern states, including Yobe, Kano, Bauchi and Gombe.
Boko Haram, a Hausa term meaning "Western education is sinful," is loosely modeled on Afghanistan's Taliban.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Saturday for the wave of strikes. The sect has killed hundreds in the north of Africa's most populous nation in the last year.
A spokesman for Boko Haram contacted reporters in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, where the sect is based, to claim responsibility for Friday's bombings. Copies of a letter apparently from the group were also dropped around Kano.
The letter, written in the Hausa language spoken in northern Nigeria, said the attacks were retribution for police arrests and killings of members of the sect.
Boko Haram became active around 2003 in the northeast state of Borno but its attacks have spread into other northern states, including Yobe, Kano, Bauchi and Gombe.
Boko Haram, a Hausa term meaning "Western education is sinful," is loosely modeled on Afghanistan's Taliban.
The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia lays on its side after running aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, sending water pouring in through a 160-foot (50-meter) gash in the hull and forcing the evacuation of some 4,200 people from the listing vessel early Saturday.
Police divers and rescue crews are circled around the wreckage of the cruise ship in an apparent search for the few dozen people who remain unaccounted for.
Late Saturday a South Korean couple on their honeymoon were rescued when firefighters in the unsubmerged part of the Costa Concordia heard their screams.
Crews in dinghies were seen Sunday morning touching the hull with their hands. They were near the site of the 160-foot (50-meter) -long gash where water flooded in and caused the ship to fall on its side.
Coast guard officials have said divers will try to enter the belly of the ship in case anyone is still inside Italian news reports quoting local officials say some 40 people remain unaccounted for out of the 4,200 passengers and crew. Three people are confirmed dead.
Police divers and rescue crews are circled around the wreckage of the cruise ship in an apparent search for the few dozen people who remain unaccounted for.
Late Saturday a South Korean couple on their honeymoon were rescued when firefighters in the unsubmerged part of the Costa Concordia heard their screams.
Crews in dinghies were seen Sunday morning touching the hull with their hands. They were near the site of the 160-foot (50-meter) -long gash where water flooded in and caused the ship to fall on its side.
Coast guard officials have said divers will try to enter the belly of the ship in case anyone is still inside Italian news reports quoting local officials say some 40 people remain unaccounted for out of the 4,200 passengers and crew. Three people are confirmed dead.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari flew to the United Arab Emirates Thursday, amid growing tensions between Pakistan's civilian government and the military.
Officials said Mr. Zardari was to attend a wedding in Dubai and will be back in Pakistan on Friday. They also said the trip is not linked to the current crisis in Pakistan.
The 56-year-old Pakistani leader went to the United Arab Emirates last month for medical treatment after falling ill. The president's trip came as army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met with top commanders on Thursday. Officials said the senior military officers discussed the "prevailing situation."
The crisis between the government and military stems from an unsigned memo that allegedly sought U.S. help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Supreme Court is investigating the memo, which was allegedly sent by a Pakistani official to the U.S. military last year.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired Defense Secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi for his role in submitting statements to the Supreme Court made by two top security officials.
Mr. Gilani also accused the two officials, army chief Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence head Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, of acting unlawfully by making unilateral submissions to the Supreme Court inquiry.
Those remarks prompted Pakistan's military on Wednesday to warn of "grievous consequences" for the country.
A Supreme Court-appointed panel is investigating the origins of the unsigned memo, in which Pakistan's civilian government asked for U.S. help in reining in the Pakistani military, following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May.
The existence of the memo surfaced in October when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz accused the then-Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, of writing the memo. Haqqani denies he wrote the document and has since resigned.
The army has ruled Pakistan for must of its existence since independence from Britain in 1947. There have been three military coups in Pakistan, and no civilian government has ever completed its term in office.
Analysts say General Kayani does not want a coup but that generals would not object to President Zardari being dismissed through constitutional means.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States stands "strongly in favor" of a democratically-elected civilian government in Pakistan. She added the U.S. expects Pakistan to resolve any internal issues in a "just and transparent manner" that upholds Pakistan's laws and constitution.
Officials said Mr. Zardari was to attend a wedding in Dubai and will be back in Pakistan on Friday. They also said the trip is not linked to the current crisis in Pakistan.
The 56-year-old Pakistani leader went to the United Arab Emirates last month for medical treatment after falling ill. The president's trip came as army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met with top commanders on Thursday. Officials said the senior military officers discussed the "prevailing situation."
The crisis between the government and military stems from an unsigned memo that allegedly sought U.S. help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Supreme Court is investigating the memo, which was allegedly sent by a Pakistani official to the U.S. military last year.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired Defense Secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi for his role in submitting statements to the Supreme Court made by two top security officials.
Mr. Gilani also accused the two officials, army chief Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence head Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, of acting unlawfully by making unilateral submissions to the Supreme Court inquiry.
Those remarks prompted Pakistan's military on Wednesday to warn of "grievous consequences" for the country.
A Supreme Court-appointed panel is investigating the origins of the unsigned memo, in which Pakistan's civilian government asked for U.S. help in reining in the Pakistani military, following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May.
The existence of the memo surfaced in October when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz accused the then-Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, of writing the memo. Haqqani denies he wrote the document and has since resigned.
The army has ruled Pakistan for must of its existence since independence from Britain in 1947. There have been three military coups in Pakistan, and no civilian government has ever completed its term in office.
Analysts say General Kayani does not want a coup but that generals would not object to President Zardari being dismissed through constitutional means.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States stands "strongly in favor" of a democratically-elected civilian government in Pakistan. She added the U.S. expects Pakistan to resolve any internal issues in a "just and transparent manner" that upholds Pakistan's laws and constitution.
The Iranian government called on the United Nations to condemn the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist, calling it a "terrorist attack," and blaming foreign powers.
Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed Wednesday by a bomb attached to his car by a passing bicyclist.
In a letter to the U.N. Secretary General, Iran's Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee called on the U.N. to condemn the killing and two earlier attacks that left two nuclear scientists dead and another seriously injured, in the strongest terms.
"There is firm evidence that certain foreign quarters are behind such assassinations. As has been claimed by these circles, such terrorist acts have been carried out as part of the efforts to disrupt Iran's peaceful nuclear program, under the false assumption that diplomacy alone would not be enough for that purpose," the letter read in part.
Wednesday's attack came almost two months after an unexplained explosion at an Iranian missile base killed a top general and 16 other people. In 2010, the release of a malicious computer virus known at Stuxnet disrupted controls of some centrifuges — a component in nuclear fuel production.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denied any U.S. role in the slaying and the Obama administration condemned the attacks. Israeli officials, in contrast, have hinted at covert campaigns against Iran without directly admitting involvement.
The U.S. and its allies are pressuring Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a key element of the nuclear program that the West suspects is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Uranium enriched to low levels can be used as nuclear fuel, but at higher levels it can be used as material for a nuclear warhead.
Iran denies it is trying to make nuclear weapons, saying its program is for peaceful purposes only and is geared toward generating electricity.
Those claims were called into question on Monday when the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran had begun enriching uranium to 20% — a significantly higher concentration than the nation's main stockpile, which is enriched to 3.5%.
On Wednesday, following a closed-door session, diplomats said all 15 Security Council members slammed Iran over the move.
Britain's deputy U.N. ambassador Philip Parham brushed aside Iran's claim that the uranium was being enriched for use in a research reactor.
Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed Wednesday by a bomb attached to his car by a passing bicyclist.
In a letter to the U.N. Secretary General, Iran's Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee called on the U.N. to condemn the killing and two earlier attacks that left two nuclear scientists dead and another seriously injured, in the strongest terms.
"There is firm evidence that certain foreign quarters are behind such assassinations. As has been claimed by these circles, such terrorist acts have been carried out as part of the efforts to disrupt Iran's peaceful nuclear program, under the false assumption that diplomacy alone would not be enough for that purpose," the letter read in part.
Wednesday's attack came almost two months after an unexplained explosion at an Iranian missile base killed a top general and 16 other people. In 2010, the release of a malicious computer virus known at Stuxnet disrupted controls of some centrifuges — a component in nuclear fuel production.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denied any U.S. role in the slaying and the Obama administration condemned the attacks. Israeli officials, in contrast, have hinted at covert campaigns against Iran without directly admitting involvement.
The U.S. and its allies are pressuring Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a key element of the nuclear program that the West suspects is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Uranium enriched to low levels can be used as nuclear fuel, but at higher levels it can be used as material for a nuclear warhead.
Iran denies it is trying to make nuclear weapons, saying its program is for peaceful purposes only and is geared toward generating electricity.
Those claims were called into question on Monday when the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran had begun enriching uranium to 20% — a significantly higher concentration than the nation's main stockpile, which is enriched to 3.5%.
On Wednesday, following a closed-door session, diplomats said all 15 Security Council members slammed Iran over the move.
Britain's deputy U.N. ambassador Philip Parham brushed aside Iran's claim that the uranium was being enriched for use in a research reactor.
Indonesia: A powerful earthquake hit waters off western Indonesia early Wednesday, prompting officials to briefly issue a tsunami warning. Panicked residents ran from their homes, some fleeing to high ground by car or motorcycle, but there were no reports of injuries or serious damage.
The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.3 quake struck 260 miles (420 kilometers) off the coast of Aceh province just after midnight. It was centered 18 miles (30 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.
People in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, still deeply traumatized by the 2004 monster quake and tsunami, poured into the streets as sirens blared from local mosques. Some headed to the hills, choking roads with traffic.
"I'm afraid,'' said Fera, a resident, who skidded off on her motorbike with her two children and her mother.
In the town of Simeulue, patients were evacuated from a hospital. Officials contacted by The Associated Press in several coastal cities, however, had not received any reports about injuries or significant damage.
Nearly two hours after the quake, the local geological agency lifted its tsunami warning.
Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Aceh.
The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.3 quake struck 260 miles (420 kilometers) off the coast of Aceh province just after midnight. It was centered 18 miles (30 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.
People in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, still deeply traumatized by the 2004 monster quake and tsunami, poured into the streets as sirens blared from local mosques. Some headed to the hills, choking roads with traffic.
"I'm afraid,'' said Fera, a resident, who skidded off on her motorbike with her two children and her mother.
In the town of Simeulue, patients were evacuated from a hospital. Officials contacted by The Associated Press in several coastal cities, however, had not received any reports about injuries or significant damage.
Nearly two hours after the quake, the local geological agency lifted its tsunami warning.
Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Aceh.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he is ready to give up his post if his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and coalition partners so desire.
Zardari along with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was presiding over a meeting on Tuesday of parliamentary leaders of coalition partners in Islamabad, Dawn News reported.
The meeting that discussed the overall political situation in the country was attended by Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leaders Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri and senior leaders of the PPP.
The president has called a special session of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament on Jan 12.
There will be another meeting of the MPs before the January 12 parliament session, said presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar.
Zardari along with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was presiding over a meeting on Tuesday of parliamentary leaders of coalition partners in Islamabad, Dawn News reported.
The meeting that discussed the overall political situation in the country was attended by Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leaders Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri and senior leaders of the PPP.
The president has called a special session of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament on Jan 12.
There will be another meeting of the MPs before the January 12 parliament session, said presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar.
TEHRAN: An Iranian court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death, state radio reported on Monday , in a case adding to the accelerating tension between the United States and Iran.
Iran charges that as a former US marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, received special training and served at US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission.
The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued . The 28-year-old former military translator was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan . His family is of Iranian origin. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.
Behnaz Hekmati, his mother, said she and her husband , Ali, are "shocked and terrified" that their son has been sentenced to death.
Iran charges that as a former US marine, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, received special training and served at US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission.
The radio report did not say when the verdict was issued . The 28-year-old former military translator was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan . His family is of Iranian origin. His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.
Behnaz Hekmati, his mother, said she and her husband , Ali, are "shocked and terrified" that their son has been sentenced to death.
Tehran’s leadership has decided to order a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz if the country’s oil exports are blocked, a senior Revolutionary Guard Commander said as reported by Iranian press.
The strategic decision was made by Iran's top authorities, Ali Ashraf Nouri said, as cited by the Iranian Khorasan daily.
"The supreme authorities … have insisted that if enemies block the export of our oil, we won't allow a drop of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This is the strategy of the Islamic Republic in countering such threats," Nouri said.
Until now, there had been no official confirmation of Iran’s military having direct orders to block the Strait. However, Tehran has been threatening to block the strategic waterway – one of the world's most important oil routes – if the West slapped more sanctions on its oil exports or risked hostile military act of any kind.
Meanwhile, Iran is planning a new round of “massive” naval drills codenamed The Great Prophet, which will be carried out by the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard with its own air, naval and ground forces, separate from those of the regular military.
On Thursday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's naval commander, Admiral Ali Fadavi, said the next round of war games would be "different” from previous ones.
Iran recently held a 10-day naval exercise near the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating its military prowess and ability to take full control of the waters if necessary.
Tensions spiraled after the US introduced the latest round of sanctions against Iran targeting its financial and banking sector, effectively hampering Iran’s ability to settle transactions with the international consumers of its oil. The legislation already caused the Iranian currency to plunge to a historic low.
Iran is under UN sanctions for refusing to stop its uranium enrichment program, which is – as Iranian officials claim – aimed at developing a complex civilian nuclear industry. The international community believes, though, that Iran’s nuclear program is merely a front for its ambitions to create a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile the EU may delay its embargo on Iranian crude oil imports, a measure aimed at complementing the US sanctions. EU members most dependent on oil imports are seeking to push back the embargo and have called for “grace periods” on existing contracts. But diplomats from different countries differed on the exact length of these grace periods. Diplomats from Greece, which is most dependent on Iranian oil imports, have called for a delay of 12 months, while the UK, France and the Netherlands want a maximum of 3 months.
EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on January 30 to decide on how the embargo will be imposed.
Iran is the second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia, among the 12 countries in OPEC, making around 3.5 million barrels a day. EU countries buy around 500,000 barrels per day, the largest share of Iran’s total 2.6 million barrel a day oil export.
During an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States would not tolerate the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that the US would take action to reopen the Strait in the event Iran does block it.
“They've invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz. We've invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that,” Dempsey said.
Panetta also said he did not believe Iran was developing a nuclear weapon but indicated that Iran’s nuclear capabilities are what concern the US and its allies.
Panetta and Dempsey stressed the need to continue putting diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran but also said that the US did not intend to “take any option off the table.”
Asked about what the United States would do if Israel were to take out Iran’s nuclear capability on its own, Leon Panetta said the main goal would be to protect US forces in the region.
The strategic decision was made by Iran's top authorities, Ali Ashraf Nouri said, as cited by the Iranian Khorasan daily.
"The supreme authorities … have insisted that if enemies block the export of our oil, we won't allow a drop of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This is the strategy of the Islamic Republic in countering such threats," Nouri said.
Until now, there had been no official confirmation of Iran’s military having direct orders to block the Strait. However, Tehran has been threatening to block the strategic waterway – one of the world's most important oil routes – if the West slapped more sanctions on its oil exports or risked hostile military act of any kind.
Meanwhile, Iran is planning a new round of “massive” naval drills codenamed The Great Prophet, which will be carried out by the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard with its own air, naval and ground forces, separate from those of the regular military.
On Thursday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's naval commander, Admiral Ali Fadavi, said the next round of war games would be "different” from previous ones.
Iran recently held a 10-day naval exercise near the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating its military prowess and ability to take full control of the waters if necessary.
Tensions spiraled after the US introduced the latest round of sanctions against Iran targeting its financial and banking sector, effectively hampering Iran’s ability to settle transactions with the international consumers of its oil. The legislation already caused the Iranian currency to plunge to a historic low.
Iran is under UN sanctions for refusing to stop its uranium enrichment program, which is – as Iranian officials claim – aimed at developing a complex civilian nuclear industry. The international community believes, though, that Iran’s nuclear program is merely a front for its ambitions to create a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile the EU may delay its embargo on Iranian crude oil imports, a measure aimed at complementing the US sanctions. EU members most dependent on oil imports are seeking to push back the embargo and have called for “grace periods” on existing contracts. But diplomats from different countries differed on the exact length of these grace periods. Diplomats from Greece, which is most dependent on Iranian oil imports, have called for a delay of 12 months, while the UK, France and the Netherlands want a maximum of 3 months.
EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on January 30 to decide on how the embargo will be imposed.
Iran is the second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia, among the 12 countries in OPEC, making around 3.5 million barrels a day. EU countries buy around 500,000 barrels per day, the largest share of Iran’s total 2.6 million barrel a day oil export.
During an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States would not tolerate the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that the US would take action to reopen the Strait in the event Iran does block it.
“They've invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz. We've invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that,” Dempsey said.
Panetta also said he did not believe Iran was developing a nuclear weapon but indicated that Iran’s nuclear capabilities are what concern the US and its allies.
Panetta and Dempsey stressed the need to continue putting diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran but also said that the US did not intend to “take any option off the table.”
Asked about what the United States would do if Israel were to take out Iran’s nuclear capability on its own, Leon Panetta said the main goal would be to protect US forces in the region.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) – President Benigno Aquino III warned on Sunday of a possible terrorist attack, including bombings, during an annual Roman Catholic procession in Manila that draws millions of devotees.
Aquino, joined by all his top defense and security officials, told a hurriedly called news conference that several terrorists planning to disrupt Monday's religious procession have been sighted in the capital. Police are attempting to arrest the suspects and disrupt any planned attack, he said.
"The sad reality of the world today is that terrorists want to disrupt the ability of people to live their lives in the ways they want to, including the freedom to worship and engage in community activities," Aquino said in the nationally televised briefing.
While there was a "heightened risk," Aquino said the possibility of a terrorist assault was not high enough for the government to make an unprecedented decision to cancel the daylong procession.
He said security will be tight during the procession of a centuries-old image of Jesus Christ known as the Black Nazarene. He asked devotees not to bring cellphones or weapons. All firecrackers, which are traditionally lit during the event, will be banned and violators will be arrested, he said.
The huge number of barefoot devotees who gather during the procession through downtown Manila's narrow streets "makes it a very tempting terrorist threat," Aquino said.
He said authorities have been monitoring possible terrorist threats since August but declined to provide other details. The threat monitored by the government was not related to a U.S. government travel advisory last week which warned Americans of terror threats in the Philippines, he said.
Asked if the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group, which is based in the country's south, was behind the threat, Aquino replied that the possibility has not been confirmed. He said the terrorists monitored in the capital were Filipinos.
Abu Sayyaf militants, who are notorious for bombings, kidnappings and beheadings, have staged deadly bomb attacks in metropolitan Manila in the past. In 2004, they detonated a bomb that set off an inferno and killed 116 people aboard a ferry in Manila Bay in the country's worst terrorist attack.
U.S.-backed Philippine offensives have considerably weakened the Abu Sayyaf, which is on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations, but the group remains a key national security threat.
The Abu Sayyaf has harbored Indonesian militants from the Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiyah in their jungle strongholds on southern Jolo islands. The Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people, mostly Australians and other foreign tourists, in Southeast Asia's worst terrorist attack.
Aquino, joined by all his top defense and security officials, told a hurriedly called news conference that several terrorists planning to disrupt Monday's religious procession have been sighted in the capital. Police are attempting to arrest the suspects and disrupt any planned attack, he said.
"The sad reality of the world today is that terrorists want to disrupt the ability of people to live their lives in the ways they want to, including the freedom to worship and engage in community activities," Aquino said in the nationally televised briefing.
While there was a "heightened risk," Aquino said the possibility of a terrorist assault was not high enough for the government to make an unprecedented decision to cancel the daylong procession.
He said security will be tight during the procession of a centuries-old image of Jesus Christ known as the Black Nazarene. He asked devotees not to bring cellphones or weapons. All firecrackers, which are traditionally lit during the event, will be banned and violators will be arrested, he said.
The huge number of barefoot devotees who gather during the procession through downtown Manila's narrow streets "makes it a very tempting terrorist threat," Aquino said.
He said authorities have been monitoring possible terrorist threats since August but declined to provide other details. The threat monitored by the government was not related to a U.S. government travel advisory last week which warned Americans of terror threats in the Philippines, he said.
Asked if the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group, which is based in the country's south, was behind the threat, Aquino replied that the possibility has not been confirmed. He said the terrorists monitored in the capital were Filipinos.
Abu Sayyaf militants, who are notorious for bombings, kidnappings and beheadings, have staged deadly bomb attacks in metropolitan Manila in the past. In 2004, they detonated a bomb that set off an inferno and killed 116 people aboard a ferry in Manila Bay in the country's worst terrorist attack.
U.S.-backed Philippine offensives have considerably weakened the Abu Sayyaf, which is on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations, but the group remains a key national security threat.
The Abu Sayyaf has harbored Indonesian militants from the Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiyah in their jungle strongholds on southern Jolo islands. The Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people, mostly Australians and other foreign tourists, in Southeast Asia's worst terrorist attack.
The US State Department says it has expressed concern to the Bahraini government over the apparent beating of prominent rights activist Nabeel Rajab.
Opposition activists say security officers beat him on the back, head and neck at a rally on Friday.
Bahrain's interior ministry denies the attack but the US is calling on it to fully investigate the allegations.
The US Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain and the two countries have close ties.
The interior ministry has said police found Mr Rajab on the ground and took him to hospital.
It has released a video of the events, showing what it says was an unauthorised demonstration in the capital, Manama.
The US State Department said the facts of the case were in dispute, but that in general it was very concerned "about frequent reports of excessive force by the police".
It is unusual for Washington to publicly chastise Bahrain, despite considerable international criticism of the harsh crackdown against anti-government protesters over recent months, says the BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani in Washington DC.
Even though the US wants to support democracy movements in the Middle East, Sunni-led Bahrain is a key ally against Iran's Shia influence, our correspondent adds.
Shia anger
Bahrain's King Hamad recently agreed to implement reforms after an independent commission found detainees were abused and even tortured to death.
Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority has been campaigning for greater rights in the kingdom since last February.
Confrontations between security forces and demonstrators occur almost daily.
Last spring, more than 40 people died in a heavy-handed government crackdown against protesters in the Gulf kingdom. An independent commission later concluded that "excessive force" had been used.
The violence has fuelled anger in Shia areas against the Sunni ruling family and political elite.
Opposition activists say security officers beat him on the back, head and neck at a rally on Friday.
Bahrain's interior ministry denies the attack but the US is calling on it to fully investigate the allegations.
The US Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain and the two countries have close ties.
The interior ministry has said police found Mr Rajab on the ground and took him to hospital.
It has released a video of the events, showing what it says was an unauthorised demonstration in the capital, Manama.
The US State Department said the facts of the case were in dispute, but that in general it was very concerned "about frequent reports of excessive force by the police".
It is unusual for Washington to publicly chastise Bahrain, despite considerable international criticism of the harsh crackdown against anti-government protesters over recent months, says the BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani in Washington DC.
Even though the US wants to support democracy movements in the Middle East, Sunni-led Bahrain is a key ally against Iran's Shia influence, our correspondent adds.
Shia anger
Bahrain's King Hamad recently agreed to implement reforms after an independent commission found detainees were abused and even tortured to death.
Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority has been campaigning for greater rights in the kingdom since last February.
Confrontations between security forces and demonstrators occur almost daily.
Last spring, more than 40 people died in a heavy-handed government crackdown against protesters in the Gulf kingdom. An independent commission later concluded that "excessive force" had been used.
The violence has fuelled anger in Shia areas against the Sunni ruling family and political elite.
Israel Aerospace Industries will sell weapons systems worth more than $1.1 billion to an Asian country over the next four years, the state-owned defence contractor said on Monday.
It said the deal had been signed but did not identify the buyer. Israel's past defence trading partners in Asia have included Singapore, South Korea, India and China.
The sale includes IAI aircraft, missiles and intelligence technologies, an Israeli defence industry source told Reuters. It is the company's most lucrative deal since the Indian navy bought an aerial defence system for $1.1 billion in 2009.
IAI also develops military and commercial aerospace technology, including communications satellites, and unmanned air systems. Like other Israeli firms, it was hit by the government's suspension last year of defence exports to Turkey after diplomatic feuding frayed a once-strong alliance.
Israel plans a public offering of 20-30 percent of IAI, its biggest defence contractor, this year, the Finance Ministry said in April.
TheMarker financial news website reported that the company, which had sales of $3.15 billion in 2010, was expected to be valued at $2.5-3 billion at privatisation.
It said the deal had been signed but did not identify the buyer. Israel's past defence trading partners in Asia have included Singapore, South Korea, India and China.
The sale includes IAI aircraft, missiles and intelligence technologies, an Israeli defence industry source told Reuters. It is the company's most lucrative deal since the Indian navy bought an aerial defence system for $1.1 billion in 2009.
IAI also develops military and commercial aerospace technology, including communications satellites, and unmanned air systems. Like other Israeli firms, it was hit by the government's suspension last year of defence exports to Turkey after diplomatic feuding frayed a once-strong alliance.
Israel plans a public offering of 20-30 percent of IAI, its biggest defence contractor, this year, the Finance Ministry said in April.
TheMarker financial news website reported that the company, which had sales of $3.15 billion in 2010, was expected to be valued at $2.5-3 billion at privatisation.
SHANGHAI: China's state-run news media warned Washington on Friday not to "recklessly practice militarism" or engage in "war mongering," a day after the Obama administration outlined a new military strategy with an increased focus on China.
The sharply worded commentary , published by the official Xinhua News Agency, also urged the United States to play a constructive role in the region.
The official media also warned that the revamped national defence strategy and identifying China as a security threat may challenge mutual trust and cause potential military tensions between the two countries.
The new defence strategic document titled 'Sustaining US Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defence' calls for the US military to strengthen its presence in Asia-Pacific and identifies China as a security threat in long term. The military review says US economic and security interests are "inextricably" connected with the area and the US military accordingly will "of necessity rebalance toward the Asia- Pacific region" , including strengthening Asian allies and investing in the strategic partnership with India, state-run China Daily reported. China's state media also accused US of being a "troublemaker" .
President Obama introduced a new defence strategy on Thursday, aimed at creating a leaner, more dynamic American fighting force with an enlarged presence in Asia and the Pacific. The US had signaled its intention to bolster its military presence in Asia last month, and analysts say that has heightened concerns here that Washington is trying to counter China's rise. Relations between the US and China have often been strained over military issues.
The Xinhua commentary, published under the byline Yu Zhixiao, does not represent China's official position. But because Xinhua is the official propaganda arm of the Communist Party, its editorials often mirror Beijing's positions . The commentary echoed earlier statements by military officials.
The sharply worded commentary , published by the official Xinhua News Agency, also urged the United States to play a constructive role in the region.
The official media also warned that the revamped national defence strategy and identifying China as a security threat may challenge mutual trust and cause potential military tensions between the two countries.
The new defence strategic document titled 'Sustaining US Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defence' calls for the US military to strengthen its presence in Asia-Pacific and identifies China as a security threat in long term. The military review says US economic and security interests are "inextricably" connected with the area and the US military accordingly will "of necessity rebalance toward the Asia- Pacific region" , including strengthening Asian allies and investing in the strategic partnership with India, state-run China Daily reported. China's state media also accused US of being a "troublemaker" .
President Obama introduced a new defence strategy on Thursday, aimed at creating a leaner, more dynamic American fighting force with an enlarged presence in Asia and the Pacific. The US had signaled its intention to bolster its military presence in Asia last month, and analysts say that has heightened concerns here that Washington is trying to counter China's rise. Relations between the US and China have often been strained over military issues.
The Xinhua commentary, published under the byline Yu Zhixiao, does not represent China's official position. But because Xinhua is the official propaganda arm of the Communist Party, its editorials often mirror Beijing's positions . The commentary echoed earlier statements by military officials.
WASHINGTON: Popular US first lady Michelle Obama has had testy relationships with some top White House advisers, and at times pushed the president to pursue politically difficult causes like healthcare and immigration reform, according to a new book.
"The Obamas" by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, paints Mrs. Obama as "an expert motivator and charmer" and "an increasingly canny political player" ahead of the 2012 presidential election, expected to be a tough fight for her husband, President Barack Obama.
Mrs. Obama fought against political tactics espoused by Rahm Emanuel, her husband's former chief of staff, and Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary, the book said, pushing her husband to replace advisers who she felt were "too insular, not strategic enough," according to excerpts from the book on the newspaper's website.
"'She feels as if our rudder isn't set right,'" the book quotes Barack Obama as telling aides.
The Obamas did not speak to Kantor for the book, which was based on interviews with more than 30 current and former staff members. It will be released on Tuesday.
The White House on Friday called the book "an overdramatization of old news" and said Kantor had not spoken to the Obamas since 2009.
"The emotions, thoughts and private moments described in the book, though often seemingly ascribed to the President and First Lady, reflect little more than the author's own thoughts," said Eric Schultz, a White House spokesman.
The book says Mrs. Obama, known for her campaign to promote healthy eating and exercise, initially sought a low-key role in the White House, and even considered postponing her move to Washington from Chicago after the 2008 election.
She was worried about being the first African-American first lady, and felt "everyone was waiting for a black woman to make a mistake," said a former aide quoted in the book.
Tensions arose between Mrs. Obama and Gibbs, who worried about public missteps. Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the president and a friend of the couple, tried to moderate, the book said.
Mrs. Obama supported her husband's "instincts for ambitious but unpopular initiatives like the overhaul of health care and immigration laws, casting herself as a foil to aides more intent on preserving congressional seats and poll numbers," the excerpts say.
"She does think there are worse things than losing an election," said Susan Sher, her former chief of staff, in the book. "Being true to yourself, for her, is definitely more important."