Iran troops 'seize Iraq oil well'

An Iraqi official played down the incident, saying the area was abandoned and right on a disputed border section.

Iranian soldiers crossed the border and raised an Iranian flag over the Fakkah oil field, a US military spokesman told the AFP news agency.

But an Iranian oil company spokesman denied the accusation, saying no troops had taken control of any oil well.

"The company denies Iranian soldiers taking control of any oil well inside Iraqi territory," the National Iranian Oil Company spokesman was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

Confirmation

Iraq's Deputy Interior Minister confirmed the Iranians stayed in Iraq and were in control of the well.

We are awaiting orders from our leader
Ahmed Ali al-Khafaji
Deputy Interior Minister

Earlier it was reported that they had withdrawn back across the border.

Deputy Interior Minister Ahmed Ali al-Khafaji initially told the Reuters news agency the reports of the Iranian incursion were not true.

But Mr Khafaji later confirmed the incursion had taken place, and said 11 Iranians had dug-in at the oil well and had not left.

"At 3:30 this afternoon, 11 Iranian soldiers infiltrated the Iran-Iraq border and took control of the oil well. They raised the Iranian flag, and they are still there until this moment," he told the Reuters news agency.

He said there had been no military response from Iraqi forces..

"We are awaiting orders from our leader," he said.

The incursion is one of several that have occurred in the last few days, he said.

The well is about 500m from an Iranian border fort and about 1km from an Iraqi fort, US Colonel Peter Newell told AFP.
BBC News

Boys aged 10 charged with raping eight-year-old

Two 10-year-old boys have been charged with raping a girl in west London.

Each faces two counts of attacking a female under the age of 13 following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, the Metropolitan Police said.

They were arrested after an eight-year-old alleged she had been assaulted while playing in a park off College Way, Hayes, on 27 October.

The pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Police were called by the girl's family after she returned home from the park.

Officers from the specialist Sapphire Unit, which investigates allegations of rape and sexual assault, have been dealing with the case.
BBC News

Analyst says Africa Should Solve its Own Problems Before Asking For Climate Change Help

Negotiators from around the world say key differences remain at the climate change conference in Copenhagen as talks resumed Tuesday.

One African representative, Nigeria's Victor Fodeke, compared them to a train crash waiting to happen. The African delegates briefly walked out of the talks Monday to protest what they said were efforts by rich nations to undermine the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Afterwards, they were told their voices would be heard.

One analyst disagreed with the decision to walk out. “I think it is not a wise idea for Africa to walk away from the talks because we have had voices from all over the world, particularly from Africa, calling for more funding and funds for technology,” said Gabriel Odima, president of the U.S.-based Africa Center for Peace and Democracy.

“We have also had the blame game and finger-pointing before and during negotiations, particularly during this week,” he added. “But there is a missing link between Africa and developed countries. Until we discover that missing link, there is very little Africa can achieve from this conference.”

The problem, said Odima, is that Africans are under siege from both the impact of climate change and what he called their corrupt leaders. “There is no amount of money that will change the crisis in Africa unless we address the fundamental issues of democracy, good governance, rule of law and accountability.”

The treaty requires rich countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions but does not ask the same of poor nations and developing economies. An extension of the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012, will be considered, according to officials.
VOA News

Uganda Bans Female Genital Mutilation

FGM involves the removal of all or part of the female genitalia. Sometimes the remaining flesh is stitched closed, a practice called infibulation, leaving only a tiny opening for urination and menstruation, and making intercourse and childbirth painful.

Many human and gender rights activists say the practice puts girls under serious health risk, sometimes resulting in death.

Different levels of punishment are codified in the act for those who violate the ban. Anyone caught doing FGM on a girl will be sent to jail for 10 years - but if the girl dies during the act, a life sentence is to be imposed.

A number of African nations have outlawed the customary practice, but in many of those countries FGM is still common.

Nalule Safia Juuko, vice chair of the Ugandan Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities, cautioned that the passage of this law was only a first step.

"But of course we realize as Parliament that an act alone can not do so much, given the fact that the practice has been an issue with that community for years and years," she said. "So what we also considered as Parliament yesterday, the Speaker asked the prime minister to tell us what the government is going to do in addition to passing the act," said Juuko.

She said that funds need to be allocated to run a sensitization campaign within the communities where FGM is still widespread. She also suggested that a program needs to be set up to provide an alternative income to those who act as the operation's surgeons.

She expressed strong support for the level of punishments put into the law.

"The act is providing punishments, and not simple punishments. I think people will have to re-think if they go on to practice FGM," she said.

The operation is practiced only within a few certain communities in Uganda, most of whom live in the northeastern part of the country.

The operation is usually performed on a girl at any time up until she is 15 years old.

According to the World Health Organization, up to 140 million living women globally have undergone genital mutilation. Three million girls are thought to be at risk of the procedure in Africa every year.
VOA News

Climate Conference Opens in Copenhagen

The U.N. Climate Change conference opened in Copenhagen, Denmark Monday with some 15,000 delegates and observers from nearly 200 countries attending what is being billed the last best chance for an agreement to combat global warming.

"A warm welcome to Copenhagen and to the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009"

The opening words to delegates, experts and activists from around the world gathered here in Copenhagen for the next two weeks.

Their task is to find common ground, including on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, promotion and transfer of new more eco-friendly technology and the necessary funding to make this possible, especially for the less developed and poorer nations. It also means coming up with long term vision and cooperation for the future.

The U.N.'s top climate official, Yvo de Boer issued a stark reminder that the clock has run out.

"The time for formal statements is over. The time for re-stating well known positions is past," said Yvo de Boer. "The time has come to reach out to each other. I urge you to build on your achievements, take up the work that has already been done and turn it into action."

Many countries have put proposals to reduce emissions on the table, including the United States, China and South Africa.

There have been strong statements from world leaders on the need to forge agreement, even though differences on timing, approach, burden sharing and funding remain.

The Copenhagen conference was to come up with a binding agreement to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol which mandated emissions cuts, but was not signed by some of the world's biggest polluters, including the United States. Kyoto expires in 2012. But many say a political framework is more likely at Copenhagen, with a binding accord to be worked out possibly next year.

Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen reminded delegates the time to act is now and for everyone.

"Global warming knows no borders, it does not discriminate, it affects us all and we are here today because we are all committed to take action," he said.

The prime minister said he believes a deal is possible. Delegates have just over a week to prove him right - before more than 100 heads of state and government come here. Conference organizers hope they'll have a deal on the table for signing.
VOA News

Iran's Supreme Leader Blames West for Student Protests

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted the United States and other Western countries for stirring up trouble inside Iran, a day before students are expected to hold peaceful demonstrations on university campuses across Iran.

Both the Iranian government and student opposition activists are gearing up for what many are expecting will be a large turnout of demonstrators, Monday, on university campuses across the country.

December 7 is known as "national students' day" in Iran, and it marks the anniversary of the 1953 slaying of three students by Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi's security forces, following a coup against populist Prime Minister Mohammed Mosadegh, earlier that year

Eyewitnesses say hundreds of students have received threatening emails, this week, warning them not to participate in Monday's demonstrations. Pro-government Basij militia members are also reported to be present in large numbers on campuses across the country.

Internet connection speeds in Iran are also reported to be extremely slow, amid word the government is again trying to hamper communications between Iranians and the outside world. Foreign media have also been warned not to cover Monday's rallies.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lashed out against the West, saying it was responsible for sowing discord inside the country.

He says that today, the propaganda of arrogant nations of the world is the main source for the existence of conflict inside Iran.

The Ayatollah also used extremely virulent language against the United States and Britain, calling them Iran's top enemies.

He says Americans are at the top of Iran's list of enemies and the British are the most dreadful of those enemies. He also asserted the United States and other nations have tried to isolate Iran for the last 30 years, but have failed and will continue to fail.

Meanwhile, security forces reportedly arrested a number of women protesters at a Tehran park, who meet regularly to protest their children's detention in government prisons.

The Iranian government arrested hundreds of student activists, journalists, intellectuals, political leaders and professors during weeks of unrest following a disputed June 12 presidential election that incumbent Mahmoud Ahmedinejad claims to have won, despite complaints of widespread vote-rigging.

Analyst Ali Nourizadeh, of the London-based Center for Arab and Iranian Studies, says the Iranian government is doing its best to prevent students from protesting, but he thinks student determination to go ahead with Monday's rallies is stronger:

"The regime has already started four, five weeks ago arresting students. And many students received warnings that they will be expelled from universities, and [the government] has sent hundreds of their basij and basij students to certain universities," he said. "Therefore, they are prepared, but I think the determination, and students will to show their strength, to show that they are not frightened, ... is stronger than the regime's intimidation and threats."

Nourizadeh also says that the students have reportedly invited their parents to participate, in order to prevent security forces from attacking them.

Iran's top police official, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddem, told a Tehran newspaper that any "illegal gathering outside universities will be harshly dealt with."
VOA News

Woman and her two sons killed in crash near Aviemore

A mother and her two sons have been killed in a car crash near Aviemore in the Highlands.

Another car and a 4x4 vehicle were involved in the collision, which happened on the A95 at about 0920 GMT.

The woman, aged 36, and her sons, aged 13 and 11, had been travelling in one car, Northern Constabulary said.

Police have closed the road while officers carry out an investigation, and motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

Speaking at the scene, Sgt Jim Pryde from Northern Constabulary told BBC Scotland: "At this time police investigators are carrying out inquiries at the locus into a tragic incident.

"We would ask anybody that may have been in the area at the time and has information for us if they could contact the police."

The Scottish Ambulance Service said three ambulances and a helicopter had attended the crash.

One male casualty was taken to Aviemore health centre with minor injuries.

BBC News

Explosion in Russian nightclub 'kills scores'

An explosion has torn through a nightclub in the Russian city of Perm, killing at least 76 people.

Another 60 people were injured in the blast, the city's emergency services told the BBC.

About 200 people are said to have been in the club, named as the Lame Horse, when the blast occurred at 2315 local time (2015 GMT).

Police are investigating whether the accident was caused by two large firework displays.

A spokesman for the prosecutor-general's main investigative unit told Itar-Tass news agency this was not a terrorist attack.

"We are talking about a failure to observe fire regulations," he said.

Smoke inhalation

The nightclub had been celebrating its eighth anniversary, the emergency services said.

It is believed that most victims died from smoke inhalation, they added.

Russian state-run TV channel Vesti-24 showed images of bodies piled in the street outside the club.

News agencies quoted officials as saying there was no blaze following the blast.

Perm is some 1,400km (870 miles) east of Moscow and has a population of 1.2 million. It is the sixth largest city in Russia.

The Lame Horse nightclub is located in the city centre, reports said.

BBC News

Bank of America to repay bail-out

Bank of America says it plans to repay its $45bn (£27bn) US government bail-out and raise extra capital.

It received the loans during the credit crisis last year and after the purchase of Merrill Lynch.

The move would allow Bank of America to free itself from government restrictions on executive pay that were a stipulation of granting the funds.

That will help the bank in its search to find a new chief executive after Ken Lewis retires at the end of the year.

The restrictions on executive pay have reportedly been hampering the search.

Bank of America said it had sold $19.3bn in securities on Thursday evening, which it will use to pay off part of the debt. The total value was higher than the $18.8bn expected.

Before the sale Bank of America had also planned to use $26.2bn in available cash to make up the difference.

Bank of America spokesman Bob Stickler said repaying the loan would removes "the stigma that we've had as a company".

"We become more attractive to a CEO [chief executive] candidate. Whether that means we get somebody external is impossible to say," he added.

Loss making


It removes some overhang so hopefully a CEO can come in with a clean slate
Alan Villalon, First American Funds

Analysts said the loan was being repaid much earlier than anticipated.

Last month, the bank reported a $1bn net loss for the three months from July to September, which was worse than had been expected.

The figure compares with a net profit of $3.2bn in the previous quarter and $1.2bn in the same period of last year.

Search for a successor

Bank of America agreed to buy Merrill in September 2008 in a deal worth $50bn - a decision for which Mr Lewis later drew much criticism.

As the crisis in the financial sector deepened, the bank subsequently needed $25bn in capital injections from the government's Troubled Assets Relief Program, known as Tarp.

At the start of this year, it then required a further $20bn.

US lawmakers have accused the Treasury and the Federal Reserve of "putting a gun to the head" of Mr Lewis over the Merrill deal, but Mr Lewis has denied that this was the case.

In September this year, it was announced that Mr Lewis, who had led the company since 2001, would retire from Bank of America at the end of the year. Last month, it was announced that he would receive no salary or bonus for 2009.

Bob Stickler from the bank said that a decision on Mr Lewis' successor was expected "in the near future".

Alan Villalon, senior research analyst at First American Funds, said the bank's decision to repay the government loans might be a signal that the bank is focused on attracting an external candidate.

"It removes some overhang so hopefully a CEO can come in with a clean slate," he said.
BBC News

DO YOU GET ANGRY EASILY? THEN CONSIDER THESE QUOTES

If you get angry easily, it will be wise to look into what some of our great motivators have to say about anger and forgiveness before making conclusion on what you wish to adhere to.
To be able to bear provocation is an argument of great reason, and to forgive is of a great mind-TILLOSON
There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness-JOSH BILLINGS
Only the brave know how to forgive; it is the most refined and generous pitch of virtue human nature can arrive at-STERNE
A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the full value of time and will not let it pass away in unnecessary pain-RAMBLER
He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has needed to be forgiven-LORD KELVIN
Little, vicious minds abound with anger and revenge and are incapable of feeling the pleasure of forgiving their enemies-EARL OF CHESTERFIELD
Anger is momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you-HORACE EPISTLES
If you kick a stone in anger, you will hurt your own foot-KOREAN PROVERB
Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die-MALACHY MCCOURT
People who fly into a rage always make bad landing-WILL ROGERS
Anger ventilated often hurries toward forgiveness; and concealed often hardens into revenge-EDWARD G. BULWERLY.