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Prayer Time (Tehran)
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Dawn: 5:17
Sunrise: 6:44
Noon: 11:49
Evening: 17:14
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Weather Guide
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SAT |
SUN |
Tehran: |
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High: |
14 oC |
15 oC |
Low: |
8 oC |
7 oC |
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Athens |
17 |
9 |
Ankara |
11 |
9 |
Paris |
7 |
7 |
New Delhi |
26 |
26 |
Rome |
12 |
11 |
Riyadh |
28 |
29 |
Frankfurt |
3 |
3 |
Cairo |
24 |
25 |
Kuwait City |
19 |
22 |
Karachi |
30 |
31 |
Copenhagen |
5 |
6 |
London |
6 |
7 |
Moscow |
0 |
0 |
Madrid |
12 |
14 |
Vienna |
1 |
2 |
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Identification
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Published by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)
Address:
Iran Cultural & Press Institute, #212 Khorramshahr Avenue Tehran/Iran
Managing Director: Mohammad T. Roghaniha
Executive Editor: Amin Sabooni
Editorial Dept. Tel: 8755761-2
Editorial Dept. Fax: 8761869
Advertising Dept. Tel: 8753119, 8757702, 8733764
Internet Address:
www.iran-daily.com
E-mail Address:
iran-daily@iran-daily.com
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IAEA’s Iran Report Released
ElBaradei Satisfied With Cooperation
VIENNA, Austria,
Nov. 18--International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director General Mohamed ElBaradei submitted a new report on Iran’s nuclear issue on Friday to representatives of 35 member-states of the agency’s Board of Governors.
Diplomats in Vienna, who have seen the report, said it has in general a positive view regarding Iran’s cooperation with IAEA, but has requested more Iranian assistance to remove ambiguities.
A diplomat in Vienna told IRNA that ElBaradei notes in his report that ambiguities concerning “P-1“ and “P-2“ have been resolved.
In the report, ElBaradei appreciated Iran’s cooperation for allowing the visit to the military site of Parchin in southeastern part of Tehran, which was undertaken by IAEA inspectors recently.
ElBaradei also repeated his request that IAEA inspectors be given permission to visit other military and nuclear centers to clarify questions concerning Iran’s work on producing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The IAEA Board of Governors will discuss and take decision on the report next week.
Meanwhile, Iran’s permanent representative in Vienna-based international organizations, Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh, on Friday discussed latest developments regarding the country’s nuclear dossier with ElBaradei.
In this meeting, ElBaradei expressed his satisfaction with Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA and said he would report this to the IAEA Board of Governors.
He called for Iran’s enhanced cooperation for resolving nuclear ambiguities.
Akhoundzadeh stressed that Iran’s nuclear policy is cognizant of IAEA oversight of nuclear negotiations, expressing hope that Iran’s nuclear issue would be finalized within the framework of IAEA regulations. The Iranian envoy reiterated that Iran’s nuclear activities are peaceful and emphasized that IAEA inspectors also confirm this reality.
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Renewed Support for Iraqi Sovereignty
Tehran, Baghdad Sign Security Accord
TEHRAN, Nov. 18--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran strongly supports efforts to establish security, sovereignty and progress in Iraq.
Ahmadinejad made the remark on Thursday at a meeting with the visiting Iraqi National Security Advisor Muwafaq Al-Rubaie who arrived here Tuesday for a three-day official visit at the head of a political delegation, IRNA reported.
“The Islamic Republic is willing to share all its expertise in various fields to the Iraqi nation and government so that the country can walk proudly on the path of progress and development,“ he said.
He voiced concern over the continuing lack of security in Iraq, adding that this has become a pretext for occupiers to continue their stay in the country.
He expressed hope conditions would improve in the country and peace would reign so that the newly-installed Iraqi government can work effectively.
Ahmadinejad also urged regional states to maintain friendly ties and to be vigilant and united.
“A powerful and advanced Iraq will be the best friend of the Islamic Republic,“ he said.
Al-Rubaie, for his part, praised the all-out support of the Iranian nation and government for his country, particularly during difficult times, and called for enhancement of bilateral ties in economic, security and political fields.
He also called for the implementation of agreements between the two countries during Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari’s recent visit to Iran.
Meanwhile, an agreement on Tehran-Baghdad security cooperation was signed on Thursday by Al-Rubaie and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani.
Based on the agreement, the two capitals will work together on security issues and hold training courses in the field.
Speaking to reporters, Larijani said the main topic in the meeting revolved around the safety of Iranian pilgrims during their visit to the Iraqi holy sites and cities.
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APEC Protestors Denounce Bush
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APEC protesters march toward a venue for the economic meeting in Busan, southeast of Seoul, Nov. 18. (Reuters Photo)
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BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 18--Thousands of farm activists and union workers denounced US President George W. Bush, clashing with police near a meeting of Pacific Rim leaders on Friday and had to be quelled by water-cannon.
The clash broke out about two km (1.2 miles) from the convention center where leaders from 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies were meeting, Reuters reported.
About 2,000 farmers and farm activists and 3,000 union workers took to the streets of Busan to denounce APEC, the World Trade Organization and US President George W. Bush, who was attending the leaders’ meeting.
Organizers had hoped as many as 100,000 would attend. They said police had turned back busloads of people on highways before they even got to Busan.
Nearly 30,000 police were deployed in and around the summit. When several hundred protesters who made it to the city tried to get to the venue by pushing past a police line they were stopped.
The protesters failed to break through a makeshift police barricade of ocean-liner cargo containers and cross a bridge on to the grounds of the convention center.
A handful of riot police officers were taken away by ambulance with injuries from rocks thrown by protesters, some the size of a volleyball, police said.
The protest dispersed after two hours.
The farmers were rallying against a bill being considered by South Korea’s Parliament to increase incrementally foreign access to the country’s rice market, as well as global trade talks such as those under the WTO.
“No to Bush, No to APEC. No to rice market opening. No to the WTO,“ they shouted as they marched through Busan. Some older farmers had tears in their eyes as their voices rang out.
Leaders at the two-day APEC summit are working to revive a round of WTO talks that have stalled due to resistance to measures to liberalize global agricultural trade.
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Protestors Call for Aliyev Resignation
NAFTCHALA, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18--Close to 1,000 people demonstrated in the Azerbaijani coastal town of Naftchala on Friday demanding new parliamentary elections and the resignation of President Ilham Aliyev.
The protestors chanted “Step Down!“ as they gathered in this oil industry town on the Caspian Sea, accusing Aliyev’s leadership of falsifying a November 6 parliamentary vote, AFP reported.
The opposition bloc Azadliq (Freedom) has demanded the annulment of results in most of the 125 constituencies in this oil-rich former Soviet state, saying the vote was rigged in favor of pro-Aliyev candidates.
Friday’s demonstration ended with minor scuffles involving police, demonstrators and a camera crew from state television.
The government has so far annulled results in four of the 125 constituencies, citing irregularities, and has ordered a recount in a fifth. Investigations are underway in 15 constituencies.
Aliyev’s Yeni (New) Azerbaijan party was officially awarded 63 seats in the parliament, compared with the opposition’s 10, while the rest went to obscure smaller parties and independent candidates.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has said the elections failed to meet international standards.
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70 Killed In Iraq Suicide Attacks
BAGHDAD, Iraq,
Nov. 18--At least 67 worshippers were killed in suicide attacks on two Shiite mosques in eastern Iraq near the border with Iran on Friday, hours after suicide bombers killed six people outside a Baghdad hotel.
The carnage came as the US military warned of rising violence in the run-up to the December 15 legislative elections, AFP reported.
At least 75 people were wounded when two suicide bombers, wearing explosives belts, blew themselves up amid worshippers during Friday’s weekly prayers in two Shiite mosques in the town of Khanaqin, officials said.
Just hours earlier at least six people were killed, including a woman and two children, and 40 hurt in Baghdad when suicide bombers detonated an explosives-laden minivan and a car outside the Hamra hotel, frequented by foreigners, and near an interior ministry complex.
The complex, in southern Baghdad’s Jadriyah district, came to public notice on Sunday when US troops discovered there some 179 mostly Sunni detainees, several of whom had been tortured.
The discovery led to an international outcry, a stern warning by US authorities and promises by the Iraqi government to investigate the matter.
The Baghdad morning car bombs brought down the facade of a three-story residential building, and sent slabs of concrete flying, wounding many people as they slept in on their day off.
Violence was likely to increase because of the ongoing political struggle in the run-up to the elections, with some groups taking part in the political process while fighting at the same time, the senior officer said.
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Emami-Kashani:
Officials Should
Weigh Words, Deeds
TEHRAN, Nov. 18--Tehran’s substitute Friday prayers leader, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani urged officials on Friday to carefully weigh their words and deeds.
Addressing thousands of worshipers at Tehran University’s campus, Ayatollah Emami-Kashani referred to the leader’s remarks in his recent meeting with the country’s Friday prayers leaders in which the leader called for observance of unity and vigilance, preservation of revolutionary spirit and values, and enhancement of the national resolve to move toward progress, IRNA reported.
Referring to the global situation and promotion of Islamic values in the world, he stressed that Islamic values have been revitalized after the Islamic Revolution.
Commenting on the continuing unrest in France, he said, “In a country, which pretends to be democratic, we see how they ignore the rights of citizens and minorities.“
Emami-Kashani stressed that support of the government, national unity and solidarity were among the recent guidelines issued by the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
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Accountability Needed
By S. Sadeghi
After months of procrastination, senior judiciary officials showed up in the parliament to present a report on the body’s performance regarding its anti-corruption drive and demonstrate their accountability. Unfortunately, this never materialized.
Speculations and ambiguities about the judiciary’s negligence in confronting economic corruption had acquired alarming proportions.
These ambiguities had prompted MPs to prepare a draft motion calling for questioning the judiciary performance. The motion was presented to the Majlis Presiding Board months ago, but the board kept the motion in wraps assuming that these ambiguities pertain to their lack of information about the judiciary’s performance and hence convinced initiators of the motion to provide judicial officials with an opportunity to present a report in Majlis.
The board’s logic behind this move was that this would help remove ambiguities and end any argument since the judiciary is dead opposed to any talk of parliamentary intervention, leave alone investigation.
At any rate, the D-day arrived and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi held forth in parliament on the root-cause of the unwanted phenomenon of economic corruption, instead of presenting a report on the performance of the judicial apparatus in confronting economic corruption. He emphasized that economic corruption is the reason behind capital flight. This is true since corruption also gives rise to capital insecurity, but the bitter truth is that economically corrupt people have been successful in trying to justify their immunity to any interrogation or prosecution.
It seems that judicial officials have been entrapped with superficial and illogical explanations, and they have forgotten their basic duties of confronting wrongdoers and establishing justice. It is unfortunate that the judiciary did not elaborate on its track record.
Apparently, the judicial system does not even have a correct definition of economic corruption. Sadly enough, it appears that judicial officials have not even gone over the directives of the leader with regard to uprooting economic corruption.
They remain content with underlining that the existing laws and regulations have shortfalls, but never elaborate on what should be done to remove these shortcomings.
Four years have passed since the leader called for confronting financial corruption, but the judiciary refuses to reveal how many anti-corruption dossiers have been handled by it. It has even denied that any high-profile personality is guilty of any misdemeanor. This sounds ludicrous, to say the least.
People have the impression that the judiciary only prosecutes small fries while the big fish boldly pile on their illegal wealth day after day. This lack of accountability neither helps improve the country’s international image nor boosts the nation’s confidence in the judiciary system. The sooner the situation is corrected the better.
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