Chinese Guns Conquer Arabia

Chinese Guns Conquer Arabia (NSI News Source Info) August 17, 2008: Saudi Arabia has bought 54 Chinese PLZ-45 155/45 mm (the barrel is 45 calibers, or 6,975mm long) self-propelled howitzers. This is a 33 ton, lightly armored, tracked vehicle. It has a crew of five and carries 30 rounds of ammunition. On top of the turret, there is a 12.7mm machine-gun. The Saudis have bought enough PLZ-45s to equip two artillery battalions. In addition to the guns, each battalion has 18 tracked ammunition carriers, three battery command vehicles and three reconnaissance vehicles (all six of these are modified Type 85 armored personnel carriers). Each battalion has two or more armored recovery vehicles, an artillery spotting radar vehicle, a weather radar vehicle and several maintenance vehicles. The PLZ-45 has a top speed of 50 kilometers an hour and a range of 450 kilometers on internal fuel. The Saudis went with the Chinese equipment because the Kuwaitis have been using the PLZ-45 since the late 1990s, and were sufficiently pleased to have bought three battalions worth. The PLZ-45 was developed in the early 1990s for the export market. But the system has been so successful that the Chinese Army is using it as well. The PLZ-45 155mm howitzer can fire long range (39 kilometers) shells, as well as the Russian Krasnopol (laser guided) shell. China got the artillery technology from Austria in the 1980s.

US asylum for Musharraf 'not on the table': Rice

US asylum for Musharraf 'not on the table': Rice (NSI News Source Info) Sunday, August 17, 2008 - WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday granting asylum to embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was not currently under consideration by the United States."That's not an issue on the table, and I just want to keep our focus on what we must do with the democratic government of Pakistan," Rice told foreign news channel on Sunday when asked if Washington would give the Pakistan president asylum.She spoke as Pakistan's ruling coalition readied impeachment charges against Musharraf and gave him two days to step down.Asked if it would be in the best interest of Pakistan to have Musharraf resign, Rice said: "This is a matter for the Pakistanis to resolve."We have been supportive of democratic elections that took place in Pakistan. In fact, advocated for them."She said the United States had showed its support for the new government, citing President George W. Bush's recent meeting with Pakistani premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.Rice said "President Musharraf has been a good ally" but that Washington had disagreed with his decision to declare a state of emergency.

Iran Claims To Have Upgraded Range of Warplanes

Iran Claims To Have Upgraded Range of Warplanes (NSI News Source Info) 17 August, 2008 TEHRAN - Iran has upgraded its fighter jets to allow them to fly 3,000 kilometers without refueling, Iran's air force commander said August 17, which would put arch-foe Israel easily within reach. "We have succeeded in upgrading the capabilities of our planes and have increased the range of these planes to 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles) without refueling," Brig. Gen. Ahmad Mighani was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency. "We do not wish to attack another country ... but we will defend ourselves should we be attacked," he added, without however mentioning Israel. Israel, which views the Islamic republic as its greatest threat, lies about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Iranian border. Iran's claims about its military capabilities are often greeted with skepticism by Western experts and Mighani gave no details about how the upgrade was achieved. In June, Israel conducted war games that were seen as a dress rehearsal for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, which are the subject of an ongoing row with the West. Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear armed power, along with its staunch ally the United States, is leading the campaign against Iran's atomic drive, which they suspect is aimed at developing weapons. Iran, which test fired a number of missiles in war games in July, denies the allegations and says its nuclear drive is only aimed at providing energy for its growing population. Iran has said on several occasions that should it be attacked, it would strike Israel using its Shahab-3 missiles which it says has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said last week that the United States is at present opposed to any military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

India begins naval games with France, Africa

India begins naval games with France, Africa

(NSI News Source Info) August 17, 2008 - New Delhi: Continuing with its policy of constructively engaging countries in West Asia and Africa to make its presence felt in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India has sent four of its major warships to the Red Sea and the African coast on a two-month-long deployment. "The Indian ships will be present in the IOR for a while, doing some flag showing and also engaging in naval diplomacy with some port calls, mid-sea exercises and interaction with personnel from the navies of the West Asian countries and the African continent," a top Navy official said. The Indian warships--INS Delhi, INS Talwar, INS Godavari and INS Aditya-- will simultaneously be visiting countries and ports all along the eastern African coast and some ports in the Red Sea, apart from exercising with the French navy in the Gulf. The ships from Indian Western Naval Command began their journey end of July and is only expected to come back to Indian shores in mid-September, the official said. Delhi and Talwar have already completed their visit to Safaga port in Egypt in Red Sea between August 5 and 8, while Godavari and Aditya sailed to Refaet-al-Assad in Syria.

The ships would now be sailing Mombasa, the second largest port-city of Kenya, Darasalam in Nigeria, other east African ports and a couple of ports in Madagascar Island and Mauritius. "With India's economic interest in West Asia and African region increasing, Navy will be playing its diplomatic role by visiting more ports all along the coast of eastern Africa, touching the Horn of Africa," the official said. Apart from exercise with the French Navy, the Indian warships would also have Passage Exercises (Passex) with other navies off the ports during the course of their deployment in the region. "Most of the navies in eastern Africa are small in size compared to the Indian Navy. What we would be aiming during these interaction is to give them the confidence that India would come to their aid whenever there is a need, considering that we have enough experience in all aspects of naval operations, be it military, diplomatic, policing or benign" the official said. India would also conduct exercises with other navies during the deployment, related to Human Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations "to both train them and to learn from them." Once the Indian ships reach Mauritius, they would also tow a Naval ship of the island nation to Kochi for refit and repair. "The Mauritian ship is from the Indian naval service. It was given to Mauritius for their use and we have an agreement with them for the ship's regular refit and repair. This towing of the Maurutian ship is under that agreement," the officer added. Navy has been engaging the navies of the IOR for a few years now regularly and it has been especially focusing on the West Asian countries and the African continent on the

7,000 police tasked to ensure security in Afghan capital

7,000 police tasked to ensure security in Afghan capital August 17, 2008 NSI News Source Info U.S. soldiers inspect the site of a bomb blast in Kabul August 3, 2008. A roadside bomb struck a U.S.-led military convoy outside the Afghan capital on Sunday, killing one soldier and wounding another, the military said. The attack happened in Bagrami district on the eastern outskirts of Kabul, the latest in a spiralling cycle of violence blamed on a resurgent Taliban.

(NSI News Source Info) KABUL August 17, 2008 - The Afghan government in a bold step to stabilize security in the country's capital deployed more than 7,000 police on Sunday to ensure security in the war-torn Kabul city, a statement of the Afghan interior ministry said. "This is the ever biggest operation over the past several months, launched Sunday morning with the involvement of more than 7,000 police in the capital city and adjoining areas to ensure peace and security," the statement added. The major operation kicked off just a day before the country's 89th anniversary of Independence Day to thwart any possible terror eventuality. Militants fighting the Afghan government and international troops based in Afghanistan had disrupted the 16th anniversary of the Afghan Mujahidin victory Day on 27th April by firing on the military parade and forced President Hamid Karzai and the cabinet members to run away. Early this month, the Afghan National Army began taking over the security charge of Kabul from international troops and the process is going to be completed by the end of the month. The Afghan capital of Kabul has experienced a series of terrorist attacks since the beginning of this year and the deadliest one was a suicide car bombing against the Indian embassy in early July, killing over 41 people and injuring more than 140 others, almost all of them civilians. "The objective of this operation is to foil terrorist designs, arrest drug smugglers and outlaws in order to ensure peace and security in the capital city," the statement of the interior ministry stressed.

Iran successfully launches its first satellite into space

Iran successfully launches its first satellite into space (NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN August 17, 2008 - Iran has successfully launched its first domestically built satellite, the news agency of the Islamic Republic reported on Sunday. The satellite called Omid or Hope was delivered into orbit by an Iranian carrier rocket, IRNA said, referring to the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff. In February Tehran successfully launched the Explorer-1 research rocket, which is reportedly capable of carrying a satellite into orbit, and unveiled the country's first domestically built satellite, named Omid.

Russia to start troops' pullout from Georgia Aug. 18 - Medvedev

Russia to start troops' pullout from Georgia Aug. 18 - Medvedev (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW August 17, 2008 - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday during a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy that Russian troops would start their pullout from Georgia on August 18. Georgia launched a major ground and air offensive to seize control of the breakaway republic of South Ossetia on August 8, prompting Russia to send in tanks and thousands of troops. Russia concluded its operation to force Georgia to accept peace on August 12. Medvedev signed on Saturday a French-brokered plan on resolving conflicts in Georgia, aggravated following Tbilisi's assault on its breakaway South Ossetia on August 8. The plan contains the main principles to resolve the conflict in South Ossetia, worked out at the August 12 meeting between Medvedev and Sarkozy. These are renouncing the use of force, halting all military action, providing free access to humanitarian aid, the return of Georgian Armed Forces to their bases, the return of Russia's Armed Forces to their positions prior to combat and the start of international discussions on the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and on ways to ensure their security.

South Ossetia conflict wipes $7bln off Russian market - Kudrin

South Ossetia conflict wipes $7bln off Russian market - Kudrin (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW August 17, 2008 - The armed conflict between Georgia and Russia over breakaway South Ossetia wiped $7 billion off the Russian stock market, Russia's Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Sunday. Georgia launched major ground and air attacks to seize control of South Ossetia on August 8, prompting Russia to send in tanks and thousand of troops. Russia announced on August 12 a halt to its operation to force Georgia to accept peace. According to Kudrin, capital outflow hit $6 billion on August 8 and another $1 billion on August 11. Kudrin said net capital inflow in 2008 will be slightly below the $30-40 billion figure predicted by the Central Bank of Russia. "Capital inflow will be slightly below the official forecast due to the persisting global financial crisis and certain political risks that have emerged recently and influenced foreign investors' behavior," Kudrin said.

Russia denies reports of troops occupying Georgian villages

Russia denies reports of troops occupying Georgian villages (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW August 17, 2008 - Russia rejected on Sunday the Georgian authorities' statements that Russian peacekeepers had allegedly occupied the Georgian villages of Khashuri and Akhalgori. Georgia launched a major ground and air offensive to seize control of separatist South Ossetia on August 8, prompting Russia to send in tanks and thousands of troops. On August 12, Russia concluded its operation to force Georgia to accept peace. "Russian peacekeepers have been given no orders to move to these populated areas," a spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry said. As a result of Georgia's military offensive last Friday, South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, was largely destroyed. According to Russian figures, around 1,600 civilians were killed and over 34,000 fled the region, mostly to the neighboring Russian republic of North Ossetia. The Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman also said he was surprised over Georgia's allegations that Russian helicopters had set fire to forests near the Georgian town of Borzhomi. "It is understandable to us that the Georgian authorities are ready to blame the Russian side for any natural disasters on the territory of Georgia. We have no relation to forest fires in Borzhomi but are ready to provide assistance in extinguishing them if Georgia makes an official request," the ministry's spokesman said.

Mystery Russian billionaire buys world's most expensive home

Mystery Russian billionaire buys world's most expensive home (NSI News Source Info) August 17, 2008: Record 500m euros for Riviera pad. If you are looking for a holiday home on the French Riviera, the stock of available properties just got smaller. With grounds so grand that it takes a reputed 50 gardeners to tend them, the Villa Leopolda in Villefranche-sur-Mer has been snapped up by a mystery Russian billionaire. Built by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1902, the sumptuous villa has been graced by world leaders and superstars. Villa Leopolda has 20 acres of grounds The previous owner, the late banking billionaire Edmond Safra, is said to have entertained Ronald Reagan and Frank Sinatra there. With the credit crisis causing turmoil in the world's financial community, and property values falling generally, you would expect the price to have tempered a little. But no, the mysterious buyer is expected to hand over a whopping 500 million euros ($736m:£397m) for this luxury home on the Côte d'Azur. Hotspots It is all down to a shortage of supply and rising demand from rich business people, according to luxury estate agent Jonathan Hewlett, who has recently sold a London pad for more than £100m. "The increase in the mega high net worth individuals globally is on a march," the Savills director told BBC News. "And they are very specific about where they want to live." Central London and the French Riviera are the current hotpots for Russian buyers, according to Mr Hewlett. With the recent surge in commodity prices, there are still people in the market looking to purchase a very exclusive address, he added. The Villa Leopolda price-tag smashed the previous record of £117m ($217m), which Britain's richest man Lakshmi Mittal reportedly paid this year for a home on London's so-called Billionaires Boulevard close to Kensington Palace. But even the latest record may not last long. Asia's richest man, industrialist Mukesh Ambani is expected to move into the 27-storey property he has built to house his family and offices in Mumbai next year. With a value reported to be up to $2bn, the design was said to have be inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.