Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said the Islamic republic was speeding up its nuclear program, adding that Tehran doesn’t ask for permission from any other country to pursue technological advancement.
According to a report by the semi-official Fars news agency, Rouhani said Iran has made “highly important progress in the nuclear field,” but that such advancements have been eclipsed by the ongoing nuclear negotiations with world powers.
“We don’t and will not take permission from anyone to make progress in science and knowledge,” the president said, adding, perhaps in a veiled reference to Israel’s objection to what it considers Iran’s drive to develop nuclear weapons, that Tehran would continue to prove its enemies’ claims false.
Iran and world powers have until a March 31 deadline to reach a political agreement on Tehran’s controversial nuclear program, which the Islamic republic insists is peaceful but which other countries, including the United States and Israel, are concerned is aimed at building a bomb.
“You get what you pay for ” – an old proverb goes. These days the West is beginning to reap the fruits of its own policies of creating “color” revolutions including on the very edge of its borders. On February 15 ISIL has opened a “second front” in the Arab World – heading this time to the west, in the Arab Maghreb. Apparently, the fruitless efforts of the Western-Arabian coalition to fight ISIL in Iraq and Syria made these radical Islamists confident enough to bring the front lines closer to Europe.
The execution of 20 Egyptians in Libya, followed by a quick response from the Egyptian Air Force, has clearly displayed ISIL’s intentions of taking Libya over. Should they succeed, they would only need to cover some 200 miles to reach the Italian coast. And if ISIL militants manage to get their hands on some short-range ballistic missiles, they would be able to start shelling coastal Italian cities. It wouldn’t be a challenge to infiltrate the Italian coastline as well, carrying out terrorist attacks on Italian soil. This scenario could be called too pessimistic, if ISIL hadn’t carried out attacks in France and Denmark already.
For the first time, ISIL members emerged on Libyan soil in October 2014, announcing the creation of an an “Islamic emirate” in eastern Libya. Militants loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria are now in full control of Derna, a town whose population is close to 100 thousand people. This town is near the Egyptian border and is only 300 miles away from the southern shores of the European Union.
At first, those militants were insignificant in numbers, but then they were joined by local radical Islamists, and it didn’t take them long to establish control over many areas in eastern Libya – from the Egyptian border to Benghazi. Unprovoked violence, slaughter and looting have become the day-to-day reality for the Libyan people. The terrorists took full advantage of the political chaos that had been created by the overthrow Muammar Gaddafi – the former leader of Libya that fell due to NATO-GCC military aggression. A report published on February 17 states that those Islamists have already taken the city of Sirte and now they are advancing on Tripoli
After the violent execution of 20 Coptic Egyptians, Cairo was quick to realize what danger was approaching its western borders. Egyptian security agencies have been fighting an exhausting battle with a terrorist group called Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis in the North Sinai for the last few months. Western attempts to put an end to ISIL in Syria and Iraq have proved this time and time again. Should Libyan Islamists invade Egypt, then they will inevitably be supported by the suppressed followers of “the Muslim Brotherhood” movement, that still has the approval nearly half of Egypt’s population.
Libyan jihadists have finally managed to shock European politicians by uploading a video where they executed Christians and voiced threats of “capturing Rome,” that is only 500 nautical miles away from territory under the control of ISIL militants.
Islamist have truly stricken terror into the hearts of those dwelling in Rome. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called on the UN to establish control in Libya, noting that Europe must “stop sleeping” while jihadist groups continue to thrive near Europe’s borders. Italy’s Minster of Defense Roberta Pinotti told a local newspaper Messaggero that Italy is willing to head the assault of thousands of European and North African coalition troops in the war against jihadists. She stated that Italy had already sent as many as 5,000 troops to participate in UN operations in Afghanistan, while Libya is much closer to the EU borders, therefore there can be no more delay since the threat the EU faces today is imminent. She underlined that the interests of Italy cannot tolerate the existence of a caliphate near its borders
It is only logical to wonder why the jihadists are trying to provoke Egypt and Italy to wage war on them? Experts believe that their goal – is to draw the world’s attention to the fact that ISIL has opened a “second front” in Libya in order to rally as many supporters from North Africa and Egypt under its black banner, as they possibly can.
ITALY have tonight agreed plans to put almost 5,000 soldiers on the streets amid fears of potential attacks from Islamic State (IS) militants.
The troops will guard sensitive sites and targets, including in Rome where around 500 members of the military will be deployed.
In the Italian capital the soldiers will help guard Jewish schools, the city's synagogue and diplomatic residences.
The measures, announced after a meeting of military and security officials, will be implemented until at least June.
Authorities consider Rome particularly sensitive because it is home to the Vatican.
In the past, Islamic militant websites have posted vague threats against Pope Francis and the Roman Catholic Church.
The news comes amid rising fears of attacks by Islamic extremists in Italy after the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians by terror group IS.
The atrocity, shown in a gruesome video released on Sunday, happened on the Libyan shore of the Mediterranean Sea which is a short boat ride from Italy.
Pope Francis earlier today labelled the film a "barbaric assassination" of innocents who he said were killed for their faith.
Entitled "A Message Signed With Blood To The Nation Of The Cross", the IS video shows Coptic Christians handcuffed and dressed in orange jumpsuits.
In the sickening five-minute clip their blood can later be seen filling the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Pope Francis called those who died in the propaganda film "martyrs".
Speaking today, he said: "Their only words were: 'Jesus, help me!' They were killed simply for the fact that they were Christians.
"The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard.
"It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians."
There is rising in concern in Italy about IS establishing a presence on the shores of the Mediterranean just a few hundred miles from them.
Authorities fear that terrorists could covertly try to sneak into Italy with the thousands of migrants who are making their way across the Mediterranean.
Prior to the latest IS video emerging, Italy’s defense minister Roberta Pinotti told the Il Messaggero newspaper: "The risk is imminent.
"We cannot wait any longer. Italy has national-defence needs and cannot have a caliphate ruling across the shores from us."
Egypt, now at the forefront of fighting ISIS, is warning it has intelligence revealing the global jihadist group is planning a worldwide offensive this spring or summer that could reach targets within the United States.
Interrogations of ISIS members captured in recent weeks in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula Egyptian and information collected by Egyptian security forces indicate ISIS is planning ground offensives this spring and summer aimed at taking over more territory across the Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf, a senior Egyptian intelligence official told WND.
Some of the information indicates the new offensive will not be limited to the Arab world. Timed to coincide with its planned surge, ISIS is plotting possible attacks using cells abroad.
ISIS and its jihadist allies could activate cells to carry attacks in Europe and possibly within the U.S., the senior Egyptian official warned.
The official advocated the deployment of significant ground troops acting on multiple fronts to stop ISIS’ progression. He complained the Obama administration and international community has been hesitant to take major action against ISIS advances.
Every day now, there are fresh news stories about Christians being slaughtered by ISIS in the Middle East. So where is the outrage from the White House? Where is the outrage from the Islamic world? If Islam truly was a “religion of peace”, prominent Islamic leaders all over the globe would be loudly condemning ISIS whenever another slaughter of Christians took place. And a White House statement about the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by ISIS the other day did not have the word “Christian” in it a single time. ISIS is painting the Middle East red with the blood of Christians, and most of the world seems to care very, very little. If thousands of people from some politically-favored group or religion were being savagely killed, the outcry would be deafening. But because Christians are being killed, it is not such a big deal. So exactly what does that say about how the world views Christians in 2015?
Without a doubt, Christians are being specifically targeted by ISIS. They are simply not going to submit to the Islamic rules and belief system that ISIS intends to impose on the areas that it conquers, so they are considered to be a “problem” that needs to be dealt with.
When 21 Coptic Christians were beheaded by ISIS jihadists in Libya, it shocked Christians all over the world. Those that released this video entitled it “A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross”. Clearly, it was intended to strike fear in the hearts of Christian believers all over the planet. But the White House reaction did not contain the words “Christian”, “Islam” or “Muslim” a single time…
Video surfaced on Sunday showing Libyan ISIS sympathizers decapitating 21 Christians on a beach. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest issued a 192-word reaction condemning the brutal killings as ‘despicable’ and ‘cowardly’ but made no mention of the religion of the killers or their victims.
The words ‘Christian,’ ‘Islam’ and ‘Muslim.’ were not included in Earnest’s statement.
The video itself was titled ‘A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross.’ The slaughtered men, clad in orange jumpsuits reminiscent of Guantanamo Bay detainee garb, were described as ‘crusaders.’
One of the men was seen praying just moments before his throat was slit.
When it comes to dealing with ISIS, the Obama administration truly is utterly clueless.
Those fighting for ISIS are very clear about what they are trying to do. They consider this to be a religious war, and they fully intend “to conquer Rome”…
So what would have happened if things would have been switched around?
What would have happened if Christians had publicly beheaded 21 Muslims just because they believed in Islam?
That is a question that Franklin Graham asked recently…
The Islamic State beheaded 21 Egyptian Christians over the weekend, propping the severed heads on the victims’ backs, a barbaric slaughter that led Reverend Franklin Graham to ask, “Can you imagine the outcry if 21 Muslims had been beheaded by Christians?”
“Where is the universal condemnation by Muslim leaders around the world?” he asked.
And without a doubt, the global response would have been overwhelming. There would have been huge protests in cities all over the globe and the outrage would have lasted for months.
But when Christians are killed, the uproar doesn’t last for long. So in a desperate attempt to keep their names in the news, ISIS jihadists in Libya have reportedly rounded up another 35 Christians…
Are we about to witness another mass beheading?
Let’s pray that does not happen.
Sadly, this might just be the beginning.
ISIS continues to get stronger in Iraq.
ISIS continues to get stronger in Syria. In fact, the amount of territory that ISIS controls in Syria has doubled since U.S. airstrikes began.
And ISIS is making great strides in Libya. At this point, ISIS controls most of the coastal cities, and propaganda videos are being made to show that they are in total control of the streets…
Kiev troops surrounded in the city of Debalstevo have started to surrender en masse, Ukrainian rebels have said. President Poroshenko announced a complete withdrawal from the contested city.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed in a video statement that he has given an order to withdraw troops from Debaltsevo on Wednesdsay.
“We stated and proved that Debaltsevo was under our control and that there was no encirclement. Our units withdrew according to plan in an organized manner. They took military hardware with them – tanks, APCs, artillery pieces, tow-tracks, cars,” the president said.
He added that some 80 percent of the troops have already left the city.
Reuters cited a witness who saw the troops, some of them injured, arriving in Artemyevsk, a city northwest of Debaltsevo, through which a road leading to Kiev-controlled areas goes.
Earlier Semen Semenchenko, MP and commander of one of Kiev’s volunteer battalions, reported that the troops were being withdrawn from the contested city. He added that Kiev should now attack in other parts of the frontline, which had been weakened by the rebels to lay siege on Debaltsevo.
“They are empty and we have troops. One strike and the frontline would crumble,” he assured, adding that withdrawal is “beyond comprehension.”
Meanwhile Maksim Leshchenko, a senior official in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, told journalists on Wednesday that the Ukrainian troops are laying down their arms “in their hundreds.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Eduard Basurin, a military spokesperson for the rebels, confirmed taking some 300 soldiers prisoner.
Debaltsevo was Kiev’s stronghold deep inside the rebel-held territories in eastern Ukraine, a military asset portrayed in the media as a site of a heroic last stand of the Ukrainian military. The rebels said they had some 3,000 troops encircled in a pocket and had been calling on them for days to lay down their arms and surrender. Kiev rejected the claims, insisting that Debalstevo supply lines were intact and that the city would remain under their control.
RIA Novosti confirmed the pullout, saying that its correspondent witnessed withdrawal of Grad multiple rocket launchers and tanks from the disengagement line.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Kiev and the rebels to do whatever they can to resolve the issue without loss of life.
“I really hope that the decision-makers in the Ukrainian leadership won’t prevent the Ukrainian troops from laying down arms, if they cannot take such an important decision themselves and order it. Or at least they shouldn’t harass people who want to save their lives,” he said.
“On the other hand, I expect the militias not to detain those people and allow them to leave the conflict zone and go back to their families,” he added.
Last week, German equities soared to record highs with the Dax surpassing 11K, not only on the imminent arrival of the ECB's Q€ which provides a risk-less bid to all asset classes, but on news that a second Ukraine ceasefire had been achieved in Minsk. Well, just like the first Minsk "ceasefire" in September, one can promptly forget the just as "successful" second one, because overnight, after a several week siege, the Ukraine town of Debaltseve finally fell to rebel forces with "troops of Ukraine’s Armed Forces laying down arms en masse,” according to Donetsk rebel official Maxim Leschenko says, cited by Tass news service.
According to Reuters government forces started pulling out of the east Ukraine town on Wednesday after a fierce assault by the rebel separatists which Europe said violated a crumbling ceasefire. President Petro Poroshenko said before flying to the town of Debaltseve that more than 80 percent of his troops in the rail hub had already left following a heavy bombardment and street-by-street fighting despite the truce that took effect on Sunday.
As previously reported, according to the pro-separatists rebels the ceasefire does not apply to Debaltseve, which links the two rebel-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk.
[This video is worth watching - it's like a breath of fresh (honest) air in an world otherwise full of lies and distortions]
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