Putin hits West's 'meddling'

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the West of meddling in his nation's forthcoming elections. Speaking as he was endorsed by 614 votes to 0 as United


Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the West of meddling in his nation's forthcoming elections.

Speaking as he was endorsed by 614 votes to 0 as United Russia's candidate for the March presidential election, Mr Putin said other countries were paying non-government organisations in Russia ''to eventually influence the course of the election campaign in our country''.

Lebanon will not implement Syria sanctions

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour (L) talks with his Cypriot counterpart Erato Kozakou Marcoullis in Nicosia November 25, 2011.


Lebanon will not implement the Arab League’s economic sanctions against Syria, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour told Reuters today, because it had not agreed to them and believed they could hurt Lebanon.

“We do not agree with these sanctions and we will not go along with them,” Mansour said.

Iran body passes law expelling British ambassador

A bill to downgrade Iran’s relations with Britain got final approval today, state broadcaster IRIB reported, a day after parliament approved the measure compelling the government to expel the British ambassador.

“The members of the Guardian Council, after examination of the plan, have approved it unanimously,” Abbasali Kadkhodai, spokesman for the council, was quoted as saying on IRIB’s website.

Land, water scarcity threaten food security, says UN

A rapidly growing population, climate change and degradation of land and water resources are likely to make the world more vulnerable to food insecurity and challenge the task of feeding its people by 2050, the United Nations’ food agency said.

The world would have to boost cereals output by 1 billion tonnes and produce 200 million extra tonnes of livestock products a year by 2050 to feed a population projected at 9 billion people, up from 7 billion now, according to UN estimates.

Intensive farming of the past decades has helped to feed millions of hungry people but it has often led to degradation of land and water systems on which food production depends, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today.

“These systems at risk may simply not be able to contribute as expected in meeting human demands by 2050. The consequences in terms of hunger and poverty are unacceptable. Remedial action needs to be taken now,” FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said.

Russia sending warships to its base in Syria

Russia is sending a flotilla of warships to its naval base in Syria in a show of force which suggests Moscow is willing to defend its interests in the strife-torn country as international pressure mounts on President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Arab League sanctions and French calls for the establishment of humanitarian zones in Syria have increased international pressure on Assad to end bloodshed that the United Nations says has killed 3,500 people during nine months of protests against his rule.

Russia, which has a naval maintenance base in Syria and whose weapons trade with Damascus is worth millions of dollars annually, joined China last month to veto a Western-backed UN Security Council resolution condemning Assad’s government.

Izvestia newspaper reported today, citing retired Russian Admiral Viktor Kravchenko, that Russia plans to send its flagship aircraft carrier the “Admiral Kuznetsov” along with a patrol ship, an anti-submarine craft and other vessels.

Pakistan says NATO ignored its pleas during attack

The NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers lasted almost two hours and continued even after Pakistani commanders had pleaded with coalition forces to stop, the army claimed Monday in charges that could further inflame anger ....

Netanyahu calls for tougher sanctions on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Wednesday for stronger sanctions on Iran than those imposed this week by the United States, Britain and Canada to try to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Libya will descend into conflict in weeks, predicts captured Saif as 'hero' tribesman claims he forsook a million euros to betray Colonel Gaddafi's son

* Former playboy, 39, speaks out as country unveils new government
* Military commander whose troops captured Saif is rewarded with role as nation's new defence minister
* Libya can try ousted leader's son at home, but International Criminal Court insists its judges must be involved


Colonel Gaddafi’s captured son Saif predicted Libya would slide back into conflict within weeks.

The 39-year-old former playboy spoke out as the country unveiled its new government last night.

The key job of defence minister went to an obscure army commander from Zintan – the remote mountain town where Saif was captured on Saturday.

Leaders in the area had refused to hand over their trophy prisoner for trial unless they received a top post in the new cabinet.

None of the cabinet positions announced last night went to prominent Islamists, which will come as a relief to David Cameron and his Western allies who helped oust Colonel Gaddafi.

But the defence appointment of Osama Jueili from Zintan, a town with 16,000 inhabitants, was a major surprise.

His appointment means Islamist Abdul Hakim Belhaj, the former Guantanamo Bay inmate who plans to sue MI6 over torture claims, has been cut out of the secularist government.

Mr Jueili denied he won the job as a reward for catching Saif. He said: ‘It is an insult to suggest a deal was done.’

Saif remains at a secret location in custody in a private house in the town. In a ranting video message, he said that ‘in a couple of months or maximum one year’ regions that banded together to oust his family would turn on one another.

He is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but the ICC conceded he would be tried in Libya. It means he will almost certainly face the death penalty if convicted.

Secret location: Saif Gaddafi, seated, shown in a released video with his Libyan captors. The son of former leader Muammar Gaddafi has been reportedly arguing with fighters loyal to the National Transitional Council.Injuries: The footage shows the bandages still on the thumb and two fingers of Saif's right hand - injuries that Saif claims were sustained during an allied attack.In pain: The footage shows Saif grimacing while sitting in his chair. It is unclear whether he is reactive from his injuries or his general predicament

UN Envoy: Yemen Leader to Sign Power-Transfer Deal

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh plans to sign a deal Wednesday in the Saudi capital that could mean the end of his 33-year rule, the UN envoy to Yemen said.

Yemeni president in Saudi to sign power transfer deal

President Saleh during a visit to a Republican Guards brigade loyal to him, near Sanaa, November 19, 2011.


Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in Saudi Arabia today to sign a Gulf power transfer initiative made by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the country’s state TV said.

“The president of the republic arrives safely to the airport of Riyadh to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following an invitation from the Saudi leadership, to attend the signing of the Gulf initiative,” a ticker running on the bottom of Yemen TV said.