Minsk has denied an Iranian new agency’s report on selling S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Tehran. Fars agency earlier said that Iran had obtained four such missiles.
The Belarusian State Military-Industrial Committee denied the information on the delivery of S-300s to Tehran. “Belarus has held no negotiations with Iran, nor has it supplied any S-300s or components for them to that country,” the committee’s spokesman Vladimir Lavrenyuk told Interfax.
Lavrenyuk stressed that Tehran “has never sought to buy any S-300 systems, launchers for them or other components from Belarus.” The spokesman also added that Minsk abides by its international commitments on export control.
Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has not supplied the systems to Iran either, the company’s spokesman Vyacheslav Davydenko told Itar-Tass. Rosoboronexport is strictly guided in its activities by the existing restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council, he noted.
According to Fars, the semiofficial news agency, Tehran’s possession of the missiles was revealed last year by Al-Menar TV. The two missiles were reportedly purchased from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source, Fars said. Iranian government officials never denied the report.S-300s can track targets and fire at aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads 120 kilometers away, and are able to simultaneously engage up to 100 targets. Israel fears the possible delivery of the systems to Iran would change “the balance of forces” in the region. Analysts say Tehran may use the S-300 in case of a military strike against the country.
Russia has been delaying the delivery of the S-300 surface-to-air missile to Iran since 2007, when the two countries concluded a contract. In June this year, Moscow said the new UN Security sanctions against Iran would block the delivery.
Nevertheless, Russia has not yet cancelled the contract on supplying the systems to Iran, the head of Russia’s Rostekhnologii company Sergey Chemezov said in July. Tehran has insisted that Moscow should fulfill its commitments and deliver the missiles, threatening otherwise to “build” its own systems.
The media speculated recently that Russia could have sold the S-300 air defense systems to Azerbaijan. However, Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport denied a report by daily Vedomosti.
On August 2, an anonymous high-ranking source from the Russian Defense Ministry described the reports of the deal with Azerbaijan as “a mere bluff and profanation.” “There are no contracts regarding S-300s and they are unlikely to be signed any time soon,” He told Interfax news agency. “Today, the supply of Russian S-300s to Azerbaijan is impossible.”
Analysts see two main reasons behind Fars’ latest information on S-300s. Tehran has once again shown Israel and the US that the country is ready to defend itself from a possible attack. Iran may also try to exert additional pressure on Moscow in order to force it to fulfill its commitments and supply the air defense systems.
Meanwhile, Tehran says it is prepared to repel possible military attacks against the country. Iran has already defined the necessary strategies and drawn defensive plans to confront an enemy invasion, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on August 3, Fars reported.
Vahidi referred to “the intensified war rhetoric” by senior US military officials. Chairman of the US’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on August 4 that “military actions have been on the table and remain on the table.” “I hope we don’t get to that, but it’s an important option,” he stressed.
Hip hop star Wyclef Jean spoke about his presidential ambitions in his native Haiti
Hip hop star Wyclef Jean has formally registered to stand for president of his native Haiti as it rebuilds after the devastating January earthquake.
Dozens of supporters greeted him as he arrived with his wife and daughter at an electoral council office in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The deadline to file candidacy papers for the 28 November poll is Saturday.
Mr Jean, who lives in the US, will now have to prove he is eligible to run under Haitian law.
A review board will verify that his candidacy meets constitutional requirements, including having lived in Haiti for five consecutive years leading up to the election and never having held foreign citizenship.
The singer, who grew up in the US, holds a Haitian passport and has US residency. He says his appointment as a roving ambassador for the country in 2007 exempts him from the residency requirement.
The list of official candidates will be published on 17 August.
‘Very emotional’
Mr Jean filed papers to run as a candidate for the Viv Ansanm (Live Together) political party.
“I would like to tell [US] President Barack Obama that the United States has Obama and Haiti has Wyclef Jean,” he told a rally of supporters in Port-au-Prince.
“It’s a moment in time and in history,” he told the Associated Press news agency. “It’s very emotional.”
Earlier this week, he stepped down from the Yele Haiti charitable foundation for Haitian children he set up, which recently came under scrutiny over its finances.
Other declared candidates include former diplomat Garaudy Laguerre and Raymond Joseph, who is Haiti’s current ambassador to the US and Mr Jean’s uncle.
The sitting President, Rene Preval, is barred by the constitution from seeking a new term.
If Mr Jean runs and wins, he will preside over the spending of billions of dollars in reconstruction aid.
Mr Jean, the frontman of 1990s hip hop group The Fugees, is hugely popular in Haiti, where half of the population is under 21.
He told Time magazine in an interview that his secret weapon in the election campaign would be that Haiti’s “enormous youth population doesn’t believe in politicians any more”.
“If not for the earthquake, I probably would have waited another 10 years before doing this,” Mr Jean added.
Mr Jean is Haiti’s ambassador-at-large, and has played a prominent role in securing aid since the earthquake, which left 1.5 million people homeless.
Representatives from 74 nations – including the US, for the first time – gathered to mark the moment the bomb was dropped
The Japanese city of Hiroshima is marking the 65th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb attack.
For the first time, a representative of the United States, which dropped the bomb on the city, is attending.
About 140,000 people were killed or died within months of the bomb being dropped by a US aircraft in 1945 in the final days of World War II.
Japan surrendered after a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later on 9 August.
The site where the bomb was dropped 65 years ago was filled with the sound of choirs of school children and the solemn ringing of bells.
A minute’s silence was held at 0815 – the exact time the bomb fell.
Offerings of water were made to the 140,000 who died, as many died of thirst in the days and weeks after the attack.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was also attending the ceremony for the first time, presented flowers at the Eternal Flame in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.
“Life is short, but memory is long,” he said.
“For many of you, that day endures… as vivid as the white light that seared the sky, as dark as the black rains that followed.”
He told the gathered crowd of 55,000 people from 74 nations that the time had come to move from “Ground Zero, to Global Zero” – a world without any nuclear weapons.
Japan, the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons, has been pushing for their abolition.
Top objective
Hiroshima’s mayor welcomed Washington’s decision to send US Ambassador John Roos, saying he hoped the event would boost global denuclearisation.
Mr Roos said the memorial was a chance to show resolve towards nuclear disarmament, which US President Barack Obama has said is a top objective.
“For the sake of future generations, we must continue to work together to realise a world without nuclear weapons,” Mr Roos said in a statement.
The presence of Mr Roos is being seen by some in Japan as a sign that President Obama may visit Hiroshima when he comes to Japan.
If so, he would be the first sitting US president to visit the city.
Some Japanese have called on the US to apologise for the atomic bombings, but the BBC’s Roland Buerk, in Hiroshima, says this is unlikely to happen.
Trek into the pristine Eastern Arc Forest and climb to the top ofSanje Waterfall. This is a spectacular 180m plunge over the Udzungwa escarpment into the Kilombero valley. The panoramic view from the top allows you to see the vast Kilombero floodplain and the Selous. The walk to the top of Sanje Falls takes about 2 hrs and requires moderate fitness.
Further up river from the main falls are two other falls of 30m and 40m respectively. A path winds through the sub-montane forest along the river’s edge, making for a gentle stroll through the trees and giving you the opportunity to experience the forest at close hand. There are tree ferns and a variety of epiphytes and bryophytes. It is also possible to visit the base of the larger falls for another spectacular view.
The plunge pools are excellent for swimming and cooling off from the hot climb – a highly recommended experience. be warned – the water comes straight off the mountains and is often very chilly! There are endemic African Violets (St Paulia Sp.) in the spray zones of the falls.
The climb up to Sanje Waterfall passes from Miombo woodland to lowland forest to sub-montane forest and the endemic Udzungwa Red Colobus Monkeys are usually seen. The endemic Sanje Crested Mangabey can be seen at the top, as well as troops of Black and White Colobus and Sykes Monkeys. This is an excellent location for primate viewing.
If you choose to camp at the top of the falls there is the chance to enjoy a spectacular sunrise breakfast looking out over the falls. There is he chance to find pygmy bearded chameleons and tree frogs around camp after dark and listen to the sound of tree hyraxes. This is also a great place to watch falcons and Crowned Eagles hunt. There are also beautiful White-naped Ravens present at the top of the falls.
The PropertyInvesting.net team visited South Africa to provide some insights for our visitors. Starting with the Cape Town area – it’s absolutely beautiful. Dramatic scenery, lovely beaches, history, culture, low retail prices, a growing economy and amazing “Mediterranean” climate – similar to central Italy. Only problem is the crime – you have to “watch your back” and “don’t be too trusting”. As we have described before, the retiring babyboomers with high net worth have been looking for select properties with sea views, sun, sand, sailing, scenery for many years now. Most of the British arriving at Cape Town airport seem to be over 55 years only. Many South Africa’s from Jo’burg retire in these parts.
You have all this beauty on the coast road from Cape Town through Green Point, Sea Point, Cliftonville, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Llandudno through to Hout Bay. Camps Bay – Bantry Bay are the closest you will get to the St Tropez of Africa – the best beach front penthouses now sell for £1 million. Cape Town harbour is rapidly developing with nice marina, shops and restaurants – and good maritime history. This is a stones-throw from the new World Cup Stadium in Cape Town at Greenpoint – currently on course for completion early 2010. The area just behind the stadium and anywhere in Greenpoint will likely see prices rising as regeneration efforts improve the area prior to the World Cup.
The Claremont suburb of Cape Town has spacious executive houses with good security – these make popular long term corporate rentals. Most living costs are half what they are in the UK – no sign of this changing. Hout Bay is a more family oriented alternative residential area and is definitely up and coming – some new select gated developments are being built, the town does have a growing Township of squatters – crime is low because of a very effective neighbourhood watch scheme and community spirit. Further south along the dramatic coastline is Hoek Bay – a rather Bohemian place frequented by surfers – definitely up and coming – the sea is very warm which attracts bathers. Likely to become more mainstream and popular in the next ten years.
The economics of South Africa are less compelling – GDP growth of 3% in 2008 an projected -2% in 2009 is not good. The Rand has dropped from 10 to 18 to the pound, but has recently recovered to 15 because of the pounds drop. It’s still difficult to take large amounts of Rand out of the country. Commissions on property sales are high – like in Spain. Manufacturing, centred in Johannesburg, was doing well in 2008 but South Africa has to compete with India and China, so the longer term outlook may not be so good. The crime problems don’t seem to be getting any better. So South Africa is not without its risk though any property investor visiting Cape Town and seeing Table Mountain, the Seven Apostles and all the beautiful beaches, wildlife, wineries, sun, sand, sea, scenery and culture will feel like buying a property – but be careful.
House prices rose by about 12% in 2007 and 9% in 2008 but are now dropping because of the global downturn – retail prices in inflation was 10% in 2008 and is also dropping to ca. 5% currently. Interest rates peaked at 15% in 2008. As you can see, the real price increases are only slightly above inflation – with the Rand exposed to weakness against the pound, Euro and dollar, it’s a relatively risky place to attempt to make serious money, if you are from a country with a strong currency.
Prices rose the strongest in Pretoria 45% by 2006 plying catch-up. This area used to be one large Township – now many locals have jobs in manufacturing, mining and land and property price have risen accordingly. Not for the average investor but for the more adventurous – could be with considering. In the Cape Town area, prices rose about 16% last year and are expected to rise by a further 7% this year. Interest rate recently rose to 9% so this will likely hinder the property market in 2007.
Other developing cities are Durban on the east coast and Johannesburg the capital and main financial centre – crime is still a big problem, so researching an area and buying secure property is important.
Price have now declining in most area – so the big boom of the last 6 years has ended – if you invest in South Africa, it will undoubtedly be a bet on the strength of the Rand. And any hike in oil price will hit the country hard – or taxes on airline fares (carbon tax) in view of the distance from Europe, Asia and USA.
Add to this the increased political risk from instability in the ANC party, problems controlling immigration from other African countries and an uncertain net migration of wealth to Europe, although the situation at present is relatively stable, the downside is quite large, albeit the economic upside is also quite large.
Problems were encountered Jan-Feb 2008 with power cuts, related mine closures caused by the cuts and some political turbulence – however, things rapidly improved by mid 2008 and things have been far more stable since. But it does highlight the uncertainties – and challenges the country has with power, exposure to high oil prices and reliance on high metals commodity prices, manufacturing and long-distance tourism for its economy.
If oil prices skyrocket again, and airline travel costs rise, or the world stays in recession many years, South Africa could be hit hard.
But the Football World Cup in 2010 will likely boost prices in the main cities – Cape Town will see a big new stadium being build about 1 mile south-east of the harbour / marina – properties close to the action are likely to see values rise at a higher rate than the average area.
So overall – if you want a retirement home in the sun, it’s a great place being in the southern hemisphere – but for serious property investors, it might be best to focus are areas in Europe, Asia or USA close to where you live. Its more manageable and easier to pick up below market value property on an ongoing basis. And you wont have to worry about currency fluctuations.
We provide some hopefully useful resources below that can be used to map-identify the best investment areas – choosing low crime areas is important, along with regenerating areas possibly close to a World Cup stadium.
FOOTBALL FEVER: People stand outside the OR Tambo Sports Centre, where a replica off the World Cup trophy is displayed in Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town. (Schalk van Zuydam,
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The former England captain, who turns 35 next month, has said he wants to keep playing for his country after South Africa 2010.
Previous reports have said that Beckham is ready to call time on his career.
It has been claimed that Beckham will return to Britain to spend more time with wife Victoria and children Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, having achieved everything he wants to in the game.
But a source close to Beckham has denied these claims, saying: “It is nonsense.”
Beckham, who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, is two games into another short loan period at AC Milan and is set to face Siena on Sunday.
The midfielder has made such a positive impression that Milan vice-president Adriano Galliano has said he would offer Beckham another invitation next year.
The present deal gives Beckham the best possible chance of staying in Fabio Capello’s squad, becoming the first England player to appear at four World Cups.
Whether he makes it or not, Beckham will then have a short break from the game before returning to the LA Galaxy, where he still has two seasons to run.
Saadani Game Reserve was gazetted in 1964, covering an area of some 350 sq km from the Wami river in the south to the Mligaji river in the north, with the Moshi railway line as the western boundary. Once Saadani became a Game Reserve new species of animal were introduced to compliment the existing diversity. Wildebeest, zebra and eland joined the resident populations including buffalo, elephant, giraffe, lion and the extremely rare Roosevelt’s sable antelope. Saadani is Tanzania’s only protected coastal wildlife preserve.
The Serengeti is a region of grasslands and woodlands in Mara Region in Tanzania. It has more than 1.6 million herbivores and thousands of predators. Blue Wildebeests, gazelles …
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Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa from Hakuna Matata on Vimeo.
A million wildebeest… each one driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling its instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life: a frenzied three-week bout of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40km (25 mile) long columns plunge through crocodile-infested waters on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion that produces more than 8,000 calves daily before the 1,000 km (600 mile) pilgrimage begins again.
Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates Tanzania’s greatest park. Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains. Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur here, alongside the spotted hyena and a host of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful serval cat.
But there is more to Serengeti than large mammals. Gaudy agama lizards and rock hyraxes scuffle around the surfaces of the park’s isolated granite koppies. A full 100 varieties of dung beetle have been recorded, as have 500-plus bird species, ranging from the outsized ostrich and bizarre secretary bird of the open grassland, to the black eagles that soar effortlessly above the Lobo Hills.
As enduring as the game-viewing is the liberating sense of space that characterises the Serengeti Plains, stretching across sunburnt savannah to a shimmering golden horizon at the end of the earth. Yet, after the rains, this golden expanse of grass is transformed into an endless green carpet flecked with wildflowers. And there are also wooded hills and towering termite mounds, rivers lined with fig trees and acacia woodland stained orange by dust.
Popular the Serengeti might be, but it remains so vast that you may be the only human audience when a pride of lions masterminds a siege, focussed unswervingly on its next meal
The game viewing starts the moment the plane touches down. A giraffe races beside the airstrip, all legs and neck, yet oddly elegant in its awkwardness. A line of zebras …
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, was the first of South Africa’s 2010 Fifa World Cup stadiums to be completed, and officially opened on 7 June 2009 – a year before the tournament. It has already hosted a British and Irish Lions rugby match, a Soweto derby football match between top local teams Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, and a football international between Japan and South Africa.
For the World Cup the stadium will have a capacity of 46 000 seats, and will host five first-round matches, one second-round, one quarter-final, and the third-place play-off.
Larger than the new Wembley Stadium in England, Soccer City in Johannesburg is set to be the showpiece stadium of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Designed to resemble an African calabash, the stadium will have a crowd capacity of 91 000, and host the opening and final matches of the tournament.
