Syria - Rebels Battle to retain control of the northern stronghold of Idlib

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by AssociatedPress

Exclusive AP video shows rebels from the Free Syrian Army in one of their final battles to retain control of the northern stronghold of Idlib (13 March 2012).

USA - Federal Reserve Notes Better Economy, Takes No Policy Action

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by AssociatedPress

The Federal Reserve sketched a mildly brighter view of the economy after a burst of hiring since its last meeting. It took no further steps to aid the recovery and repeated its plan to keep short-term interest rates near zero through 2012. (March 13)

Iran - euronews interview: Larijani on country's new democracy

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has told euronews that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency has effectively come to an end with more than a year to go before the scheduled election.

After parliamentary elections earlier this month, Mohammad-Javad Larijani said the west should recognise that Iran has a new kind of democracy and defended the country's controversial nuclear programme.

He reacted to the recent meeting between the leaders of Israel and the United States, where the possibility of military action against Iranian nuclear installations was discussed.

Mohammad-Javad Larijani, the Secretary General of the Iran High Council For Human Rights speaks to euronews reporter Jon Davies.

Mohammad-Javad Larijani: "Putting myself in the place of the American people, it will be a bit disgraceful because to catch the heart of the American people to get the office, it seems that people are first going to get the heart of Netanyahu and AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) instead of the heart of the people.

"It was a distraction from the mainstream issues that American politicians are confonting. Iran's nuclear programme is so transparent, everybody knows the reality of that. So my reaction is that it was a political set-up to distract the attention of the people from focusing on economic issues which are very hard to resolve. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have any viable programme to answer (the problems). But anyhow, this accursed discussion of violence against a nation is unprecedented."

Jon Davies, euronews: "You say the nuclear programme is transparent, but even the Russians have said recently that Iran must keep its promise to allow international inspectors access to the nuclear programme, which didn't happen earlier in February when the mission from the IAEA came back empty-handed having said that they were being refused and blocked along the way. Where is the transparency?"

Mohammad-Javad Larijani: "Monitoring is continuous over there. The cameras are there. The people are going. And, well, 'empty-handed' is a bad word if they used it, because it depends on how they defined their mission. Obviously they should define their mission beforehand. They cannot wave their hands and say: 'I want to go there and watch it'."

euonews: "But in a transparent system, that would happen wouldn't it?"

Mohammad-Javad Larijani: "Even in a transparent system, it doesn't mean that they can give a telephone call and say they want to go to that place. We agreed to transparency fully-fledged. But the equation has two sides. Transparency is expected from us, we expect co-operation from the other side. We should have access to all non-military [aspects] of nuclear activities. We should have the ability to enjoy the cooperation of other states. We are deprived of all of that and they unilaterally ask Iran to be transparent. It is so inconsistent.

euronews: "So it sounds to me like you're saying there is not complete transparency, because you're not getting the other side of the coin..."

Mohammad-Javad Larijani: "No in fact, I want to say that transparency is on a spectrum. It depends on what time, what thing is catching the eyes of the monitors. For the nuclear reactor in Tehran, which we use to produce drugs and medical treatments for cancer patients, obviously we should be able to buy 20 per cent enriched [uranium].
Well, first they said we should swap it. We said: 'Fine.' They said: 'No, you should give all of your minimally enriched [uranium].' It doesn't make sense. We want to use a nuclear reactor in Tehran which is totally for medical treatment.
So [we said]: 'OK, forget about it, we made it and we used it.'

"These are bad habits of the United States. We do not accept the leadership of the USA. This is an absolutely failed story. But they can treat us like any other sovereign state, fantastic! We can talk, we can deal, we can give and take. We can do a lot of things, but no orders. This leadership may be accepted by Germany, by Sarkozy and others, but definitely not by the Iranians.

"The basic issue is obvious. Iran is emerging as an influential power in the region, with a different social-political system. We have our own democracy, not based on a secular liberal system but based on Islamic rationality. And this experience which has been going for more than three decades is turning Iran from the stooges of the United States to a leading country in the area with the most advanced level of science and technology."

Italy - More bodies pulled from Concordia wreck

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Italian salvage workers have pulled a further seven bodies from the wreck of the Costa Concordia. The victims include two French, three Germans and two Italians. A total of 32 people died when the cruise ship sunk in January after hitting rocks off the southern island of Giglio.

Belgium - Seven policemen hurt as suicide bid goes awry in Brussels

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Seven policemen in Brussels have been injured after a man allegedly tried to commit suicide by crashing his car into a police convoy. It is understood he had received a deportation order to leave Belgium.

USA - Raw Video: British PM Cameron Arrives at Andrews Air Force Base

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by AssociatedPress

British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived at Andrews Air Force Base. Cameron and President Barack Obama are expected to attend an NCCA tournament basketball game Tuesday night in Ohio, an election swing state. (March 13)

USA - President Barack Obama directing Pentagon to do a very thorough investigation into weekend killings of Afghan civilians

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by AssociatedPress

President Barack Obama says he is directing the Pentagon to do a very thorough investigation of the weekend killings of Afghan civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier. (March 13)

Russia - calls for simultaneous ceasefire in Syria

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Kofi Annan is awaiting a response from Syria to his proposals to end the bloodshed across the country.

After meeting the president at the weekend, the UN-Arab League envoy has been talking to the opposition Syrian National Council.

There has been no indication, however, his initiative will lead to a breakthrough. That can only come according to Russia's Foreign Minister if Syrian government forces and their opponents stop the violence at the same time.

"This must be simultaneous, there can't be a situation where the government is called on to withdraw from towns and cities but not armed groups," said Sergei Lavrov at a news conference after talks with his Filipino counterpart.

Meanwhile, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has set a date for multiple party parliamentary elections.

The May 7 poll will be the first under the new constitution approved by last month's referendum which has been rejected by those who have joined the uprising.