Shorter Question Everything

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: November 9, 2009

Russia and Iran
Russia should keep its word on selling a missile defense system to Iran, an influential parliamentarian was quoted by Iranian media as saying Sunday. Moscow, which is under Western pressure to distance itself from Tehran, has not followed through on proposals to supply high-grade S300 air defense missiles to the Islamic state.

China and Africa
China will offer Africa $10 billion in preferential loans over the next three years to develop infrastructure and social programs, and will write off the debt of some of the poorest nations, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said. China also will construct 100 new clean-energy projects on the continent and gradually lower customs duties on 95 percent of products from African states that have diplomatic ties with China, Wen said today in an address to delegates at the Forum on China Africa Cooperation conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. China has been making a drive to invest in minerals and energy in Africa to feed its growing economy, as well as to sell more to the continent. China invested $7.8 billion in Africa last year.

Palestine
Netanyahu heads to U.S. under fear of Palestinian statehood declaration: Concerns are growing in Israel’s government over the possibility of a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence within the 1967 borders, a move which could potentially be recognized by the United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently asked the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama to veto any such proposal, after reports reached Jerusalem of support for such a declaration from major European Union countries, and apparently also certain U.S. officials.

US President Barack Obama in a secret meeting with Palestinian officials has agreed to recognize Palestine’s statehood, Israeli media outlets report. The Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has reached a secret understanding with the Obama administration over US recognition of an independent Palestinian state, Israeli news website, Haaretz, reported in Sunday. Tel Aviv is concerned about the possibility of a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence within the 1967 borders.

Japan and US
Thousands of people have protested on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa demanding the removal of a US military base there. The local mayor called on new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama “to put an end to Okinawa’s burden and ordeal”. Japan and the US agreed in 2006 to relocate the Futenma base from an urban area to reclaimed land but the PM’s election has rekindled opposition. The protest comes ahead of this week’s visit by US President Barack Obama.

Iran and US
Thirty years after the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, the United States still holds Iran’s frozen assets and properties without paying Tehran anything in assets-related financial gains, a report says.