US warns Iran over threat to block oil route
The US Navy has said it will not tolerate disruption to a vital oil-trade route, following an Iranian threat to close it.
Iran warned it would shut the Strait of Hormuz if the West imposed more sanctions over its nuclear programme.
The US and its allies believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon - a charge Tehran denies.
Reacting to Iran's warning, a US Fifth Fleet spokeswoman said it was "always ready to counter malevolent actions".
The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf - and the oil-producing states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - to the Indian Ocean. About 40% of the world's tanker-borne oil passes through it.
The US maintains a naval presence in the Gulf, largely to ensure the transport of oil remains open.
The strait "is not only important for security and stability in the region, but also is an economic lifeline for countries in the Gulf, including Iran", Pentagon spokesman George Little said.
"Raising the temperature on tensions in the Gulf is unhelpful", he said, but added that he was unaware of any hostile action directed against US vessels.
US Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Rebecca Rebarich told the BBC the navy would be ready to act if required: "The US Navy is a flexible, multi-capable force committed to regional security and stability, always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation."
Closure 'easy'
Western nations recently imposed new sanctions against Tehran following a UN report that said Iran had carried out tests related to "development of a nuclear device".
Further measures being considered to target Iran's oil and financial sectors have brought a furious response from Tehran.
Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi warned that "not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz" if sanctions are widened and Iran's navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayari said that closing the strait would be "easy".
"The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place," Mr Rahimi was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the official news agency Irna.
Adm Sayari later told Iran's Press TV that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be "really easy" for Iran's armed forces "or, as Iranians say, easier than drinking a glass of water".
"But right now, we don't need to shut it as we have the Sea of Oman under control, and we can control the transit," he added.
Iran's threats to close the strait have not flustered markets and oil prices actually fell after a senior Saudi oil official said that Gulf Arab nations were ready to offset any loss of Iranian crude.
'Non-compliance'
Earlier, US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said the Iranian threats were simply "another attempt... to distract attention from the real issue, which is their continued non-compliance with their international nuclear obligations".
Iran's navy has been staging wargames in international waters to the east of the strait.
Adm Sayari said the manoeuvres were designed to show Gulf neighbours the power of Iran's military over the zone.
Washington and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran's nuclear facilities if sanctions and diplomacy fail.
Iran has vowed to respond by attacking Israeli and US interests in the region.
An embargo on Iranian oil exports has been considered before but dismissed as it could also drive up global oil prices and harm Western economies, particularly in Europe.
It is believed the new measures could cut Tehran off from global energy markets without raising the price of fuel.
National Memorial Service for Kim Jong Il Underway in Pyongyang
Tens of thousands of people packed a central square in Pyongyang on Thursday for a national memorial service for the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
State television showed a massive sea of tightly packed soldiers that filled Kim Il Sung square as the deceased leader's heir apparent and youngest son, Kim Jong Un, looked on with his head bowed.
Ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam told the crowd that Kim Jong Un inherits his father's “ideology, character and revolutionary” cause.
The entire nation, which has been in an official state of mourning since Kim Jong Il's death was announced, will observe three minutes of silence at noon local time. The memorial is part of the second day of funeral ceremonies for Mr. Kim, who died of a heart attack on December 17.
On Wednesday, observers worldwide watched television images of Mr. Kim's funeral procession for clues of who holds the real power after his death.
Kim Jong Un clearly had a central role in the ceremony. He walked alongside a black limousine carrying his father's hearse through central Pyongyang, and was at the center of the group attending the red flag-draped coffin at the square of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace.
Since Kim Jong Il's death, North Korean state-run media have called Kim Jong Un the “great successor” and the supreme leader of the ruling Worker's Party, the state and the army, even though he has not been appointed officially to any of those positions.
Walking behind him during the funeral procession were Mr. Kim's influential uncle Jang Song Thaek, senior party officials Kim Ki Nam and Choe Thae Bok, military chief Ri Yong Ho, armed forces minister Kim Yong Chun and senior military officer Kim Jong Gak. Their presence suggests that they will have a role in North Korea's leadership.
Thousands of weeping and wailing North Koreans lined the snow-covered procession route.
Foreign governments are watching events in Pyongyang closely because of concerns about the young Mr. Kim's rise in a country with a nuclear program, a large army and a history of deep animosity toward its neighbors.
A spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Mark Toner, said at a press briefing Wednesday that the funeral procession was obviously an emotional moment for North Koreans. In terms of North Korea's future leadership, he said Pyongyang has made some statements to clarify it, but that “we'll wait and see” what else emerges in the coming days and weeks. He said there is little insight into the country that has a “pretty opaque” political system.
Arab Monitors Deploy Across Syria as Credibility Questioned
Arab League monitors Thursday are expected to visit the Syrian cities of Daraa, Hama and Idlib, where anti-government protests have been violently repressed, as questions mount about the observers' credibility.
In the two days since the Arab monitors arrived, activists and rights groups said troops have killed at least 39 people, including six shot in the central city of Hama on Wednesday.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said violence also erupted in several other parts of Syria, including the ambush killings of four soldiers by a group of military defectors.
The continued bloodshed has fueled concerns by the Syrian opposition that the Arab monitors are neither properly qualified nor independent.
Residents of the hard-hit Homs district of Baba Amr refused to allow observers in because they insisted on having army officers with them. The standoff ended when the officers withdrew.
Also Wednesday, Syrian state media said the government released 755 prisoners arrested during the protests. Human Rights Watch said the move was a positive step, but expressed concern that other detainees were being transferred in advance of planned inspections by monitors.
The rights group has accused Syria of moving prisoners to military facilities to hide them from the observers.
The Arab League mission got off to a controversial start when its leader, Sudanese General Mohammed Dabi, said monitors did not see “anything frightening” during its initial visit to Homs. He said the city was “quiet” and there were no clashes.
Dabi later said his team will need more time to properly assess the city, which was pounded by heavy government firepower in the days before the visit.
The observers are monitoring government pledges to halt a violent crackdown and release political detainees.
Middle East analyst Jonathan Adelman of the University of Denver told VOA the Arab League is hoping to push Syrian President Bashar al-Assad away from fighting and into negotiations, but that the size of the observer mission is too small.
“It's also simply not backed up by what really would get Bashar Assad to do something, which is the threat of foreign military intervention which we saw in Libya for example. But without that I think he's going to play with them as long as he can.”
Syrian authorities agreed to the Arab League observers under international pressure and threats of Arab sanctions. The plan requires Syrian authorities to give the monitors freedom of movement except for sensitive military sites.
The United Nations estimates 5,000 people have been killed since March in violence linked to Syria's unrest. Syria says armed terrorists are driving the revolt. It accuses them of killing 2,000 security personnel since March.
Mexico Arrests Cocaine Smuggler Wanted by US
Mexico says it has arrested a suspected drug trafficking kingpin who also is wanted in the United States.
Mexican federal police Wednesday said they detained Luis Rodriguez Olivera, known as “El Guero,” at Mexico City's international airport the day before. The U.S. had offered a reward of $5 million for information leading to his capture.
Rodriguez Olivera is accused of trafficking massive quantities of cocaine into the U.S. between 1996 and 2008. He also has been charged with money laundering.
The arrest is Mexico's second major blow against drug trafficking cartels in two weeks.
Last week, Mexican authorities captured a suspected lieutenant to the elusive leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel.
Felipe Cabrera, also known as “The Engineer,” was said to be a top aide to the head of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Officials said Cabrera rose through the ranks by using violence against his rivals.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has deployed thousands of troops across Mexico to fight the country's drug cartels. The spiraling violence has left at least 50,000 people dead.
Cole comes up big, and Heat beat Celtics 115-107
LeBron James scored 26 points, rookie point guard Norris Cole came up with 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat nearly blew a 20-point lead before beating the Boston Celtics 115-107 on Tuesday night.
Dwyane Wade finished with 24 points and eight assists for Miami, which got 18 from Chris Bosh and twice saw its lead cut to three in the final minutes. Cole delivered the answer both times with a pair of jump shots, and the Heat escaped.
Ray Allen scored 28 points on 8 for 12 shooting for the Celtics, while Rajon Rondo finished with 22 points and 12 assists and Keyon Dooling scored 18 off the Boston bench.
Through two games, Miami (2-0) has trailed only once - by two points, for all of 14 seconds.
Cole's jumper with 3:01 left gave Miami a 108-98 lead, most of which disappeared in the next 59 seconds, thanks to Dooling - a former Heat guard. He scored seven straight points, including a 3-pointer with 2:02 remaining, cutting the Heat's lead to three. And when Boston got a stop on the next Miami trip, the Celtics looked for Dooling again.
But Wade stepped in front of a pass intended for Dooling, starting a play where James found Cole for another jumper, and Miami's cushion was back to 110-105 with 1:31 to play.
And with a minute left, it was Cole again, with the biggest shot of the night for Miami. James set him up from the top of the key for another jumper, restoring the five-point edge. When Cole stepped to the foul line to close the scoring, he got "M-V-P" chants from the Miami crowd, something typically reserved for the likes of Wade, James and Bosh.
Boston was again without forward Paul Pierce (bruised right heel), who worked out both Monday and Tuesday and is getting closer to a return. It won't come on Wednesday, however - the Celtics have already ruled him out of that game in New Orleans, but there is some hope of Pierce being in the lineup when Boston makes its home debut against Detroit on Friday.
Predictably, and maybe spurred by the new Eastern Conference championship banner hanging from the rafters, Miami came out flying.
A short bank shot by Wade made it 26-15 at barely the midpoint of the first quarter, setting the tone for an offensive bonanza the likes of which Boston typically doesn't allow. After a late flurry - James setting up Wade for a lob, Wade missing at the rim but James trailing for a tip-in being perhaps the most impressive of Miami's highlight reel to close the second quarter - the Heat took a 69-54 lead into the locker room.
That represented the most first-half points allowed by the Celtics since Feb. 8, 2005, a span of 607 regular-season and playoff games. James and Wade each had 15 points by the break on a combined 9-for-14 shooting and James Jones came off the bench to make all three of his shots, all from 3-point range.
Even when things looked shaky, the Heat got going again quickly.
Allen and Rondo scored the first baskets of the second half, getting Boston within 11. In a flash, Miami's lead was back up to 20 - six straight points by James made it 85-65 midway through the third, and Miami was well on its way to a blowout.
Or not.
Feasting on Miami's second unit, with James being the only starter on the floor, the Celtics closed the third on an 18-6 run to make it 91-83 entering the fourth. The Heat missed their last eight shots of the quarter - after having missed 14, total, in the first 32 minutes of the game - and Boston capitalized, taking all the momentum into the final 12 minutes.
Even though Miami pushed the lead back to 15 early in the fourth, Boston just kept answering. Rondo spun and flipped the ball to Allen for what became his sixth 3-pointer of the night with 6 minutes left, getting the Celtics to 102-93.
SI
Bravo cracks 51as Sixers win thriller
A half-century from Dwayne Bravo inspired the Sydney Sixers and was one of the cornerstones in a two-run victory over the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash Twenty20 League yesterday. In easily his most satisfactory performance, the Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies allrounder opened the innings, hitting the top score of 52 from 39 balls, leading the Sixers to 166 for nine from their allocation of 20 overs after they chose to bat. Bravo did not bowl, but he was not needed, as the Sixers restricted the Stars to 164 for eight from 20 overs in a tense finish at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Stars’ tail-ender Clint McKay had the chance to be a hero, needing to hit the final delivery of the match from Brett Lee for four to win—but he could only manage a single.
The Stars needed 15 from the final over and had given themselves a golden chance after hitting two boundaries to bring the target down to five off two balls but the experienced Lee held his nerve to give the Sixers a memorable win. The result gave the Sixers their second victory in three matches, taking them to four points, provisionally placing them third behind the unbeaten Hobart Hurricanes and cross-town rivals Sydney Thunder—both on the same number of points with one match in hand. Bravo will play his final match next Monday, when the Sixers travel to face the Melbourne Renegades at Docklands Stadium before returning home to help his native T&T regain the Caribbean T20 title.
Earlier, Bravo stepped up after playing like a passenger for the first two matches, striking four fours and three sixes to give the Sixers innings early momentum. Bravo gathered steam in the third over, bowled by James Faulkner, when he struck the left-arm medium-fast bowler for three boundaries. He pulled the short, first delivery through mid-wicket, lofted the third ball to the long-off boundary, and pulled the penultimate delivery through backward square leg. Bravo would also have taken great delight, smoking Shane Warne for all of his sixes—the last of which sailed over long-on—to take him to his 50 from 37 balls before he was caught at long-off two balls later off the Australian leg-spin bowling legend in the 15th over.
Scoreboard
Sidney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars
Sidney Sixers innings
MJ Lumb c Quiney b McKay 18
DJ Bravo c Faulkner b Warne 51
NJ Maddinson lbw b Hussey 24
SPD Smith lbw b Simpson 7
MC Henriques c Wright b Faulkner 1
BJ Rohrer c Hussey b McKay 29
†PM Nevill c & b Hussey 1
DJ Thornely run out (†Wade/McKay) 29
B Lee run out (Wright/†Wade) 1
MA Starc not out 1
Extras: (lb 1, w 3) 4
Total: (9 wickets; 20 overs) 166
Bowling: JP Faulkner 4 -0-41-1 (1w) , CP Simpson 3-0-25-1 (2w), CJ McKay 4-0-35-2, SK Warne 4-0-27-1, DJ Hussey 4-0-25-2, LJ Wright 1-0-12-0.
Melbourne Stars innings
RJ Quiney c Henriques b Lee 14
†MS Wade c Smith b Thornely 1
GJ Bailey c Lumb b Smith 33
DJ Hussey run out (Rohrer) 42
CL White c Lee b MacGill 3
AC Voges run out (Maddinson/†Nevill) 31
LJ Wright c Lumb b Smith 9
JP Faulkner c Smith b Starc 13
CP Simpson not out 8
CJ McKay not out 6
Extras: (lb 2, w 2) 4
Total: (8 wickets; 20 overs) 164
Bowling: B Lee 4-0-30-1, DJ Thornely 4-0-29-1, MA Starc 3-0-28-1, SCG MacGill 4-0-36-1, SPD Smith 4-0-27-2 (1w), MC Henriques 1-0-12-0 (1w)
Toss: Sydney Sixers
Points: Sydney Sixers 2, Melbourne Stars 0
Player of the match: DJ Bravo (Sydney Sixers)
Umpires: GA Abood and BNJ Oxenford
TV umpire: AP Ward, Match referee: PL Marshall
Protesting World Cup players threaten bankruptcy proceedings
Disgruntled members of the 2006 Trinidad & Tobago team that played at the FIFA World Cup in Germany have threatened to file bankruptcy proceedings against the T&T Football Federation.
This stems from the long-running dispute between the national governing body and the players over payments and bonuses that were owed to them, following their historic qualification for the famous tournament.
"Two months after receiving a court order to make an interim payment of US$710,000 within seven days, the T&TFF has yet to hand over a single dollar of the sum due to us, the 13 Soca Warriors of the 2006 World Cup Team," the group stated in a media statement appearing on the Soca Warriors Online website.
"This is the sixth Christmas our families and ourselves have had to endure without our bonuses, remuneration for which we worked hard and which the T&T High Court agreed we deserved. This is a scandal of monumental proportions."
The group added: "We have won legal decisions through arbitration in Britain and through the courts in T&T, yet the T&TFF has refused to comply with the law.
'No other alternative'
"We have been left with no other alternative but to begin bankruptcy proceedings against the T&TFF to recover the money owed to us. Also, these proceedings will allow an insolvency practitioner to carefully scrutinise how every dollar was spent and examine the various accounts money may have entered."
The players also chided Minister of Sport Anil Roberts for his reticence on the matter.
The protesting players said it was unfortunate that the new administration was saddled with the responsibility and called on the acting president to settle the matter.
Before the 2006 World Cup, the T&TFF reached a deal between the federation and the players to share the proceeds from their participation in the tournament.
After the World Cup, the federation declared revenue of just over US$3 million and costs of just under US$3 million, offering the players a split of just under US$950 apiece.
The players rejected the figure, disputing the federation's numbers, a stance reinforced when the T&T government revealed that the T&TFF received close to US$30 million.
The T&TFF proposed that the bonus dispute be heard before the British Sports Dispute Resolution Panel, and arbitrator Ian Mill, QC, ruled in favour of the players.
CMC
NBA's return draws big TV ratings on Christmas
NBA fans seem more excited about basketball's return than bitter about the lockout, based on television ratings for the league's delayed openers.
The five Christmas games on Sunday attracted large audiences, with the Bulls-Lakers match-up drawing the third-highest preliminary rating for a regular-season game on ABC. The 6.5 overnight rating trailed only a 7.3 for last year's highly anticipated Heat-Lakers showdown and a 7.9 for another meeting between Miami and LA in 2004.
Chris Paul's Clippers debut in the nightcap against the Warriors earned a 2.3 overnight, up 77 per cent over last year's Portland-Golden State telecast. It was ESPN's highest-rated Christmas prime-time game.
The earlier night game on ESPN - Magic-Thunder - drew a 1.9 overnight, up 36 per cent from last year's Denver-Oklahoma City match-up. The afternoon's final rematch on ABC, the Heat's rout of the Mavericks, earned a 5.6 overnight, up six per cent from Boston-Orlando last year.
The Celtics-Knicks game on TNT to open the day drew a 4.1 overnight. The early game on ESPN last year, Bulls-Knicks, had a 2.7 on ESPN.
Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned to a programme. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.
Turks and Caicos capital may be moved
Two reliable sources within the interim government in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) have independently leaked a so far unannounced consideration of a move of the capital from Grand Turk to Providenciales (Provo).
This possibility had been raised early in the previous Michael Misick administration and it now appears that the reasons for considering the move have actually become more cogent.
Currently, many government services are duplicated, with the largest operations in Provo. Moving the capital would save residents expensive travel costs and time traveling to Grand Turk to conduct Provo and Caicos Islands-based business. Land records currently being upgraded by British adviser Jon Llewellyn, who divides his time between London and Grand Turk, are located exclusively in Grand Turk, while the mass of real estate both public and private is in the Caicos Islands.
The first possible evidence of such a move is the planned reduction in electoral districts on Grand Turk from four to two. In the event the government’s administrative functions move to Provo, the population of Grand Turk could drop significantly.
It is anticipated that in the coming election 13 of the elected representatives will reside in Provo or the Caicos Islands with only two likely to be based in Grand Turk. This would require extensive travel and accommodation costs to government to use the current Parliament chambers on Grand Turk when conducting government business.
Reasons given in the past for not making the move was that, prior to the cruise ship port being established on Grand Turk, the capital island’s economy depended almost exclusively on governmental activities.
Meanwhile, since Club Med built the first large resort on Provo in the 1980s, numerous resorts, including a greatly expanded Beaches Resort, have been built. This has expanded the population of Provo and its economic base to ten times the size of Grand Turk. Private industry serving the needs of this greatly increased population has expanded equally by a factor of ten.
One other factor, the sources say, is the possibility of even larger economic growth on Provo and the other Caicos islands due to the soon to be completed Provo Airport expansion. Provo is anticipated to accommodate international wide bodied flights, as well as larger, more frequent flights from the nearby United States. Grand Turk airport currently is equipped to accommodate full size commercial narrow body aircraft.
In the meantime, Grand Turk is becoming a popular cruise ship destination but due to the low ($3.50) per passenger arrival fee, the government is not benefitting from the port at the same level as other cruise ship destinations. Reportedly, The Bahamas collects arrival fees in the $20 range.
To encourage cruise passengers to lay over in Grand Turk and spend money on accommodation and restaurant taxes, a new hotel is being planned. To interest potential stay-overs it appears there are plans under consideration to expand tourist sites on Grand Turk. Short side trips to nearby historic Salt Cay are also another possibility.
The inside sources have speculated that Waterloo, the British Governor’s residence, could be turned into a historic attraction for stay-over tourists. Governor Tauwhare, the last full term governor to rule while an elected government was in charge, actually resided in Provo, leaving Waterloo vacant.
Another factor behind the scenes is said to be concern that American Airlines, which has filed bankruptcy and is raising fares and baggage charges, may prove too expensive, discouraging tourist travel. Spirit Airlines, which previously flew from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Turk and then to Provo, is now reconsidering resuming service as American Airlines costs escalate. This would provide full bodied service to Grand Turk, enhancing that island as a unique tourist destination.
Carnival Cruise Lines could then originate cruises from Grand Turk and initiate one way cruises from the United States and from Grand Turk. This, separate sources say, is under consideration.
Another factor that sources say has given rise to Spirit’s review is the growing population of US-based TCIslanders now leaving the Miami area and taking up residence in Fort Lauderdale’s Broward County, Spirit’s hub.
The largest islands and possible sites for future growth are the islands of North and Middle Caicos, which are connected to Providenciales via two ferry services and the North/Middle Caicos Causeway. Medium term plans have long included causeways joining East and South Caicos to Middle Caicos.
By Caribbean News Now contributor
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol leads US cinemas
The fourth instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise has taken the number one spot at the US box office over the four-day Christmas weekend.
Ghost Protocol, starring Tom Cruise, made $46.2m (£29.5m) and pushed Sherlock Holmes into second spot.
The action movie came in third place last week after making its debut at a limited number of screens.
Steven Spielberg's Tintin and War Horse entered the chart at five and seven respectively.
The director's motion capture version of the Belgian boy adventurer, which has proved a box office hit around the world, made a modest $16.1m (£10.2m) on its Christmas opening in North America.
Meanwhile, Spielberg's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book about a horse who is sent to fight during World War I, began business on Sunday and took $15m (£9.5m).
But both films were outshone by the US version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, with entered the chart at number four.
The gritty film, directed by David Fincher and based on the first book of late Swedish novelist Stieg Larsson's trilogy, made $19.4m (£12.4m), despite not being feel-good Christmas fare.
But the movie was beaten to third place by family animation Alvin and The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, which raked in a total of $20m (£12.7m).
Other new movies inside the top 10 were We Bought a Zoo - starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson - in sixth place, and Darkest Hour at eight.