Iran Starts Production of Warship Missile Launchers

TEHRAN – Iran on Monday said the two warships began producing high-speed missile launchers  along the coastline and surrounding sea routes vital Strait Hrmuz. Inauguration of rapid production of ships and Zolfaqar Seraj a day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated an unmanned bomber aircraft produced in the country, which he referred to would send a “death” to Iran’s enemies. IRNA official news agency announces Seraj (Lights) and Zolfaqar will be produced at the industrial complex naval defense ministry.Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was inaugurated, said the ships will help strengthen the defense forces of Iran, IRNA said.

“Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defense industries rely on the army and junk (Revolutionary Guards) is strong and the military, with their full strength, can guarantee security in the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and the Strait of Hormuz,” said Vahidi.IRNA Zolfaqar is preaching a new generation of ship missile launcher that can be used for patrol and attack operations.

The ship was designed for rapid strikes against ships and equipped with two missile launchers, two machine guns and a computer system for controlling the missiles, “says the news.Fars news agency quoted the statement as saying Zolfaqar Vahidi is equipped with a cruise missile Nasr (Victory) “which has a tremendous destructive power.Iran has previously said Nasr missile can destroy targets up to 3000 tons.

IRNA preach, Seraj, specially designed for tropical climates, also serves as a vessel of war for use in the Caspian Sea, the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and can fire rockets and also used in violent seas,The launch of the productions were done to coincide with the annual activities of a “government week”, a period when the country is usually announced the successful ituh latest technology.

Ahmadinejad, on Sunday inaugurated a small unmanned bomber, a period when the country was generally indicates the success of new technology.Ahmadinejad, on Sunday inaugurated an unmanned bomber aircraft with a cruising range of up to 1.000km he called “the ambassador of death.” State media said the bomber, stable (Striker), can carry four rudat stealth cruise, two bombs each weighing 115kilogram or a sophisticated missile weighing 230 tons.

Tehran claims its military began on Friday when it fired a ground-to-surface missile, named Qiam (Resurrection), and there will be some more announcements in the next few days.The Islamic Republic is also expected to test the third generation missile Fateh (Conqueror) 110, after the exhibit’s version of the missile has a range of 150 to 200kilometer shoot.

Iran recently held four mini-Ghadir submarine built in the DSLAM country, a ship “invisible”, designed to be operated in such shallow peairan Bay.”The latest military activity coincided with warnings against any attack on Iranian territory.

Implacable foe, the United States and Israel, not military action involving Iran’s controversial nuclear program it.Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, where about 40 percent of the oil tanker through those waters in case of a military attack.(AFP)

Fidel Castro speaks to avoid a nuclear war

Former President Fidel Castro addressed Cuba’s parliament in his first public government act in four years Saturday, and appealed to world leaders, including President Barack Obama, to avoid a nuclear war.The return of the veteran 83-year-old Cuban revolutionary to the National Assembly, transmitted live by Cuban state television, crowned a spate of recent public appearances after a long period of seclusion due to illness.

It was his first participation in a public government meeting since 2006, when intestinal surgery forced a lengthy absence. It was bound to revive speculation he might be seeking a more active role again in communist-ruled Cuba’s leadership.In 2008, he formally handed over the presidency of the Caribbean country to his younger brother Raul Castro.

The bearded leader of Cuba’s revolution, who retains his parliament seat and the post of First Secretary of the Communist Party, dressed in long-sleeved green military fatigues, but without rank insignias, for the session.After being helped to walk in and being greeted by a standing ovation and shouts of “Viva Fidel,” he used the meeting to expound again his recent warnings that U.S. pressure against Iran could push the world to a nuclear conflagration.

In a 12-minute prepared speech delivered in a firm but sometimes halting voice, he urged world leaders to persuade Obama not to unleash a nuclear strike against Iran.Castro said such an attack could occur if Iran resisted U.S. and Israeli efforts to enforce international sanctions against it for its nuclear activities.

“Obama wouldn’t give the order if we persuade him … we’re making a contribution to this positive effort,” he told the special assembly session, which had been requested by him.He said he was sure that China and “the Soviets” — an apparent reference to Russia, the former Soviet Union — did not want a world nuclear war and would work to avoid it.

Castro also referred to the case of one of five convicted Cuban spies jailed in the United States, Gerardo Hernandez, saying he hoped his wife would be allowed to visit him or that he could even be released.President Raul Castro also attended the assembly session, wearing a long-sleeved white shirt. Deputies made observations on Castro’s speech, congratulating him and agreeing with him.

But Fidel Castro later appeared to tire after exchanging views with the deputies, and Cuban parliament head Ricardo Alarcon suggested ending the session after 1-1/2 hours.”That’s what I have to say, comrades, nothing more, I hope we can meet again at another time,” Castro said in brief closing remarks in which he asked whether the parliamentarians had obtained copies of his new book, “The Strategic Victory,” on the guerrilla war that brought him to power in 1959.The session finished with applause.

“BACK IN ACTION”

“I’ve been watching Fidel, he looks the same as ever, looks well,” said Graciela Hernandez, a 67-year-old Cuban pensioner who saw Castro on television. “He’s got better and he’s back in action. Fidel’s a real (Don) Quixote,” she said.”It’s a rebirth. It’ll give us strength to continue the struggle,” Graciela Biscet, 43, an assembly deputy from Santiago de Cuba, told reporters.Following his 2006 illness, Fidel Castro disappeared from public view and was only seen occasionally in photographs and videos. But since July 7, he has emerged from four years of seclusion and has made several public appearances.

Analysts and Cuba-watchers have given varied interpretations of what the recent spate of Fidel Castro appearances might mean.Some say the legendary comandante’s influence has remained strong on the Cuban leadership, and that this has put a brake on more liberalizing reforms of Cuba’s socialist system, or on any attempts to improve relations with the United States, which maintains a trade embargo against the island.

But others argue his appearances are intended to show support for his younger brother Raul as the latter tries to revive the stagnated economy with cautious reforms and steer Cuba out of a severe economic crisis.

Others say the veteran statesman may just want to get back into the limelight.Fidel Castro, who has also predicted a U.S. clash with North Korea, urged Obama Wednesday to avoid a nuclear war, which he had described as “now virtually inevitable.”

The former president has met Cuban diplomats, economists and intellectuals over the last month, as well as visiting the national aquarium and launching his new book.

But Fidel Castro has remained mute, at least in public, on the cautious domestic reform policies of his younger brother, which included a recent announcement that more self-employed workers would be allowed in the state-dominated economy.He has, however, kept up regular commentaries since 2007 on international affairs, published by state media. These focus especially on his favorite subjects, such as his views on the threat to humanity posed by U.S.-led capitalism and by global warming.(Reuters)

Eleven rare Siberian tigers kept in small cages and fed only chicken bones have died of malnutrition at a cash-strapped zoo in China's

BEIJING Eleven rare Siberian tigers kept in small cages and fed only chicken bones have died of malnutrition at a cash-strapped zoo in China’s frigid northeast, state media said Friday.A manager at the Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo in Liaoning province, however, said the animals had died of disease.Siberian tigers are one of the world’s rarest species, with just 300 believed remaining in the wild.

Liu Xiaoqiang, vice chief of the Shenyang Wild Animal Protection Station, a local animal protection agency, was quoted by the China Daily as saying 11 of the zoo’s tigers died of malnutrition in the last three months after subsisting on a meager diet of chicken bones.Two others were shot dead by police in November after the hungry animals attacked a zookeeper, the report said.The Liaoshen Evening Post, a local Shenyang newspaper, reported on its Web site that the company that owns the zoo was trying unsuccessfully to auction the zoo property, and many staffers complained they hadn’t been paid in 18 months.

Wu Xi, one of the managers of the Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo Co. Ltd., told The Associated Press that “various kinds of diseases” had killed 11 tigers at the zoo over the past three months.Wu said the animals were kept in iron crates indoors because it was an unusually cold winter and the zoo had no heating. He refused to specify what diseases the animals had or respond to allegations they starved to death.The China Daily said the zoo was mainly privately owned, though the Shenyang municipal government holds a 15 percent stake.

Xie Yan, China director for the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, said many Chinese zoos and wildlife parks have more tigers than they can afford to keep. The animals are expensive to take care of because they require a lot of food and space to roam, and ticket sales generally aren’t enough to support them.Xie said Chinese zoos began breeding tigers in the 1980s and captive populations increased rapidly in the 1990s. There are now about 6,000 captive tigers of various species in China, she said, but it’s not clear how many of those are Siberian tigers.

“In the past two or three years, people have started to realize it’s become a problem,” she said, referring to zoos that have more animals than they can afford to keep. Xie said the government should do more to regulate zoos and enforce standards for animal care. She also said birth control is needed to keep the captive tiger population at manageable levels.Chris Chaplin, a spokesman for WWF International’s Beijing office, said the news was “a massive blow” to conservation efforts. WWF colleagues in Changchun, the capital of Jillin province, which neighbors Liaoning, had just began investigating the allegations, he said.(AP)

Hundreds of workers in northern China are trying to contain a pipeline leak that has spilled diesel fuel into a major tributary of the Yellow River

Hundreds of workers in northern China are trying to contain a pipeline leak that has spilled diesel fuel into a major tributary of the Yellow River.About 150,000 litres of diesel poured into the Wei river in Shaanxi province after a construction accident on Wednesday, state media reported. Pollution has been reported up to 33km (21 miles) downstream. Locals have been warned not to use water from the river. The Yellow River is a source of drinking water for millions of people. In 2005, a chemical spill in the Songhua river in the north-eastern province of Heilongjiang cut off water supplies to 4 million residents.

Floating dams

The BBC’s Quentin Sommerville in Beijing says that although the accident in Shaanxi happened on Wednesday, it has only just come to light. Local officials have in the past attempted to cover up such incidents, fearing reprisals from the central government, our correspondent says. The leak occurred on the fuel pipeline operated by the state-run China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) that connects Lanzhou in the north-west province of Gansu with Zhengzhou in central Henan province, according to the China Daily newspaper.

The diesel first went into the Chishui river, a tributary of the Wei. Around 700 emergency workers are said to be labouring round the clock, using floating dams and solidifying agents to contain the spill. Their task has been helped by the current cold weather in the region. The Chinese Vice-Premier, Li Keqiang, has told the local government to prevent the slick from reaching the Yellow River.