Turkish Foreign Ministry released statementon on resolution of U.S. House of Representatives

Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the resolution passed in the U.S. House of Representatives could undermine UN solution process ongoing in Cyprus and efforts for rapprochement between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, Anadolu news agency reported.

Foreign Ministry released a statement and said U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday "calling for the protection of religious sites and artifacts from and in Turkish-occupied areas of northern Cyprus as well as for general respect for religious freedom".

Ministry statement said the resolution was prepared in a biased way by only taking into consideration the allegations of the

One killed, several injured in U.S. bus crash

One person was killed and several others injured in a serious bus crash Wednesday afternoon in the U.S. state of Maryland, local media reported.
   The accident happened on highway I-270 in Montgomery County, Maryland, when a commuter bus plunged off the highway, Scott Graham, spokesman for Montgomery County fire and rescue, was quoted by local media as saying, Xinhua reported.
   The bus, which was carrying 20 passengers, went off the northbound lane, leaving one person dead. Ten others were injured and still trapped on the bus, according to Graham.
   Firefighters have responded to the

Al-Moallem: Our priority in Dealing with Foreign Affairs and International Relations is to Maintain Syrian and Arab Interests

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Tuesday said "The Middle East has witnessed several wars and conflicts, and on its land different policies, trends and interests met together sometimes and contradicted in others, and due to its geographical location at the center of our world, it affects and get affected too much by the neighboring countries in Asia, Europe and Africa…Syria, which is located at the center of the Middle East, has interacted and adapted with the tensions, policies and events in the region", SANA reported.

Delivering Syria's word during the 65th United Nations General Assembly's meeting, Minister al-Moallem stressed that Syria's vision on dealing with foreign affairs and international relations takes into consideration the priority of maintaining the Syrian and the Arab interests, and that is why Syria opens the door wide for the deep dialogue which aims at solving any disagreement with other sides to reach a meeting point that we can build on.

" This is what Syria stressed over the years when there were several attempts to impose an embargo on it, and today Syria is trying to stress the same thing in a

Azerbaijani President visits sights of Tashkent

Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sept. 27 /Trend, D.Azizov/

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, got acquainted with the sights of Tashkent.

President Ilham Aliyev, accompanied by President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, visited the Independence Square, where he laid flowers at the new symbol of Uzbekistan - the Monument of Independence and Humanism.

The two presidents visited the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, where President Ilham Aliyev got acquainted with the country's bicameral parliament.

Ilham Aliyev also visited the Palace of international forums "Uzbekistan". Azerbaijani President noted that this magnificent building has blend in with the

Policeman killed in militant attack in Russia's Ingushetia

One policeman was killed and another may have been injured in a militant attack on a police post in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, a spokesman of the local investigative committee said on Sunday, RIA Novosti reported.

Assailants attacked by fire the police post near the settlement of Yandare in Ingushetia at 20.45 p.m. Moscow time.

"According to available information, a State Road Safety Inspectorate officer was killed in the attack... one more policeman may have been injured," the spokesman said.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Azerbaijani rhythmic gymnastics team seventh in all-round

Russia, Moscow, Sept. 24 / Trend, Y.Krishtalev/

The Azerbaijani team composed of Nigar Abdulsalimova, Jeyla Guliyeva, Aelita Khalafova, Anastasia Prasolova, Stephania Trayanova and Yevgenia Jidkova became seventh in all-round performances on 30-th anniversary World Championship in rhythmic gymnastics held in Moscow.
 
Firstly, girls performed exercises with five hoops set to the stylized composition of Alla Pugacheva's "One million of scarlet roses".

Judges evaluated the harmonious performance of gymnasts at 23.475 points. The second performance with three ribbons and two jump-ropes was exercised at stirring tunes of "Lezginka" folk dance. The whole audience was dancing with Azeri gymnasts. The final

Iranian president defends 9/11 remarks

Appearing amused his claim the 9/ 11 attacks on the United States may have been planned by Washington to further the cause of Israel and deflect attention from a failing society, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday defended them to reporters, Xinhua reported.

Less than 24-hours after he ignited in New York a firestorm of shock, incredulity and criticism at his suggestion before the General Assembly of the United Nations on Thursday he discussed his reasoning at a news conference in the Warwick Hotel, about 1.5 kilometers from UN Headquarters, in Midtown Manhattan.

The Iranian president reiterated his call for an inquiry into the attacks to see who was behind them.

The first question, after an opening statement in which he said belief in capitalism has come to an end and "it is in full deadlock," was about his remark many New Yorkers felt was incendiary.

"An event occurred," Ahmadinejad said referring to the attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers in

UN chief pledges continued support for Kyrgyz recovery

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon assured the President of Kyrgyzstan of the continued support of the United Nations for rehabilitation, recovery and reconciliation in the Central Asian nation in the wake of the crisis that erupted earlier this year, UN website reported.

Kyrgyzstan witnessed a violent uprising in April that ousted former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev. That was followed by deadly clashes in the southern part of the country in June between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks which uprooted nearly 400,000 people and sent many fleeing to neighbouring Uzbekistan.

Mr. Ban and Rosa Otunbaeva discussed the political situation in the country and the upcoming

Turkish President met his Iranian counterpart

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 23 /Trend/

Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday in New York in the frameworks of the 65th session of UN General Assembly, Cihan news agency reported.

The meeting was held in the office of leadership of UN Security Council and attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu.

Then in the room of Turkish house Abdullah Gul met with the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Dervis Eroglu.

Both meetings were held behind closed doors.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Wages of workers of social security sector increased in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Executive Order increasing wages of workers of the social security sector by an average of 10 percent, AzerTAj state news agency reported.

The Cabinet of Ministers is in charge of resolving the issues arising from the Order.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Number of countries signing on to nuclear pact tops 100

More than 100 nations now allow the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) greater access to information regarding their nuclear programmes, the head of the body announced on Monday, urging countries still outside the process to join, UN website reported.

Rwanda and Swaziland were the 101st and 102nd nations in which additional protocols to existing nuclear safeguards agreements have gone into force, and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano called reaching this milestone an "encouraging development."

The protocol, he said, is an "essential tool for the Agency to be able to provide credible assurance, not only that declared nuclear material is

Incumbent Swedish government in lead, shy of majority

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's centre-right ruling coalition was ahead of the red-green opposition, but remained shy of a majority in Sunday's national elections, dpa reported.

When 4,429 of 5,668 districts were counted the government was on 172 seats, three seats shy of a majority, in the 349-seat parliament. The red-green opposition had 157 seats, while the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats were on 20 seats.

"We are ready to take responsibility, but this result is very uncertain," said Per Schlingmann, secretary general of the premier's conservative Moderate Party.

The Sweden Democrats were poised to enter parliament for the first time, clearing

Iran military acquires anti-stealth tech

An Iranian commander says the country's military has mastered the know-how to produce stealth-aircraft detection systems, Press TV reported.

"With our present technology to produce radars with different ranges, we can definitely detect enemies' stealth warplanes," Mehr news agency reported Brig. Gen. Mohammad Hassan Mansourian, a deputy commander at Khatam Al-Anbiya Anti-Aircraft Artillery Base, as saying on Sunday.

According tot General Mansourian, Iran's determination to develop domestic anti-aircraft systems came about after eight years of imposed war with the executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The Iranian general further pointed out that such military accomplishments have been achieved despite years of

Cuba plans to release four more political dissidents from prison in coming days

Cuba plans to release four more political dissidents from prison in coming days, the Catholic Church said Friday, dpa reported.

The four prisoners are to travel to Spain, following 32 other dissidents released in recent weeks.

After weeks of negotiations, the Roman Catholic Church and the Cuban government made a deal in early July, for the release of 52 dissidents who remained in prison from a group of 75 who had been jailed in the so-called Black Spring of 2003.

Although all of them have been dubbed prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International, the Cuban government regards them as common

Waving The Banner Of Azerbaijan's New Oil Boom

By Elnur Aslanov

(RFE/RL) - Winston Churchill once said that "If oil is a queen, then Baku is her throne." Azerbaijan's oil wealth has a long and storied history. But its oil industry was born in the late 19th century. Initially dominated by British, Dutch, Swedish, and Russian companies, it later became a center of Soviet might. Azerbaijani oil fuelled Soviet tanks and aircraft during World War II and sated the domestic needs of the Soviet Union for decades.

Today, however, 20 years after Azerbaijan gained its independence, the country is experiencing a second oil boom. Only this time, Azerbaijan is in charge of its natural resources, and Azerbaijani citizens are reaping the benefits.

Oil To Education

The foundation of this boom was laid in 1994 when, despite

Azerbaijani president receives heads of CIS security agencies and intelligence services

President Ilham Aliyev has today received heads of delegations participating in the eleventh Baku meeting of the Council of Heads of CIS Intelligence Services and Security Agencies, AzerTAj state news agency reported.

President Ilham Aliyev pointed out the 11th meeting had been very well organized in Baku and provided a forum for effective discussions. The Head of State noted the joint activity of special services from the CIS member countries play a key role in ensuring peace, stability and security.

"Azerbaijan is determined to take active part in CIS's workings. We actively take part in various formats - both in

UN General Assembly opens annual session

The UN General Assembly launched its 65th annual session on Tuesday with new president, former Swiss President Joseph Deiss, urging the body to work to make a difference in fighting world problems, dpa reported.

Deiss said the 192-nation assembly is loaded with a heavy agenda for the coming 12 months, the first of which will be taken up Monday through Wednesday dealing with programmes on development, health and poverty known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Deiss said the obligations are serious and should push "us to move beyond our purely national interests and truly work for the benefit of all."

"Despite the

World controlled by ex-colonialists - Ahmadinejad

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the world is controlled by certain ex-colonialist countries which are hindering the progress of independent nations, Press TV reported.

The management of the world is in the hands of "certain countries which have a tainted record in colonialism and slavery," Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with his Malawian counterpart, Bingu wa Mutharika, in Tehran on Monday.

"The existing unjust orders have failed in providing the humanity's needs, and insecurity and threats have spread through the world," Islamic Republic of Iran News Network quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

The Iranian president added that the world needs new orders

Iran to host Reps. from 40 African states

Tehran is slated to host a summit that will focus on the expansion of political and economic ties between Iran and the African continent, Press TV reported.

"Representatives from the government and private sectors of over 40 African nations will be coming to Tehran to attend the summit," senior Foreign Ministry official Ali Amirshahidi said on Sunday.

The summit will explore ways to expand Iran's relations with African nations such as exporting technical services and expertise, increasing trade volume, and aiding the development of the continent, IRNA reported.

According to the Iranian official, the industries, health, and transport ministers of

Blast injures 3 in Beirut suburb

A bombing in a northeastern suburb of the Lebanese capital has injured three people in the densely populated industrial area, Press TV reported.

The blast occurred on Saturday afternoon when a bomb in a garbage container was detonated in the Bourj Hammoud district near Beirut, triggering a small fire, the Naharnet news portal said.

One of the injured was a Lebanese national and the two others were identified as Syrian workers.

There was no immediate comment on the cause of the incident or the motivation behind the bombing attack.

Located in Lebanon's Matn district, Bourj Hammoud is home to a

Medvedev insists Russia democratic, despite 'shortcomings'

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed on Friday any suggestion there is no democracy in Russia, RIA Novosti reported.

"That is not so; Russia is a democracy - young and immature, imperfect and inexperienced, but it is a democracy," he told the Yaroslavl Global Policy Forum.

"I know the shortcomings of this system - perhaps better than anyone else, if only because I have more information," Medvedev said, calling criticism of Russia's political system "unfair and tendentious."

"We are at the very start of our path and it is a path to freedom," he said.

The president said Russian democracy has

Ban: Middle East quartet to meet this month on peace process

The diplomatic group on the Middle East peace process, or the quartet, will meet in New York later this month to assess the first round of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday, dpa reported.

Ban met at UN headquarters with US Middle East mediator, former senator George Mitchell, who briefed him on the direct talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held last week in Washington.

Ban said he will meet with Netanyahu and Abbas, who will be attending the annual UN General Assembly opening on September 20. He said

Lebanon condemns Quran burning plan

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has condemned a US church's plan to burn copies of the Muslim holy book to mark the ninth anniversary of 9/11 attacks, Press TV reported.

Speaking on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Sleiman said on Wednesday that the controversial decision contradicts Christian teachings and humanitarian values such as love and respect, a Press TV correspondent reported.

"The president condemns the announcement of a religious group in the United States of its intention to openly burn copies of the Quran," read a statement released by the president's office.

Burning the Quran "is a clear contradiction of the teachings

Al-Qaida claims killing over 50 soldiers in southern Yemen

The Yemen-based al-Qaida claimed on Tuesday responsibility for killing a senior security official in Marib province, as well as over 50 soldiers in battles erupted late last month in the southern province of Abyan, according to statements issued on jihadist forums, Xinhua reported.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said it was behind the assassination of Colonel Mohammed Faree, deputy director of the criminal investigation unit in Marib, on Aug. 27.

"The assassination came after al-Qaida's Mujahideen security service made sure that Colonel Faree involved in spying against al- Qaida members in Marib province," the statement said.

Al-Qaida also said

Djokovic dominates Fish; one American left standing

2007 finalist Novak Djokovic fired 30 winners as he dominated American Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 Monday to set up a US Open quarter-final with flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils, dpa reported.

Monfils was equally impressive in a straight-set crushing of compatriot Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5, 7-5, reaching the New York last eight for the first time in his career. He becomes the first French quarter-finalist here since Arnaud Clement in 2000.

Djokovic insured the further erosion of home's hopes at the Grand Slam last won by an American through Andy Roddick in 2003. Sam Querrey is the final American remaining

LAX briefly shut down 3 terminals

The Los Angeles International Airport has shut down three of its terminals briefly after an airport contractor abandoned his post at a security zone exit, Press TV reported.

On Saturday, around 4:30 a.m. local time (1130 GMT), an officer noticed that an exit from one of the terminals was unguarded, Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Jon Allen said.

Three checkpoints were then closed and officers started viewing video tapes from the three exits, but no entries were shown through the exit while it was unguarded, Allen said.

Five arrivals and three departures were slightly delayed, but all terminals are now open, the

Downgraded storm Earl passes New England with little damage

Hurricane Earl left little more than large waves in its wake on Saturday, after being downgraded to a tropical storm overnight while moving up the United States' eastern seaboard, dpa reported.

Earl passed the state of Massachusetts some 250 kilometres offshore with sustained winds of about 110 kilometres per hour.

No significant damage was caused by the high swells, local officials said. Strong rain, however, flooded a few streets and led to power outages in hundreds of homes. Authorities nevertheless expected things to quickly return to normal on the East Coast.

Those living near the Atlantic had been bracing for

Massive quake damages New Zealand city of Christchurch

A massive 7.4 earthquake hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch early Saturday, causing widespread damage and cutting power and water supplies, dpa reported.

Many buildings were reported flattened and roads blocked by falling debris from the quake, which was centred 30 kilometres west of the South Island's biggest city, at a depth of 33 kilometres.

Emergency services were flooded with calls and police urged residents not to use mobile phones and to stay indoors as more aftershocks were expected.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, Radio New Zealand reported.

The quake struck at 4:35 am (1635 GMT) and

2 children die, 50 more poisoned in Peruvian jungle

Two children from an indigenous community of the Peruvian jungle died on Thursday, with 50 more being poisoned, apparently for consuming polluted water from a nearby river, the local radio station Radio Programas del Peru ( RPP) said.

According to the director of the school in Balsapuerto district in Alto Amazonas province of Loreto department, Alejandro Valle Meza, some 50 children have stomachache, vomit and fiver since Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

The poisoned children had had eaten fish from the river. The inhabitants of the town believe that the waters of the river were poisoned with a chemical to kill the fishes.

Source: Trend - news from the Caspian, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Abbas says Mideast peace agreement achievable within a year

Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said here Wednesday that a Middle East peace agreement can be achieved within a year, Xinhua reported.

Abbas made the remarks at a joint press conference at the White House with other four leaders involved in the direct peace talks -- U.S. President Barack Obama, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Now it is time to made peace and end Israeli occupation, said Abbas.

He condemned the violence that killed four Israelis in the West Bank on Tuesday and urged Israel to stop settlement activities