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Headlines from  Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

The Lebanese national unity government has ratified the draft ministerial statement which enshrines the expression “resistance against Israel” in a cabinet session in the presidential palace. “The document was approved unanimously,” said the Lebanese Information Minister Tareq Mitri following a cabinet meeting headed by President Michel Suleiman on Monday.
According to Mitri, four ministers had expressed reservations over the clause related to the expression.

The manifesto recognizes “the right of Lebanon, its people, its army and its resistance to liberate its land in the Sheba Farms, Kfarshuba Hill and Ghajar” which are occupied by Israel, the minister added. It stresses that the “the unity and the authority of the state would be the guiding principle of all government decisions and actions,” he noted. The government will go to the parliament for a vote of confidence later this week which is needed for the new government to take office.

President Pervez Musharraf on Monday said that there are proofs of involvement of foreign elements in fueling insurgency in southwestern Pakistan.”I am one thousand per cent sure that the elements involved in target killings and subversive activities are being financed and trained by the foreign elements who do not want peace in the country,” Musharraf said during his visit to southwestern Balochistan province.

Balochistan has seen series of attacks against the security forces, bomb blasts and attacks on gas pipelines. Musharraf did not mention name of any country but said that the insurgents involved in terror acts must be defeated with the help of the people. “These elements cannot be allowed to de-track the development process in the province”. The President called upon the communities inhabiting Balochistan to unite against the insurgents.

He regretted that killing of innocent people by the terrorists in Balochistan and said that these people had been living in the province for decades and had played an important role in development and prosperity of the province. The President said that there were some elements who were raising slogans which could harm unity of the country. “I am amazed what these elements are upto. What do they want? It would be difficult for them to survive without Pakistan.

Barack Obama Monday branded John McCain a stooge of profit-soaked US oil giants, as the White House rivals dueled on high gasoline prices and energy policy exactly three months from election day. Celebrating his 47th birthday, the Democrat launched a stinging counter-attack after the Republican McCain had last week cast him as a vacuous celebrity unfit to lead at a time of gathering crisis. Unveiling a new energy plan, Obama promised a 10-year, 150 billion dollar drive to cut US “addiction” to oil from global hotspots like the Middle East and Venezuela.

“Breaking our oil addiction is one of the greatest challenges our generation will ever face,” Obama said in Michigan, the general election battle ground state which is home to the crippled US auto industry. After McCain’s media onslaught of last week, Obama also hit back with his own new advertisement claiming the Arizona senator was “in the pocket” of oil firms basking in record profits. “After one president in the pocket of big oil … we can’t afford another,” the ad said, in a reference to President George W. Bush, a former oil executive.

Obama’s plan calls for an expanded use of “clean coal,” solar energy, windpower, the development of new biofuels, cuts in consumption, and the creation of five million new jobs in the “green energy” sector. But McCain argued the ambitious blueprint would fail without an immediate expansion in offshore oil and gas prospecting, and a new generation of nuclear power plants. “Anybody who says that we can achieve energy independence without using and increasing these existing energy resources either doesn’t have the experience to understand the challenge we face or isn’t giving the American people some straight talk,” he told reporters in Pennsylvania.

McCain’s campaign meanwhile denied the senator had taken “Big Oil” donations, and accused Obama of trawling for contributions himself from oil industry employees. “Barack Obama’s latest negative attack ad shows his celebrity is matched only by his hypocrisy,” McCain’s spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement. Republicans also pounced on Obama’s call Monday on the US government to sell 70 million barrels of oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a bid to lower prices, pointing out that he had opposed such a plan a month ago.

Obama’s foes also accused him of backtracking for political gain on the question of expanding offshore drilling, which he opposes but now says he would accept if it would ease political deadlock over sweeping energy reforms. The Obama campaign noted however that the US Department of Energy and the NASCAR auto racing series tell drivers to keep tires inflated to improve gas mileage. Obama’s assault on McCain coincided with a new Rasmussen daily trackin poll showing the two rivals locked in a tie — 44 percent each, ahead of the general election on November 4.

Islamic Republic of Iran and the Philippines inked an agreement to develop air transportation cooperation. Announcing this, the spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) added as per the agreement, the first Tehran-Manila direct flight will begin in near future.

“The Tehran-Manila direct flight is a good opportunity for transport of the two countries’ passengers,” Reza Jafarzadeh said. Referring to the number of Tehran-Manila directs flights, he added the number depends on the enthusiasm of passengers.”The CAO is responsible for policy making in this respect,” Jafarzadeh said.

IRI and Lebanon here on Monday held talks on implementation of joint economic projects. In a meeting attended by Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad-Reza Sheibani and Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Muhammed Safadi, the two sides reviewed avenues to activate the two countries joint economic commission.

According to a report released by Iranian Embassy in Lebanon, Iran-Lebanon annual trade exchanges stand at dlrs 100 million, out of which Iran’s share is much higher than its partner. Iranian exports to Lebanon comprise pistachio, saffron, date, precious stones, construction materials, hand-woven and machine-made carpets as well as oil and petrochemical products.

IRI’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani Sunday afternoon met and conferred with Nicaragua’s Foreign Minister Samuel Santos Lopez, on expansion of bilateral ties. Referring to Tehran-Managua cordial economic and political cooperation, Larijani expressed his satisfaction with the growing relations between the two sides.

Reiterating that expansion of Iran-Nicaragua economic, political and parliamentary cooperation is an important strategy, he expressed hope that the two countries would witness further boost in bilateral relations. Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, for his part, said that his Latin American country attaches great importance to its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He called for participation of Iranian companies in economic and industrial projects in his country. Lopez further submitted a written message from Nicaragua’s Parliament Speaker to Larijani inviting him to visit his country in the near future. Accepting the invitation, Larijani expressed hope that he would visit Nicaragua in an appropriate time.

Visiting Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai condemned the last month attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul as well as the serial bombings in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. “Afghanistan and India face the same challenge of terrorism and cold-blooded murderous activities,” he said.
“The two countries have “no option but to be united in the fight against terrorism” as it is “our moral responsibility as human beings to protect” the people,” said Karzai addressing mediapersons along with Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh after his talks with Dr. Singh in New Delhi.

Expressing gratitude to India for its assistance, including the new announcement of USD 450 million, Karzai said India and Afghanistan share interest in peace and stability of the two countries as well as region and world at large. He said “all allies” should recognize the “seriousness” and “brutal nature of militant radicalism” which is targeting women, children and others wherever they can.

Pointing out that terrorism affects his country and India as also the international community, he said, “Afghanistan would stand resolutely with India in fighting terrorism. Afghanistan stands resolutely with our allies in the conduct of war against terrorism.” He said India, like Afghanistan, has suffered “immensely” and stressed the need for “defeating terrorism and eliminating the menace completely”. Describing India as a valuable ally and friend which is contributing a great deal in various sectors of his country, the Afghan President said the two countries will continue the journey of democracy and pluralism.

Oil Prices rose above 126 dollars in Asian trade Monday over fresh worries about a new storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, dealers said. In morning trade, New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, jumped 1.12 dollars to 126.22 dollars a barrel from its close of 125.10 on Friday. Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was up 82 cents at 125.00.

Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to run parallel to the Louisiana coast and be very near the southwestern coast of Louisiana and the upper Texas coast by late Tuesday. “Some reports are saying much of the US offshore oil production facilities are in the likely path of the storm but it is a little too early to say what the direction of the storm is going to be,” said Shum.

Nigeria, a key crude producer, is also fuelling supply concerns as local police and French officials confirmed Sunday two French nationals were kidnapped in the country’s oil-rich Niger Delta region. Violence in the southern region has reduced Nigeria’s total oil production by a quarter since January 2006. Nigeria was Africa’s largest oil producer until it was overtaken in April by Angola, according to Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) figures.
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