RCS Managing 3 Hospitals Overseas

Iran’s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has established three hospitals overseas, the society’s chief said.
Speaking in a seminar attended by the IRCS provincial directors, Masoud Khatami added that the society not only provides medical services to Iranians inside the country, but also extends them overseas.

"Iran has established hospitals in Yemen, Lebanon and UAE. We are also planning to build a hospital in Afghanistan,“ he said.
Referring to relief operations inside Iran, Khatami noted that Iran has been ranked sixth in the International Committee of the Red Cross in terms of providing medical services, Mehr News Agency reported.
“A total of 19 lawmakers are members of the General Assembly of IRCS. All individuals and institutions should try to remove the prevailing problems by assisting IRCS,“ he said.
A two-day seminar was held in Qom for reviewing the IRCS policies.
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Just found this interesting. Most of the time anything we hear in the news about Iran is negative. Just thought this was nice change in pace to hear something positive about the Iranian people instead of negative propaganda fueled by the United States. -Meka

Lebanese Valor Commended

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili on Tuesday said that today’s Lebanon is a clear example of the victory of resistance over the strongest enemies.
In a meeting with former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, he lauded Lahoud’s role in supporting the resistance movement and withstanding the excessive demands of enemies with courage and patience, Fars News Agency reported.
Jalili, who is the leader’s representative in SNSC, referred to the historic victory of Lebanon’s resistance against the Zionist regime in the 2006 war and said, “Moves by the resistance movements worldwide, the exemplary resistance of the people of Lebanon, and their imposing a humiliating defeat on the illegitimate regime of Israel led to the situation today wherein American politicians collectively speak about their mistakes and the futility of their past policies.“
Lahoud, for his part, characterized Iran as a real friend of Lebanon and said his people see Iran as a friend under all circumstances.
He referred to the aggressive nature of the Zionist regime and recalled that it is crucial that the resistance continue to confront Israeli aggressions.

Grateful
Lahoud praised Iran’s support for his country, and rejected any UN attempt to disarm the powerful Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.
Lahoud who arrived Tuesday in Tehran on the invitation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, attended a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, ISNA reported.
He expressed his dislike for the West and the Zionist regime’s conspiracies against Lebanon, and stressed that the hostile powers cannot impose their will on his people.
“None of western powers backed the Lebanese resistance. They even tried to stand against it,“ he said, adding that only Iran and Syria stood by his nation in time of need against Zionist aggression.
“We thought the westerners had come to Lebanon to be a part of the solution. But as it turned out, they secretly supported Israel.“
He termed the United Nations’ bid to disarm the popular Hezbollah resistance group as dangerous.
Mottaki, for his part, condemned the recent US attack on Syria and Pakistan and hoped that the next occupant of the White House would fix the dented US image in the world.
A US drone hit a tribal region in South Waziristan region of Pakistan late Monday and killed at least 20 people. It was the 70th violation of Pakistan’s territory by the US and NATO forces.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili (r) welcomes former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud in Tehran on Tuesday. (Photo by Hossein Fatemi)

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After reading this I somewhat understand why the Middle East is opposed to US "help". When the US says we're going over there to help the people we normally mean we're going over there to force our values on to a group of people who are happy living the way they are living. It's no wonder why people hate the United State's with a passion, and its not because we are the top super power. - Meka Brooks

Thailand: Tension Grows

In a Bangkok Post top story, five pro-government supporters were held by security guards for the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) . Scuffles broke out and a woman was punched in the face after the guards claimed they were armed and ready to incite violence. The four women and one man were intercepted by the guards wearing red shirts which said "Choose Samak, Love Thaksin" in a pick-up truck stuck in traffic. The guards claimed that a group of men in the back of the truck fired slingshots at them and that one also threw an axe but missed. The guards then paraded the man and women, who were found inside the truck, in front of a group of PAD supporters. They were then handed over to police for questioning.

This incident is of importance because it shows the rise in tension between the two groups and absence of stability within the political system of Thailand right now. Some people fear that things will continue this way or worsen because of events to come. A rally is planned for the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorships (UDD) on Saturday and a political talk show in Bangkok is said to attract a crowd of UDD supporters when the former prime minister will address the rally by telephone from London.

Despite the tension, the fact that a televised political talk show will be airing the viewpoints of former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, proves that there is still evidence of press freedom within the country and broadcast stations are not censoring themselves from covering a variety of material.


By: Allison Kershner

Russia Group:Businessman convicted of Russian c.banker's murder

This article really caught my attention because, they claimed this murder of the deputy head of Russia's central bank to be one of the highest-profile killings during Putin's presidency. It seems that there are many similar high-profile cases under his reign that take a long time to solve. This murder took place over two years ago, and finally now are sentences being distributed. The fact that this man was killed because he was leading a campaign against money-laundering and corruption, shows that it is common in Russia do whatever is necessary to quiet a loud mouth. This is similar to our case study about Anna Politkovskaya, a month after the banker was killed, and there is still no suspects for the murder. This article supports our theory of both either Putin's influence on such murders (journalists or important non-governmental leader figures) or that it is a part of the Russian society, and a normal way to handle things.

By Ashlee Newcomb

Radio Reporter Freed After Being Held for 14 years on genocide charge

This article discusses the release of Dominique Makeli from prison. Makeli is a former reporter with Rwanda Radio. He was arrested on September 18, 1994 for a genocide-related charge. In May 1994, Makeli was covering a supposed appearance of the Virgin of Kibeho. He reported that she said "The parent is in heaven," which prosecutors believed meant "President Habyarimana is in heaven." This was taken as support for Habyarimana, and thus, the killing of the Tutsis. To this day, Makeli and many local supporters dispute this interpretation. Makeli spent the last 14 years in several different prisons until finally ending up at the Kigali central prison.

Reporters without Borders is calling this "excellent news and a great relief." I too think that the release of Makeli is a positive step for Rwanda. It is a shame to think that he may have spent the past 14 years of his life incarcerated do to a misinterpretation. The government in Rwanda, to this day, has complete control over the media. The release of Makeli is a small step forward from the government's domination in Rwanda. Hopefully, this will lead to the liberation of many others who were imprisoned on vague genocide-related charges.

By: Stefanie Merrigan

This article is very brief, but gives an update on the progress of the tribunal against Augustin Ngirabatware. Ngirabatware was arrested at the request of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Germany in late 2007. The ICTR issued a warrant for his arrest in 2001 on charges related to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Ngirabatware made his first appearance before the ICTR the day after this article was published, and denied all charges against him.

Rwanda genocide suspect moved to Africa

(CNN) -- A former top Rwandan official charged for his alleged role in genocide during the 1990s has been transferred to a U.N. detention facility in Africa.

Augustin Ngirabatware, the country's former minister of planning, was moved from Frankfurt, Germany on Wednesday to a U.N. detention facility in Arusha, Tanzania, according to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He was arrested in Germany on September 17, 2007.

Ngirabatware is charged with nine counts, including genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the Geneva Conventions.

The tribunal says he will soon make his initial appearance before the court, but did not give a date.

About 830,000 Rwandans, both minority Tutsis and majority Hutus with moderate political views, were killed by Hutu extremists during the 1994 genocide.

The killings began April 7, 1994, the day after a plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot out of the sky with a missile as it prepared to land in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

Chavez threatens to imprison opposition

Although this story about Chavez wanting to imprison the man who ran against him in the last Venezuelan presidential race is not a report on how Chavez controls and dictates the media, it is just another example of how Chavez dictates his entire country. The Associated Press reports that Chavez gave no reasoning behind his arrest of Rosales nor did he explain to the public what charges Rosales would face. This story is more evidence of Chavez unfair representation of his country. It's no wonder he treats the media the way he does. To add, I could not find one Venezuelan newspaper/television channel who reported this story...

Chavez threatens to imprison opposition governor

By RACHEL JONES

Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela --

President Hugo Chavez threatened Saturday to imprison the popular governor of Venezuela's western Zulia state for allegedly plotting to kill him.

Chavez leveled the accusation against Manuel Rosales - one of Venezuela's four opposition governors - just weeks before Nov. 23 gubernatorial and municipal elections.

Rosales, the two-time governor of Zulia, is running for mayor of Maracaibo, Venezuela's second largest city. He ran against Chavez for the presidency in 2006, but Chavez handily defeated him with nearly 63 percent of the vote.

"I have decided to make Manuel Rosales a prisoner," Chavez told a group of business leaders in Maracaibo. "He cannot continue in office. ... He is one of those who wants to see me dead."

Chavez did not give further details such as who would arrest Rosales or what charges he would face.

Rosales denied the accusations later Saturday, calling the Chavez government a "nest of gangsters and mafia leaders" with "clearly demonstrated" ties to Colombian guerrillas.

"I respect (Chavez) as president but he has not respected me as governor," Rosales told television station Globovision.

Since taking office in 1999, Chavez has frequently accused his opponents of conspiring with Washington to assassinate him. But government and opposition rhetoric is becoming even more heated ahead of November's vote on 23 state governorships and 300 municipal posts.

In recent weeks, Chavez's allies have accused Rosales of planning the president's assassination - though officials have not presented any evidence implicating the governor in such a plot.

Chavez said Saturday "it's no coincidence" that authorities arrested two people last month in Rosales' Zulia state in an alleged plot to shoot down the presidential plane with an anti-tank weapon. He called Rosales a corrupt gangster "worse than Don Corleone" of the "Godfather" movies.

Chavez also said concerns for his safety led him to cancel a trip to El Salvador for next week's Ibero-American Summit because President Tony Saca's administration could not guarantee his safety.

Rosales has accused Chavez allies of making unfounded allegations as an electoral ploy to distract Venezuelans from pressing problems such as double-digit inflation and rampant crime.

Opposition leaders have also criticized a decision by the country's top anti-corruption official to bar 272 candidates from running in the upcoming elections because authorities suspect them of graft. Critics say the move sidelined popular Chavez opponents.

Last week a Venezuelan court reopened a case against a Caracas mayor suspected of involvement in violence during a short-lived coup attempt against Chavez in 2002. Henrique Capriles called the timing of the decision an attempt to sabotage his current campaign for governor of Miranda state.

--Bridget Monaghan

Should US officials talk with Iranian government officials?

An article in Newsweek magazine explored this past week the issue of whether United State governmental officials should begin to talk with difficult governmental leaders such as Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  The article, written by an ex-Bush official, discussed how McCain and Palin steadfastly pledge not to talk with the Iranian government while Obama believes that it would be in America's best interest to open lines of communication with Iranian governmental leaders. McCain called Obama "naive" for believing that honest communication with Iranian leaders would be beneficial and Palin has attacked Obama for having what she described as "bad judgement" for his opinion of open and honest communication.  The reporter in this article sides with Obama, stating that he believes that Iran is a powerful world force in the Middle East and cutting communication would be harmful to our country in the long run. He cites former Presidents such as John Kennedy and Richard Nixon for their policies in remaining on good terms with our enemies. He believes that we need to enter into a smart strategy of "engagement" with the rest of the world in order to provide for a positive and prosperous future for our country.

Positive relations with the country of Iran is extremely important to the United States government because Iran is currently developing a nuclear-weapon program that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.  The Iranian government also funds terrorist groups that target the United States and our allies.  By opening lines of communication, we would be taking steps towards avoiding the possibility of a third world war with Iran. This reporter believes that if we don't begin to talk with the Iranian government, we will be forced to take military action in the future.

I believe that the author of this article is extremely on target.  While the government of Iran now imposes strict controls on the media and journalists, I believe that there is a chance that open lines of communication with the United States could work to break down those controls.   

New Community for South Ossetia

Over the weekend Mayor Yuri M. Luzhkov stated that he plans on spending over 100 million dollars to rebuild the society. He would go on later to say that they are celebrating a victory for freedom and independence. Mr. Luzhkov is the Mayor of Moscow not Tskhinvali where the South Ossetians where when the were trying to fight for their freedom. I dont understand how he can call it a victory for freedom when the opposing side was fighting for the same purpose, but gained nothing from it. A good point is made in this article. Foriegn governments protest basically saying that he is detroying everything they built in their society whether it be their society or freedom. Yuri replies back by saying that he is doing this to expand Moscow's sister-city. Yuri M. Luzhkov is what I call a hyprocrit, one second he says that he is celebrating for the victory of freedom and on the other hand here he is invading someone eles privacy. He is only worried about his own country and he is not protecting Moscow's freedom he is adding to it by invading other countries rights and freedoms. Later on in the article it talks about how Luzhkov was critized for his thoughts on Crimea, in a newspaper. He had city officials try to evict the paper from the builing, but officials stopped after a small like riot broke out. This article only goes to show that Russia is not striving for press freedom and democracy. Russia is far from either one of those two things, I think the United Nations needs to step in a create a Universal Law or something to spark press freedom over in Russia.


Tyler Mcdowell

Italian Government Collapses

Italy's government finally fell Thursday, after Prime Minister Romano Prodi lost a confidence vote that making it clear that Italy’s leaders know they are about to face a deep political and economic crisis but are venomously divided over how to solve it. During the debate one senator rushed in fury to colleague, Stefano Cusumano, taunting him and apparently tried to attack him. Mr. Cusumano, 60, reportedly cried, then collapsed.

His attacker stated “If I had the chance, I would have spit in his face,” (Senator Tommaso Barbato) His action came after Mr. Cusumano changed his vote to support Mr. Prodi. After the vote, which Mr. Prodi lost 161 to 156, he submitted his resignation, ending his 20 turbulent months in office and the 61st government here since World War II. Of course Silvio Berlusconi is urging for immediate elections, as the richest man in the country he believes he can do something to pull Italy out of its economic and political crisis. Another option is the president could also ask Mr. Prodi, or another member of the center-left, to try to form a new majority. Or he could appoint an interim government of technocrats charged with reforming, among other things, the electoral law, which most experts agree creates thin, unstable majorities.

In an earlier blog I reported on the popular Beppe Grillo, the political comic and blogger. He made a statement on this issue stating that "We’ve tried the right, then a false left,” “Where is the difference between right and left? There is none. If we go to elections with the same old law, people face a situation of no hope.”

Apparently in many ways, Mr. Prodi’s government seemed doomed from the start, due to the difficulties of assembling a stable coalition in a nation with scores of small parties, each with a strong sense of self-preservation. His coalition was composed of nine parties, ranging from conservative Christian Democrats to Communists. They agreed on little, and at times ministers demonstrated against their own government.

The government has “reached the end of the line,” Senator Renato Schifano, who is with Mr. Berlusconi’s party, Forza Italia, said before the vote was taken to eject Mr. Prodi. “That’s what Italians feel right now, and they’re ready, and cannot wait to breathe a sigh of relief.”

I have many mixed emotions about this article. How does this country function without a proper government? Do they really want to rely back on Berlusconi's who controls majority of the media. Its an awful situation and it is tearing their country apart. Sooner or later they need to be able to support its citizens with everything they need our of a government. 61 governments since WWII, that is outrageous!

Iran arrests American University student

A student from American University was arrested and is being held in prison for research she is going on women’s movement in Iran.  The student was staying with her family in Iran and has been taken from the home. Her computer and other materials that related to her research have been seized. The young girl is a member of the Iranian women’s right group and is being held at jail in Iran until her case is fully investigated. American University is working hard to try and release her, but their student isn’t the only one that has been arrested. Dozens have also been arrested due to their role in the Change for Equality campaign, which was set up by Iranian women activists and seeks to change laws the deny women their equal rights by getting as many signatures as possible.

 

I was shocked in reading this article because it goes against freedom of speech. It upsets me that these women can’t even try and speak up about getting equal rights in Iran. The student who has been arrested was merely trying to do research for her school, and everything, including her computer was taken away. If Iran is stopping people like her from expressing their opinion to the world, we may never know what is truly going in their country. 

-Marisa Cooperman

Thailand Wins Tourism Award

The popular Danish travel magazine "Stand By" held an award ceremony October 9th. It was the 13th annual ceremony the magazine held of this type. Out of 40 countries Thailand was voted the "Best Tourist Country 2008" for the second consecutive year in a row.

I find this interesting news based on a previous blog post about Thailand tourism. Thailand must be doing all it can to attract visitors to the country. However, they might be doing it at the expense of their own culture. A previous blog post featured an article about how the cultural minister wanted to mass produce religious charms for tourist consumption. These charms and talisman included phallic shapes. This suggestion raised eyebrows among many Thai citizens, who dont think that tourists will understand the cultural references of the talisman and will not take the phallic charms seriously. Could Thailand be exploiting its own culture at the expense of fabulous tourism?

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Proclaimed Guilty

THAILAND

By the narrowest of margins, a Supreme Court panel on Tuesday found ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of corruption in the Ratchadaphisek land deal case and sentenced him to two years in prison. His wife Khunying Potjaman was cleared of all charges.

The court's 's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions ruled 5-to-4 that Mr Thaksin was guilty of conflict of interest by helping his wife get a sweet, discounted price for her purchase of 33 rai of land on Thiam Ruam Mit Road in the Ratchadaphisek business district.

The deal went through while Mr Thaksin was prime minister, through an auction run by the Bank of Thailand's Financie Development Fund (FIDF) five years ago.

"Thaksin violated the article of the constitution on conflict of interest, as he was then prime minister and head of government, and was supposed to work for the benefit of the public," one judge said, reading the verdict. "He is sentenced to two years in jail."

The jail term was given without suspension. But because Mr Thaksin is currently living in exile in London, the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

The court voted 7-2 to clear Khunying Potjaman of all charges, because she was not a state official.

Immediately after the verdict Mr Thaksin spoke by telephone to the Reuters news agency. He said he was not surprised, and had expected the jail term.

"I have been informed of the result. I had long anticipated that it would turn out this way," he was quoted as saying, adding that the case was politically motivated.

"The attorney general will be seeking Thaksin's extradition very shortly," said Seksant Bangsomboom, the head of the prosecution team.

The sentence would expire in 10 years, after which Thaksin could return to Thailand without fear of being jailed, Seksant said.

Meanwhile, People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters at the Government House compound they have occupied since late August cheered loudly at the verdict. They chanted "Thaksin in jail" in unison for several minutes.

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Well my opinion of this is that he is rightfully deserving to be convicted. Political leaders should not be abusing their power to help out friends (or in this case his wife) with their personal wants and needs. Obviously it is a wrong-doing to his country and he seems accepting of that. As it said, he is living in exile in London. If he returns to Thailand he will be arrested, unless he waits ten years; then he can return without being arrested. He put himself in this position and he is being rightfully punished. Luckily for him he can avoid jail by staying away from Thailand, even though many PAD protesters do not not agree with that.

Posted by Amanda B

Reporters Without Borders ranks Russa 141st for media freedom in 2008 press freedom index

Earlier today, the international organization Reporters Without Borders ranked Russia 141 out of 173 countries in terms of press freedom, with Mexico standing 140 and Ethiopia at 142. The ranking is based on events taking place between September 1, 2007 to September 1, 2008 and reflects the degree of freedom that journalists and the media have, as well as the effort made by the government and authorities to respect press freedom. Authors of the report say that Russia's journalists are still subject to violence and harrassment, and although the country has climbed a few places since it's 144 ranking in 2007, it still ranks poorly in terms of press freedom.

I found this article very interesting because we had been talking about Reporters Without Borders, as well as other such organizations, earlier in the semester. It interested me that despite the murder of Politkovskaya on October 7, 2007 and other such occurances since then, Russia was still able to climb a few spots in terms of press freedom ranking. It makes sense, however, that the country is still considered "not free" in terms of the press and that they rank so low, still, despite their climb.

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Also, in other Russian news, this past Tuesday, top military officers from Russia and the U.S. met secretly in the neutral capital of Helsinki, Finland to discuss their strained post-war in Georgia relationship and to try to get it back on track, according to a StarTribune article yesterday. It was organized at the request of the Russians, according to U.S. military officials. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with counterpart Gen. Nikolai Makarov and discussed the war in Georgia; NATO's relations with Russia, and how to improve cooperation on countering terrorism. Though Mullen offered no details, he said that dialogue will continue between the two countries.

I found this article very interesting as well because Russia arranged the meeting with the U.S. which shows that they are seeking our alliance and support. I think that this meeting is a good sign for Americans, Russians and the globe alike because I personally believe that cooperation, communication and understanding between any countries is a very beneficial and good thing to the world in general. Hopefully dialogue between the two countries will continue in a cooperative manner.

By Lauren Chapman

Mediaset back at it

Berlusconi's company wants more money. Mediaset is suing Youtube for copyright infringement of over 325 hours of clips. Although Youtube does not have the following in Italy that it does in America, it is fast getting there. The giant that is Youtube has many rules and stipulations in place that prohibit a user from posting copyrighted material. However, it is common for compyrighted videos to slip through. Mediaset, and therefore Berlusconi are trying to have more of a hold over the news they spew. Check it out!

Tricia Masturzo

Comic blogs about Mediaset

Although a very short article I found it very interesting and revealing about Italian media systems. Obviously I was attracted at first due to the title about Mediaset, the overpowering media system run by former prime minister Berulsconi. In this article is goes on to say that a Genovese comic goes on to mock Berlusconi"s position in office and the position he hold in the media business. He mentions that if the company was taken over then "real journalists" could take over. This is an obvious jab at the political programs in the country, the programs that feature "journalists" who are either so one-sided no real news get told or they are more like actors.

The other reason I found this article interesting was because the comic posted all of this on a BLOG. This blog post made front page news in the Corrierre della Sera, an English Italian newspaper. I Found this very interesting because with blogging being a relatively new phenomenon it is amazing that this story could generate that much interest.


Tricia Masturzo

Iran: Iran to stop executing youths

Citizens of Iran are relieved today after learing that human rights campaigners have welcomed an announcement by Iran that ends Iran's execution of juveniles.This year alone, at least six youths have been executed, but this year Irans deputy prosecutor general Hossein Zebhi announced that they will restrict the number of juveniles being killed. Iran is believed to execute the largest number of juvenile offenders. Hossein has said that judges have been instructed to no longer impose the death penalty on juveniles. Juveniles, defined as those aged under 18, has been a big issue in Iran for years, but the possible talks of reducing this is a great announcement and great progress! Iran currently is one of the last remaining countries in the world that imposes the death penalty on juveniles at the time of the crime.The Human Rights campaigners say the practice is banned by the International Convention of the Rights of the Child, which Iran has signed and ratified.

Slain Journalist's Cousel Ill After Possible Attempted Poisoning

Slain Journalist Anna Politkovskaya's lawyer, Karinna Moskalenko, missed a preliminary hearing in the alleged killer's trial Wednesday, October 15, after falling ill from what is believed to have been a poisoning attempt. Prosecutors believe it was mercury intoxication. Moskalenko is a human rights lawyer.
This article caught my attention for a few reasons, the first being that it is directly related to our group's case study concerning the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Also, I think this occurance really exemplifys the press freedom issues in Russia. People believe that the government was involved in Politkovskaya's death and, in my opinion, the attempted poisoning of her lawyer (a human rights lawyer) is almost direct proof that there is something to hide in this murder case. To me, it's obvious that the person who tried to poison the lawyer is someone of high power who doesn't want a human rights lawyer shedding light on the situation. Both the murder of Politskovskaya and the attempted murder of her lawyer are evidence that Russia has not gotten any closer to achieving press freedom.

By Lauren Chapman

VENEZUELA- 6 Suspects Arrested For Murder of Student Leader by Mike Silvestri

According to the Venezuelan Attorney General 6 arrest were made for the murder of an Anti-Chavez student leader. Three of the Suspects work for the Venezuelan intelligence division and one is an ex-member of the CICPC (Criminal, Scientific, and Penal Investigations Corp)
Recently investigators found evidence linking Soto's murder to his illegal trafficking of government-subsidizing bus tickets.

This shows real progess, at least according to the Attorney General. From what we have learned about the Chavez regime in Venezuela it's difficult to accept information released to the public. After reading this article I'm curious about the Venezuelan government and if there is a system of checks in balances that allows the Attorney General to speak freely without orders from Chavez
Pending whether Chavez has direct control over what the Attorney General says it's possible the investigation has begun to find the truth. Or it could also just be another part of the smoke and mirrors game Chavez plays with the people.

Army Chief Calls on Thai Leader to Quit

This week in the International Herald Tribune, there was an article discussing how Thailand's army chief, General Anupong Paochinda asked Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down. Tensions remained high in Bangkok as protesters continued to barricade the Prime Minister's office forcing business to be conducted in  Bangkok's former international airport. General Paochinda words were reminiscent of a past military coup, and urged the Prime Minister to do the right thing, and step down. 

Prime Minister Wongsawat indicated that his job was not finished, and he had to much work to do with Thailand being on the brink of war with Cambodia. Demonstrations by protesters continued all week, with most being arrested by the government. On Friday, demonstrators protested through the business district as well as red light district. 

As demonstrations continued, Thailand is becoming divided as a country, and government officials are becoming worried. Political turmoil has shadowed Thailand for the past three years, and Thai citizens are wondering if this trend will ever resolve itself.

My opinion on the current situation in Thailand, is that someone needs to step up in the political atmosphere and do what is right for Thailand as a country. If that means, that Prime Minister Wongsawat should step down and that is what is best for the country, I believe he should take the higher road and step down. I also believe that the King and Queen need to be proactive and get involved in the current situation. As leaders of the country, they should address the country and put assurance in the nation of Thailand. 

- Alyssa Ciambriello

Public Stage for Iran’s Ex-President Fuels Talk of Political Return

In Tehran, the former president of Iran Mohammad Khatami held an event that people think might be a first step for him back into politics. This is the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that so many former Western leaders attended that was not sponsored by the government.
Khatami hinted at the fact that he may be running for president against current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The current president now faces hostiel words because of serious domestic challenges and a weak economy. Mr Khatami has come out recently criticizing the current president’s political and economic performance.
Of the people there included, former secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan, former Italain prime prime_minister Romano Prodi, and former Irish president Mary Robinson.

RUSSIA: Two years after Politkovskaya’s murder, three suspects will go to trial

One the second anniversary of her brutal slaying, three suspects are awaiting to go to trial for the assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. The suspects are Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, a former police officer with the Moscow Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, and brothers Ibragim and Dzhabrail Makhmudov. Politkovskaya was found shot four times in the elevator of her apartment building in Moscow, she was 48. A fourth suspect, Pavel Ryaguzov, a former Federal Security Service (FSB) lieutenant colonel, has been charged with abuse of office and extortion. He is not accused of direct involvement in Politkovskaya’s murder, but will be tried along with the other three suspects because of his previous association with Khadzhikurbanov. The case is to be heard in military court rather than civil due to the classified materials and the fact theres a FSB officer involved in the case. When Politkovskaya was killed on October 7, 2006, she became the 13th journalist to be slain, contract style, under then President Vladimir Putin’s tenure.

Thailand - Prime Minister Faces Ouster

SUMMARY: According to the Bangkok Post, “Time is running out for Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat - and not on the streets, and not in the courts. A 10-year-old corruption investigation comes to a climax this week and there is only one penalty: Dismissal from office.”

 

Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda became the latest public figure to join a chorus of calls for the government to show responsibility for the Oct 7 crackdown on the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters which left two people dead and more than 400 injured.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has persistently resisted the calls, although he said last week that he would consider a response at an appropriate time. The Prime Minister wants to buy time to delay his decision to show responsibility until an investigation into the tragic event by an independent truth commission is completed. However, time may not be on his side. The prime minister may be forced to stand down, not because of a military putsch or because of a Constitution Court order to dissolve the People Power party on electoral fraud charges, but because of a verdict of the National Counter Corruption Commission, which is due tomorrow or Thursday, relating to a decade-long malfeasance case against the prime minister relating to 43 million baht in tax for the government from the successful bidder for an auction for a plot of land in the Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani conducted by the Legal Execution Department under the supervision of the department's deputy director-general, Manit Suthaporn. At the time of this incident, Somchai was then deputy permanent secretary for justice.

Somchai was accused of negligence of duty for his failure to follow up with action against Mr Manit, which is still pending with the NCCC. A sub-committee headed by Klanarong Chantik has already completed its probe into Mr Somchai's role and has made a recommendation to the NCCC board which is due to deliver its final ruling this week.

The timing of the verdict could not be more appropriate given the growing chorus for the embattled prime minister to show responsibility for the Oct 7 bloodletting.

If faulted for gross negligence related to a graft case, the only penalty to be meted out is dismissal from service. As such Mr Somchai's qualifications as an MP will be in doubt in accordance with Article 102 (6) of the Constitution. And since he is an MP, his status as prime minister will be in jeopardy too.

 

Opinion: If so many believe that the prime minister should take responsibility for the Oct. 7 crackdown on the PAD which left two dead and more than 400 injured, then this verdict comes at an ironic time for Somchai. Instead of taking responsibility for one issue, he will need to resign from office from another that happened a long time ago. Either way, most likely Thailand will have a new prime minister within the coming weeks, which leads to the increased turmoil and rocky road the government has had since the military takeover in 2006. 

-IK

Former Russian President and Owner of Noveya Gazetta to Form New Political Party

Former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev is planning on creating a new political party in Russia with fellow Novaya Gazeta owner Alexander Lebedev. Moscow News reports that Gorbachev may be motivated to form the Independent Democratic Party as a reaction to his concerns about steps the current government may be moving away from democracy. In the same Article Lebedev is quoted as suggesting that some of the major concerns of the party would be a stronger parliament, independent courts, independent media, and smaller state involvement in the economy. It is speculated that the new party was Gorbachev’s idea and that he might take a leadership role in it. In his article Richard Lourie of The Moscow Times suggests Gorbachev’s involvement may in fact help the sustainability of the party due to the fact that he isn’t entirely popular in Russia (only won 1 percent of the vote in the last election he ran in) which might cause the Kremlin to ignore him as a serious threat. Lourie also suggest that Gorbechev’s popularity abroad might help to insulate him from more violent attempts to quell possible competion. This article goes on to mention that party’s first involvement in the political arena will be in the 2011 Duma elections and even if they do not have a productive initial showing in that election it sill shows much promise as it can still serve as a home grown example of what democracy should be for the Russian people. This issue is related to the cause of media freedom in Russia in an striking manner as Gorbachev and Lebedev are owners of the Novaya Gazeta an independent newspaper which was where controversial and independent reporter Anna Politkovskaya worked before her suspicious murder in 2006.

By Peter Snyder

Gorbachev to form political party in Russia
Gorbachev's Gallant Example

Opinion Letter About Press Violence By Mike Ramsingh

This post is about a letter to the editor that explains the recent increase in violence that is being dealt to media employees in light of heavy coverage of the upcoming election in Venezuela.  The letter mentions an attack on two media employees for a local news channel.  This letter provides another example of journalists being threatened to cease their negative coverage of Chavez's regime.

The letter is here

Russia: Arms sales to Venezuela are defensive

Oct 7th, 2008 MOSCOW — Russia’s foreign minister says the country’s arms sales to Venezuela are meant for defensive purposes.
Russia has stepped up ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and is sending a naval squadron to Venezuela for exercises next month in a show of force near the United States. Russia has sold Venezuela weapons worth more than $4 billion since 2005 and announced a $1 billion credit for arms purchases last month.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke Tuesday after a meeting in Moscow with Venezuela’s foreign minister.
Lavrov also told a state-run newspaper that Russia and Venezuela have no plans to attack anybody, suggesting a joint attack on the United States was “unimaginable.”
venezuela and russia Cooperate On Military Exercise, Mounting Tensions With The US. US does not like this act on south america.

Venezuela : Russian navy sails to Venezuela

Russian warships have set off for Venezuela for joint exercises unprecedented since the Cold War. The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great cruiser, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic.
Russia, one of two axis of power during the cold war, get back power. they started militery movement.

Italy: BERLUSCONI LAUNCHES ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE

This article has been published on Octoebr, 9th. It is about the issu that Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday launched a drive to stamp out corruption in the civil service.The premier said Italy had a longstanding problem with corruption among civil servants, partly because of the size of its state administration. There is a price to be paid for a sprawling, bureaucratic and bloated public administration like them, unveiling a new anti-corruption task force.''Corruption has age-old roots and has taken on a pathological and endemic form which cannot be tolerated and which we aim to root out,'' the premier told a news conference with Civil Service Minister Renato Brunetta. Berlusconi said the government's new Anti-Corruption and Transparency Service would aim, among other things, to ''effectively map out corruptions risks and carry out an in-depth probe into European Union funds''.He said the task force would have an ''intelligence-gathering rather than policing role'' and would save millions of euros in taxpayers' money. It would seek to produce ''a modernised, digitalised and transparent public administration,'' he said.Berlusconi said he was familiar with the problems of administrative corruption because of his early experiences as a young construction entrepreneur in Milan.He said he had to stop building in Milan ''because you couldn't build anything (there) unless you went (to officials) with a cheque in your mouth''.'This, fortunately, occurred many years ago. Berlusconi is relying on Brunetta to push through the kinds of reforms which have been announced by successive governments only to make little impact.The feisty minister has already hit headlines for a campaign against ''slackers''.Last week statistics were released showing that sick days were sharply down following Brunetta's move to cut pay for suspected malingerers.Brunetta said the rate of absenteeism had been cut by 45% and ''by the end of the year we will effectively have 50,000 more workers'' without new hirings.As part of the drive, Brunetta said turnstiles like those at soccer stadiums would be installed at his ministry to show when staff entered and left their offices.Berlusconi quipped that news of the move had already produced a visible result. I found this should be important issue for Italian media system. As the Italy media system has been under control of the premier Silvio Berlusconi, this issue is one of pictures that we could look the Italian media is still manipulated even including launiching campaign.

Hye Jin Chung

Russia: Update on Georgia

On early Saturday mourning bombs were dropped all over Tbilisi, specifically the town Tshinvali and two other small towns. According to the National security council Secretary Alexander Lomaia, the location of these bombs focused on economic infrastructures, the country's largest Black Sea Port, Poti, and the main road connecting part of Georgia to the East and Airport. South Ossetia declared independence in 1990, but was not internationally recognized for it. It seems like they are still tyring to fight for their independence today as Georgia sent troops into South Ossetia to put a stop to the people who are still pushing for their independance. President Bush and President Vladimir Putin met on friday to discuss the conflict. The article gave no furthure information about this meeting or any resolutions to this conflict. Sarmat Laliyev stated, " They are killing women and children, with heavy artillery and rockets." From all the information i gathered from this article and previous intellegence it seems like the Russian government is getting more and more corrupt. I would not be surprised if the government were to get overrunned by the people in the upcoming years. No honest civilian is going to want to be part of a Nation that is killing innocent and harmless women and children. They are not even going after strategic buildings or military bases in South Ossetia, but business buildings and civilians. The Russian President, Demitry Medvedev, told the press that it is his job to protect his people. I find this non sense the only indangered people are those living in South Ossetia, and yes they are shooting down russain airplanes and moving their tanks. I only see this as self defense as a response of the attacking of Russian military. If you would like to look more into this topic you can watch an interview with Georgia's president. Just click on the title of this post Russia: Update on Georgia

Russian Economy Takes Hard Hit

Two months when Russia invaded Georgia, it was thought that Russia was making its way back into world power. However, the country has recently hit a downward spiral due to the global economic crisis. The war with Georgia, instead of helping Russia, has played a role in the demise of the economy. Also, the drop in gas prices has affected the countries economy because they are the number two exporter of crude oil in the world. Also, since May the Russian stock has fell 61%. 

This has caused investors to pull their money out of Russia. It is estimated that 74 billion dollars has been pulled out of Russian since August."Over the past five months, Russia's 25 richest people have lost more than $230 billion US, according to an analysis by Bloomberg," stated Nicholas Van Praet of the Canwest news. 

Russian is trying to come up with strategies to bring back their investors and help raise the economy. They will not suffer bankruptcy because they have 188 billion dollars budget surplus and has the world's third largest gold reserve. However, the confidence of Russia along with its economy had to plummet. It went from believing it was back on its feet and ready to rise above everyone, and now the country has taken a huge step back. Also, Russia will not be able to look to the US for support because both presidential candidates feel that Russia is "evil." 

Italy: Berlusconi Says Markets May Be Shut

Oct. 10: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi claimed that the US government may shut down the financial markets due to the credit freeze and the falling of the stock market. He claimed that it may be shut down while the rules of international policies are rewritten. This was revealed at a g7 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers. Later that day Berlusconi reveresed the comments he had made in Napels about the US shutting down the markets. White House Spokesman Tony Fratto said, "There are absolutely no plans or discussions to interfere with the functioning of markets in the United States."

Andrew Edelman

Thailand: Take Heart

The Assistant Editor, Sanitsuda Ekachai, of the Bangkok Post reflects on the October 7 crackdown by the Thailand government. She reports that the country has been making progress in comparison to an incident that happened in 1976, when newsman Sanpasit Viriyasiri made attempts to broadcast the storm of police and militia on Thammasat University and was immediately fired for doing so. Therefore, unlike in the past, residents in Thailand are now able to watch events like October 7 unfold in their living rooms. Ekachai claims that Thailand is now much more open society and that this is a quality which is mandatory in order to have a democracy.

Ekachai disagrees with the amount of violence being used by the government, having tear-gassed peaceful protesters, along with some protesters wielding guns and sharp weapons.

Ekachai writes, "You may wonder why I am talking about positive changes when our country seems to be on the brink of anarchy. It is because staying positive and being firm in our belief in non-violent change is the only way to prevent ourselves from being engulfed by the seemingly hopeless political situation.

One interesting thing to note is that the author cites Buddhism teachings in this article. She writes, "Buddhism teaches us that change and inter-connectedness is the universal law that prevails for all. So if we want to initiate change, we must put the required factors in place."
This shows one major difference between American and Thai press in that American reporters tend to keep their religious beliefs out of their writings.

By: Allison Kershner

Thailand: Peasful but Tense

Peace filled the streets of Bangkok Wednesday after the violent riots that had occurred. Tuesday thousands of supporters of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) obstructed all the entrances to the venue in an effort to keep the government from delivering the policy statement to the parliament. Leaving the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, Cabinet Ministers, MP’s, and senators locked inside with police helpless. In an effort to stop the riots police decided to launch tear gas into the crowds. As police attempted to disperse the anti-government protesters two people were killed and 208 others were injured. Of which were several injured police men, and a few others who lost limbs.

The aftermath was clear as the BMA Public Work Department came in Wednesday to clean up the dirty streets after the riots. With the smell of tear gas in the air it left an uneasy quite with the police and PAD keeping their distance. Most of the garbage consisted of plastic bottles from the water the rioters had used to wash their eyes to subside the pain from the tear gas. 200 workers were instructed to quickly remove all of the trash and in doing so uncovered two bombs which ha to be taken out by the bomb squad. Most of the PAD supporters have retreated back to the Government House. Hopefully there won’t be anymore riots and no more violence so the streets of Bangkok get back to normal.

By Ronda Sundstrom

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=131257

GROUP ITALY - Italy's La 7 plans major reorganization

The artile is about that Telecom Italia Media expects net to grow from 2009-11.
Telecom Italia Media expressed that it plans to significantly reorganize subsidiary La 7, the smallest of Italy's national television networks, just days after announcing a major round of layoffs at the broadcaster.TI Media, the media unit owned by former state telephone monopoly Telecom Italia, said that, despite La 7's struggles, it expects profits to rise by at least 7% per year for the three-year period ending in 2011, with most of the profits coming from its multimedia and content production divisions.The company said it expects to be one of Italy's leaders in the switch to digital television frequencies before 2010, and that its budget for acquiring new programming will remain flat at 90 million euros ($133 million) through 2011.The company did not go into detail about the reorganization at La 7 -- the only national terrestrial broadcaster not owned by Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset or state broadcaster RAI -- but did say that it expects La 7 to grow from its current 3.2% market share during the 2009-11 period.The comments were released Tuesday, after the late Monday meeting of TI Media's board of directors.

Rwanda: Report Claims 2 Million Killed in 1994 Genocide

In a report in The New Times (Kiglai) on October 4, it stated that the number of people killed in the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis totaled 1,952,078 people. This number was concluded upon after student members of the Student Genocide Survivors Organization researched 390 genocide memorial sites and cemeteries. Although that seems like a high number of people killed, it is more than likely that is a considerably larger number due to the fact that those victims who were thrown in rivers and lakes and those whose bodies were burnt to ashes were not accounted for. Jean de Dieu, President of the National Commission against Genocide state that the figures in the report are not yet official and his commission must verify the figures before regarding them as real. Also, a renown researcher of the Rwandan Genocide , Tom Ndahito, stated that the figures of lives lost in the Genocide is uncountable.

I posted this article because I believe that having an idea of how many lives were lost during the Genocide really helps you to understand the magnitude of this event in Rwanda. Knowing a figure of how many people were killed makes it easier to understand why people may have been so upset with the media if in fact some of the news put out did contribute to the loss of a friend or family member. We're not talking about the media may have said something that led to the death of one or two people, but something that nearly wiped out a group of people. Although must of us believe in the right to freedom of speech, something as huge as a genocide almost makes you question the pretenses of freedom of speech. If in the U.S. nearly 2 million people were wiped out we want our government to do all in its power for it to ever occur again, so it is possible the government is somewhat forced to use different measures in order to deter violence.

By Ashley Mannings

Russia Group: Russia's Venezuela Foray: Tit for Tat

This article was intended for week 1:

Recently, Russia and Venezuela have been "swaping " weapons, which they claim to have planned before Russia began conflict with Georgia. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez had welcomed two Russian Tu-160 long-range bombers into the country, where they'll stay a few days conducting training flights before returning to Russia.
It is apparently a mere coincidence that "Georgia is strategically located on a crucial energy route along Russia's southern periphery, Venezuela's location in the Caribbean makes it a key gateway to the oil economy of the Gulf of Mexico." Supporters of the president believe this is a way to a blockade from a U.S. led-invasion, however, some argue that they were forced to buy arms from Russia because the U.S. has banned sales of weapons to the country.
According to a Russian military spokesman, "role of the Russian vessels would be confined to search-and-rescue and communications exercises." It is stated that it is a common practice that allows other militaries to learn from others, its a coincidence that it is happening at this time.
Chavez's response to the U.S.'s assumption that the planned naval exercises are a message to Washington was "Go ahead, Yankees, whine."
It's is interesting that years after the Cold War, these two countries believe that going through with such actions as controversial as these can be overlooked as "common." The world is not in a right time to carry out such "exercises" as an everyday event and not cause any worry.

by Ashlee Newcomb

Italian comedian starts V-Day

This is an intresting yet older video on Italiam Comedian Beppe Grillo who speaks out against government. He questions how in Italy their democracy allows them to speak what they wish on TV, newspapers, but when it comes to the internet they are much different. He has started a blog several times and has been recently successful. Everyone has tried to start blogs in Italy but they never stay around they get notifications to take them down. So Beppe has started a movement to speak out against the politicians specifically some of the laws that keep people in power for ten years. He wants the citizens of Italy to see how currupt their system is so he has created "V-Day." 1.5 million people were involved in V-Day which started on the Internet. He states that 1 in 10 politicans have a criminal record and that this outlaws are the ones controlling the government. He doesn't want convicted people as politicians and others serving more than two terms.

Cultural Misunderstanding in Thailand

Thailand's Cultur Minister Worawat Ua-apinyakul has recommended the mass production of "good luck charms" and selling them to tourists as souveniers. This decision is considered rash and is dangerous the sensitivity of Thai culture because some of the charms are phallic and which could be considered simply humorous to tourists who do not understand the ritualistic meaning. According to Thai academics, this proves that the Culture Minister has "no understanding of the culture". Needless to say, Mr. Worawat's suggestion drew harsh criticism as it could create a negative stereotype of Thai "good luck charms". People believed that the Culture Minister was simply making a joke out of the country's tradition. Mr Worawat defended himself by stating that the origionaly folklore of the meanings of the charms should be spread along with the souveniers. Still, academics believe that if this form of mass production came to being, it could lead to a cultural crisis.
Currently, Mr. Worawat denies making this claim about selling these cultural items and knick knacks for tourists.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/021008_News/02Oct2008_news04.php

Thailand Prime Minister urges end to protests to preserve "national dignity"

BANGKOK (AFP) - - Thailand's new premier said Wednesday he hoped thousands of protesters occupying his office would leave before November to save the kingdom embarrassment during a regional summit.
Supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have been camped out at Bangkok's Government House for more than a month.
"I have tried my best to foster a better understanding and not to ruin Thailand's dignity. Other ASIAN leaders may question why the Thai government has no office so please help uphold our national dignity," he said.

The cabinet has been carrying out its business in an abandoned building at the old Don Mueang airport during the protests.

Somchai became premier last month after his predecessor was forced from office and has tasked deputy prime minister and seasoned politician Chavalit Yongchaiyudh with negotiating with the PAD.

Somchai said he was monitoring those talks but refused to set a deadline for the protesters to leave.



The people are protesting to get their point across. And Somchai is worried about his country looking bad because there are protests going on. It seems that he is trying to keep the protesters out of the media because he wants to protect the image of Thailand. He doesn't want to seem like he's lost control so he's trying to convince the protesters to go away rather than addressing their needs. He's trying to make sure that Thailand is at its highest standards.

Amanda B

Journalists jailed for inciting Rwandan genocide

In June, two journalists in Rwanda were sentenced to life in prison for participating in "hate media" which fueled the 1994 genocide. The media played a huge role in the genocide because of the mass amounts of propaganda spilling over radio and tv, which in turn influenced even children and grandparents to participate in the killing of 800,000 Tutsis. The two journalists, Ferdinand Nahimana and Hassan Ngez, were members of Radio Television Libres des Mille Collines, which was known as Radio Machete. RTLM aided in the genocide by telling and instructing people as to where Tutsis were hiding.

I feel Freedom of Speech should be necessary in Rwanda but there needs to be some responsibility. The propaganda that flooded the media during the genocide is exactly the reason that their media today is so heavily controlled. And although I don't like hearing about journalists being imprisoned because of something they said or wrote about, if they're carelessly using the media to manipulate people then action must be taken.

By Mike Gruber
Rwanda Group

Venezuelan Student Leader Murdered

Julio Soto, student government president at the University of Zulia, was gunned down last week by an unknown party, presumably a hired assassin.
President Hugo Chavez has ordered an immediate investigation with all the resources and departments the government has to offer. It has been stressed not to view murder as a political incident but based on the current information political motives are hard to ignore.
When a student leader of a governmental opposition party is killed with over 20 bullets it's hard to over rule the idea the political connection. I did more research on the case and found the crime scene revealed no possessions had been taken, ruling out a robbery.
My question is: even if the investigation gets to the bottom of this, will the public know the truth?

-mike

Russia- Attempt Ban of Popular Cartoons

The kids of South Park are causing trouble again, but this time in Russia. The issue of banning popular cartoons in Russia is interesting because it shows how Russia’s government is intruding in all aspects of the media, even entertainment. Like the United States and countries around the world, South Park is causing controversy and facing censorship. However, in Russia it is on the verge of being banned from television along with other popular American cartoons like the Simpson’s. Although the banning of cartoons for things that some of the audience feel is vulgar happens frequently around the world, it is a huge infringement on the free press in Russia. If this censorship is allowed to continue and the cartoons banned, it will just be another example of how Russia’s press is not free. The government should step aside and Russian people should be allowed to choose what they want to watch.

Post by: Alexa Sell

Nzuwonemeye's Hearing to Week

Iran- Hints at Nuclear Program

Iran is reconsidering its uranium enrichment programs in return for fuel from abroad. Unless they are insured a certain amount of fuel from other countries, they plan on continuing with their enrichment program, which is a source of both nuclear fuel and warhead material. Iran chooses to do their own enrichment program for uranium because they don't have trust in any other countries, especially the US. The only way Iran would agree to change their program is if all UN members agreed to give them a constant fuel supply.

In our opinion, Iran is being extremely demanding and unfair. It is unlikely that all 145 countries will agree to their request. Just because they "have trust issues" doesn't mean they deserve special treatment. Their best interest isn't the best interest of the UN as a whole.



Combined effort by: Rachel Bowe, Jessica Candelmo, and Marisa Cooperman