Turkish plane crashes at Amsterdam airport

A passenger jet carrying more than 130 people crashed into a field as it was coming into land in Amsterdam Wednesday. The Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 broke into three pieces on impact, but fatalities were initially thought to be minimal.


There were conflicting reports about whether anyone was killed on the plane, which had 135 people onboard.
An airline official told CNN sister station CNN-Turk that at least one person was confirmed dead, but Turkish transportation minister Binali Yildrim said no one had died but that there were injured.
Journalist Ivan Watson in Istanbul said Turkish media quoted one crash survivor saying people were able to walk away from the crash.
"He said the back of the plane hit the ground first. He said it was not an extremely horrible situation, it was like being in turbulence. He said it was more like a sudden impact, then we stopped." Read More

Obama cartoon sparks outrage

Hundreds have gathered outside the office of the New York Post to protest the publication of a cartoon depicting Obama as a chimpanzee. 

The demonstrators, among whom was influential Reverend Al Sharpton, stormed the newspaper's office late Thursday to protest the racist cartoon -- which depicted US President Barack Obama as a dead monkey, shot down by security guards. 

The cartoon was published only a day after Obama signed into law the USD 787 billion economic stimulus package that he had strongly promoted over the past few weeks. 

"It's clear that you are out of touch with this entire country … Americans went to the polls to elect a man of honor from its country, not a monkey, not a chimpanzee. This is not funny. This is not a cartoon. This is disgusting," said State Senator Eric Adams. 

On Friday, the daily issued an apology for publishing the cartoon. The Rupert Murdoch-owned paper, however, stood its ground against those it claimed to be "nothing more than a publicity opportunist" such as Reverend Sharpton. 

"[The cartoon] was meant to mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill, but it has been taken as something else - as a depiction of President Obama, as a thinly veiled expression of racism,” said Col Allan, the Post's editor-in-chief. 

He added that the cartoon "broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy". 

The cartoon's author, Sean Delonas, has also attempted to justify the publication, asserting that it only refers to the economic rescue plan which was the subject of fierce debate on Capitol Hill in the past month. 

"If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be Pelosi, which it's not," he added. 

US continues threatening Iran on N-program

The White House has expressed concerns over Iran's nuclear program calling it an "urgent problem" the International community should address.

he Thursday report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear program said that there remained "outstanding issues" which gave rise to concerns about "possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program."

White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, told reporters on Friday that, "the report represents another lost opportunity for Iran as it continues to renege on its international obligations."

Gibbs said that the US and its allies "can't delay" addressing worries over Iran's suspect nuclear program.

"It does underscore the urgency which the international community must work together to address these enrichment activities. This is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed and we cannot delay addressing," he added.

The US, Israel and their European allies, Britain, France and Germany, accuse the Islamic Republic of pursuing military purposes.

However, Tehran says the only aim of its nuclear program is the civilian applications of the technology.

Unthinkable

BRITISH and French nuclear submarines which collided deep under the Atlantic could have sunk or released deadly radioactivity, it emerged last night.
The Royal Navy’s HMS Vanguard and the French Navy’s Le Triomphant are both nuclear powered and were carrying nuke missiles.
Between them they had around 250 sailors on board.
A senior Navy source said: “The potential consequences are unthinkable. It’s very unlikely there would have been a nuclear explosion.
“But a radioactive leak was a possibility. Worse, we could have lost the crew and warheads. That would have been a national disaster.”

The collision is believed to have taken place on February 3 or 4, in mid-Atlantic. Both subs were submerged and on separate missions. Read More...

Mystery surrounds Israel political future

The Kadima and Likud parties have both declared victory in a close Israeli election that has left the future of the premiership in doubt.


The right-wing Likud Party managed to add to the number of its seats in parliament but fell short of Kadima, winning 27 seats compared to the 28 now held by the centrist Kadima Party, exit polls for the Tuesday elections show. In spite of its one-seat deficit, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has become a viable candidate for the premiership, as right-wing parties have gained the overall advantage and may seek to join the politician in forming a coalition government. The election results are expected to bring weeks of political uncertainty to Israel as Kadima head Tzipi Livni and Netanyahu will begin lobbying for the support of the majority of the 120 MPs -- which is necessary for forming a government. "Today the people have chosen Kadima," Livni told party supporters in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, promising to be Israel's next prime minister. She also urged Netanyahu to join a national unity government under her leadership. Netanyahu said, however, he is "certain" that he would be the one to form the next government. "The national camp led by the Likud has won an unambiguous majority," Netanyahu said at a party gathering. Meanwhile, the far-right Yisrael Beitenu party of Avigdor Lieberman came third with 15 seats; the center-left Labor Party headed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak came in fourth with a record low win of 13 seats. The support of hardliner Lieberman therefore seems to have become the determining factor for the future of the government. "I am very glad we hold the key" to the next government, Lieberman commented, adding that he favors a "right-wing government". The rise of the pro-war right-wing parties comes after Israel failed to achieve the objectives of its recent military campaign in the Gaza Strip and its 2006 operations against Lebanon. A Netanyahu premiership is feared by many observers as a factor that could dim the possibility of the Middle East peace process ever yielding results. Commenting on the election outcome, an official from the Palestinian Fatah has expressed dismay on the issue of right-wing parties having gained the advantage. "It's obvious the Israelis have voted to paralyze the peace process," Saeb Erakat told AFP. Throughout the elections, the Palestinian Hamas paid little attention to the vote, arguing that whatever the outcome the results would not be favorable for Palestinians. After the results were announced, however, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum insisted that Israelis had voted for "the most bellicose candidates… who are the most extremist in their rhetoric."

Iran puts sat into orbit for 1st time

Iran has placed a domestic research satellite into orbit for the first time, ushering in an era of independence in its space program.

Press TV has received confirmation that the first domestic Iranian satellite has been placed into orbit via two carrier rockets.

Omid (meaning 'Hope' in Persian) was sent into space by the Iranian-produced satellite carrier Safir 2 early on Tuesday, Press TV correspondent Saman Kojouri reported from the launching site. Safir 2 is an upgraded model of carrier Safir 1.

Equipped with two frequency bands and eight antennae, Omid will transmit information to and from earth while orbiting the planet 15 times per day.

The lightweight telecommunications satellite is equipped with remote sensing, satellite telemetry and geographic information system technology as well as remote and ground station data processing.

Omid is a research satellite that has been designed for gathering information and testing equipment. After orbiting for one to three months, Omid will return to earth, returning with data that will help Iranian experts send an operational satellite into space.

Omid carries experimental satellite control devices, communications equipment and power supply systems to a distance of 250 to 350 kilometers from the earth's atmosphere.

The launch of Omid comes amid celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a Tuesday message, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated the nation on the new aerospace achievement.

"Dear people of Iran, your children have sent Iran's first domestic satellite into orbit... May this be a step toward... justice and peace," he said. "Iran's official presence in space has been added to the pages of history."

In August 2007, Tehran announced plans to carry out the domestic satellite launch after testing its first domestically-produced satellite carrier Safir 1.

Head of the Iranian Aerospace Organization, Reza Taqipour, told Press TV that Iran has plans to put a series of satellites into orbit by 2010 that will improve national disaster management programs and the country's telecommunications network.

Omid is the third Iranian-made satellite to be sent into space. Russia launched Iran's first satellite in 2005. Three years later, another satellite, which had been jointly designed by Iran, China and Thailand, was also sent into orbit. So far, only eight countries have launched domestically-made satellites into orbit.

The recent completion of the semi-domestic research satellite Mesbah is another success added to the accomplishments of Iranian aerospace experts.

Mesbah, which is ready for launch into outer space, has been equipped with a store and forward communications receiver that gathers information from various parts of the planet and then forwards the transmission.

Iranian scientists have also finished designing a satellite called Besharat, which is to be launched in a joint effort with the members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Tehran also plans to send its first astronaut to space by 2021.

Israel vows another war on Gaza

Israel has threatened another 'disproportionate' war against the Gaza Strip after failing to achieve its objectives during a 23-day onslaught.


Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday that the military will harshly respond to rocket attacks which struck the western Negev earlier in the day. "We will act according to new rules that will guarantee that we are not dragged into an incessant tit-for-tat war that will not allow normal life in the south of the country," said Olmert. The premier was referring to two rockets that were launched from the Hamas-held territory early in the morning. One of the rockets landed in the Sdot Negev Regional Council while the other hit the Eshkol Regional Council. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah - Hamas' rival faction - claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks, The Jerusalem Post reported. "We've said that if there is rocket fire against the south of the country, there will be a severe and disproportionate Israeli response," said the premier. "The response will come at the time, the place and the manner that we choose." Tel Aviv launched the 23-day onslaught in the densely-populated strip on December 27 with the intention of ending rocket attacks on the Israeli towns. However, Israel enforced a unilateral ceasefire on the war while repeatedly threatening to resume the attacks on the region. Tel Aviv eventually broke the fragile ceasefire last week, launching several airstrikes on the region to retaliate the death of an Israeli soldier killed in a bomb blast at the Kissufim crossing. The three-week-long deadly offensive left at least 1,330 Palestinians dead and more than 5,400 others wounded. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, were also killed in the fighting.

Erdogan storms out of WEF over Gaza

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed out of a Davos forum after a heated debate with Israel's President Shimon Peres and slamming moderator David Ignatius.

Erdogan walked off in front of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other panel members complaining that his comments on the conflict were cut short by the Washington Post's moderator David Ignatius.

The Turkish premier noted to reporters following the incident that he was treated unfairly by the moderator who allowed him only 12 minutes to make his points while giving Peres a full 25 minutes to deliver an impassioned defense of Israel's 22-day offensive that devastated Gaza. Arab League chief, Egypt's Amr Moussa rose to shake his hand as the prime minister made his exit.

"I do not think I will be coming back to Davos after this because you do not let me speak," the prime minister shouted as he left, though he said later he could reconsider.

Erdogan criticized the audience of international officials and corporate chiefs for applauding Peres' emotional defense of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, which left more than 1,300 Palestinians dead.

Erdogan, who leads one of the few Muslim countries to have diplomatic ties with Israel and who has sought a peacemaker's role in the Middle East conflict, said Israel had carried out "barbaric" actions in Gaza.

"I find it very sad that people applaud what you have said because many people have been killed," he shouted at Peres before being cut off by Ignatius.

Erdogan and Peres spoke by telephone after the debate and the 85-year-old Israeli president apologized for the events, Turkey's Anatolia news agency reported.

Dad kills wife, five kids in California

A father who had recently been sacked has committed suicide after he shot dead his wife and five young children in California. According to a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokeswoman, the father killed his eight-year-old daughter, five-year-old twin daughters and two-year-old twin sons, shot and killed his wife, then himself in the suburb of Wilmington south of Los Angeles on Tuesday. "Right now we're investigating as if the father killed his wife and five kids and then turned the revolver on himself and killed himself," LAPD Deputy Chief Ken Garner told KFWB radio. The murderer faxed a local TV station and also called 911 before killing his family. "He was despondent over his job situation," explained Chief Garner. "He was going through some critical situation at the job ... and that's what prompted him to take his own life and his family, from what was said in the fax letter." "It was a grisly scene," Garner continued. "I've been on the police department for 32 years and I've never seen anything like this ... it's horrific. It's a tragedy," he said.

Sky News joins BBC against Gaza appeal

Britain's Sky News is refusing to broadcast a humanitarian fundraising appeal for Gaza, following in the footsteps of the BBC.
The 24-hour television news channel said Monday that airing the appeal would put the network's objectivity at risks. "We have to, as an international channel, focus on our primary role and that is to report the story and not become the story", Adrian Wells, Sky News's head of foreign news, said. Sky News domestic rival the BBC had earlier announced it would not broadcast a charity appeal on behalf of the war-hit people of Gaza, saying it would conflict with its policy of "impartiality" as well as reservations about the possibility of efficient aid delivery. The BBC decision sparked widespread criticism. British lawmakers, celebrities and religious leaders have also condemned BBC's move calling it a "wrong decision". A group of anti-war activists occupied the Glasgow offices of the BBC for two hours on Monday to protest the broadcaster's anti-Gaza decision. The appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), a group comprised of respected aid charities like the British Red Cross and Oxfam, has emphasized that it has no political agendas and only aims to ease the humanitarian crisis in the impoverished strip. Relief workers say the humanitarian situation in Gaza is at its worst with over 1.1 million people -- about 80 percent of the residents of Gaza -- dependent on food aid. At least 1,330 Palestinians were killed and 5,450 others injured during the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Source: PressTv