American war reporter Marie Colvin killed in Syria
LONDON — Respected American war reporter Marie Colvin, who covered conflicts from Sri Lanka to Syria and stood up for the importance of independent journalism, died in a shelling attack in Syria on Wednesday. She was in her 50s.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/22/american-war-reporter-marie-colvin-killed-in-syria/
Did Syrian army deliberately shell US reporter? Marie Colvin was warned ‘if they find you they will kill you’ days before rocket attack
Syrian forces may have murdered Marie Colvin after pledging to kill ‘any journalist who set foot on Syrian soil’, it was claimed today.
The 55-year-old Sunday Times reporter died alongside French photographer Remi Ochlik, 28, in a rocket attack on the besieged city of Homs this morning.
Syria escalates shelling of Homs, as American, French journalists killed in attacks
BEIRUT – A French photojournalist and a prominent American war correspondent working for a British newspaper were killed Wednesday by Syrian shelling of the opposition stronghold Homs as President Bashar Assad’s regime escalated its attacks on rebel bases by strafing from helicopter gunships, activists said.
France Demands Access to Wounded Journalists in Homs, Summons Syrian Ambassador
France on Wednesday demanded access to the victims of an attack in Syria that killed a U.S. war correspondent and French photojournalist, and summoned Syria’s envoy to Paris.
UN nuke expert: no ‘way forward’ with Iran
VIENNA (AP) — A top U.N. nuclear official says his team could “could not find a way forward” in attempts to persuade Iran to talk about suspected secret work on atomic arms.
Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency says the talks in Tehran were inconclusive, although his mission approached the talks “in a constructive spirit.”
http://news.yahoo.com/un-nuke-expert-no-way-forward-iran-094401844.html
Russia warns Israel not to attack Iran
(Reuters) – Russia warned Israel on Wednesday that attacking Iran would be a disastrous and played down the failure of a U.N. nuclear agency mission to Tehran, saying there is still a chance for new talks over the Iranian atomic program.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/22/us-iran-russia-idUSTRE81L0SR20120222
Al-Arabiya: Wednesday’s death toll in Syria rises to 81, activists say
Syrian opposition: 100 killed, 800 arrested in Damascus
Opposition activists in Syria reported that 100 people were killed Wednesday by Syrian security forces. According to reports, 60 were killed in military bombings in Homs, including the Journalist Marie Colvin and the photographer Remi Ochlik .
Other sources told Al-Jazeera that 800 people were arrested in Damascus by the regime’s security forces in one of the city’s markets. (Roi Kais)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4193721,00.html
92 killed across Syria as opposition says military intervention may be only solution
At least 92 people have been killed across Syria after security force shelling intensified in the rebel-held Baba Amro district in the city of Homs, the Syrian General Revolutionary Council said on Wednesday.
Baba Amro has been under sustained bombardment since Feb. 3. Several hundred people have been killed, activists said.
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/02/22/196325.html
World must help stop Syrian ‘massacre’: McCain
Senior Republican US Senator John McCain said on Wednesday that the world must come to the help of Syrians and stop the “massacre” there as it came to the aid of people of Kosovo and Bosnia.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/world-must-help-stop-syrian-massacre-mccain-172025097.html
Gantz: No immediate danger of war, but situation unstable
While Israel does not face an imminent threat of war, regional instability could lead to a quick deterioration, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said Wednesday, according to Army Radio.
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=258951
Dozens killed in Syria as top military officer defects with hundreds of soldiers
A senior Syrian military officer has defected from the forces of President Bashar Assad’s regime along with a group of some two hundred soldiers in the city of Idlib, opposition sources reported on Wednesday.
The senior officer has a rank of Brigadier General.
Iran cuts down to six weeks timeline for weapons-grade uranium
Tehran this week hardened its nuclear and military policies regardless of forthcoming international nuclear talks. The threat by Iran’s armed forces deputy chief Gen. Mohammad Hejazi of a preemptive strike against its “enemies,” was accompanied by its refusal to allow UN nuclear watchdog inspectors to visit the Parchin facility, following which the IAEA chief cut their mission short. The transfer of 20 percent uranium enrichment to Fordo is estimated to have shortened Iran’s race for weapons grade material to six weeks.
http://www.debka.com/article/21760/
‘Iran missiles may be able to hit US in 2-3 years’
Iran may develop inter-continental missiles that can reach the east coast of the United States in two to three years, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a CNBC interview Wednesday.
Iran is investing billions of dollars, Steinitz said, to develop inter-continental ballistic missiles. “We estimate that in 2-3 years they will have the first inter-continental ballistic missiles that can reach the east coast of America.”
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=258927
Iran’s supreme leader denies Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons
Iran’s supreme leader has said the Islamic republic is not seeking nuclear weapons, saying they are “useless, harmful and dangerous”.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking after meetings with Iranian nuclear scientists and officials on Wednesday. He did not mention a visit this week to Iran by the UN nuclear watchdog.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/22/iran-supreme-leader-nuclear-weapons-denial
26 Killed in Syria as Calls Mount for Truce to Allow Humanitarian Aid
Two Western journalists were among 26 people killed on Wednesday as Syrian forces pounded the rebel city of Homs, activists said, while calls mounted for a truce to allow in humanitarian aid.
Israel Warns U.N. Over Alleged Hizbullah Powerbase in West Africa
Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., Ron Prosor, has warned the Security Council that Hizbullah’s alleged powerbase in western Africa is growing, the Israeli Ynetnews website reported Wednesday.
Iran, Russia Leaders Oppose Foreign Action in Syria: Kremlin
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in telephone talks on Wednesday that they reject foreign intervention in the Syria crisis, the Kremlin said.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/30975-iran-russia-leaders-oppose-foreign-action-in-syria-kremlin
Saudi Tells Russia President Syria Dialogue Futile
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that dialogue on Syria was “futile”, the official SPA news agency reported on Wednesday.
Russia should have “coordinated with the Arabs… before using the veto” to block a resolution on Syria in the U.N. Security Council, King Abdullah was quoted as saying.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/30917-saudi-tells-russia-president-syria-dialogue-futile
Syrian exile opposition demands ‘safe havens’
Syria: Syria’s main opposition group on Wednesday urged the international community to create “safe havens” in the country and called on Russia to force the regime to allow access for humanitarian convoys.
http://www.timesofoman.com/innercat.asp?detail=311
White House regrets Iran ‘failure’ on UN mission
The White House expressed disappointment Wednesday that Iran had made no progress in its dealings with UN nuclear inspectors, branding the fruitless visit a “failure” on Tehran’s part.
“We regret the failure of Iran to reach an agreement with the IAEA,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. “It’s another demonstration of Iran’s refusal to abide by its international obligations.”
http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-regrets-iran-failure-un-mission-190936609.html
U.S. ‘closely consulting’ with Israel over Iran nuclear program
State Department Deputy spokesman Mark Toner said on Wednesday that the U.S. closely consults with Israel over its policy regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Addressing the failure of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s mission to Tehran this week, Toner said, “This is a disappointment. It wasn’t all that surprising, frankly. But, you know, we’re going to look at the totality of the issue here and the letter and what we think is the best course of action moving forward”.
Lieberman: U.S., Russian warnings against Iran strike will not affect Israel’s decision
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in an interview on Wednesday that Israel will not bow to U.S. and Russian pressure in deciding whether to attack Iran.
Speaking on Channel 2 news, Avigdor Lieberman rebuffed suggestions that American and Russian warnings against striking Iran would affect Israeli decision making, saying the decision “is not their business.”
