WASHINGTON — Iran has expanded its naval presence in the Straits of Hormuz, the passage for an estimated 40 percent of global crude oil shipments.  
The U.S. Navy has determined that Iran has amassed a fleet of fast patrol boats in the 43-kilometer straits. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, responsible for strategic programs, leads the effort.
At this point, officials said, IRGC has deployed more than 1,000 FPBs in and around the straits. The vessels, armed with cruise missiles, mines, torpedoes and rocket-propelled grenades, are up to 23 meters in long and can reach a speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
Beijing puts quiet pressure on Sudan   
"This marks the implementation of Iran's swarm program, where dozens of armed speed boats attack much larger naval vessels from all sides," an official said.
In 2005, IRGC developed its swarm doctrine following Teheran's assessment that the United States was considering an air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Officials said the swarm doctrine was designed to exploit the slow pace of U.S. aircraft carriers and destroyers in the shallow waters of the Gulf.
"Iran still states that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps will employ swarming tactics in a conflict,'' U.S. Office ...   more »

TEHRAN, Iran: Iran has cut in half the amount of U.S. dollars in its foreign exchange reserves over the past several months in another attempt to weaken Washington's influence on the Islamic country's economy, state-run television reported Sunday.
The report said Jafar Mojarrad, vice-governor of Central Bank of Iran, announced that the country in May reduced the amount of U.S. dollars in its foreign exchange reserves to 20 percent compared to 40 percent in December.
More than 80 percent of Iran's US$70 million (€52.1 million) foreign revenues comes from oil exports that are mostly traded in U.S. dollars.
Since coming to power in August 2005, hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has tried to reduce Iran's reliance on U.S. dollars in response to Washington's policies toward Tehran especially over its disputed nuclear program.
The U.S. and some of its allies fear that Iran is secretly pursuing a nuclear weapon program. Iran denies the charge, insisting its nuclear program is solely for the peaceful purpose of producing energy.
 The U.N Security Council is debating whether to impose further sanctions on Iran for defying its demand to suspend uranium enrichment-related activities.
Since December, the council has imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran over ...   more »

REUTERS NEWS AGENCY - PARIS — Europe's primary human rights body will vote on a proposal this week to defend the teaching of Darwinian evolution and keep creationist and intelligent design views out of science classes in state schools in its 47 member countries.
The unusual move shows that a U.S. trend for religiously based challenges to the theory of evolution is worrying European politicians, who now see such arguments put forward in their countries by Christian and Muslim groups.
A report for the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly said the campaign against evolution has its roots "in forms of religious extremism" and is a dangerous attack on scientific knowledge.
"Today, creationists of all faiths are trying to get their ideas accepted in Europe," it said. "If we are not careful, creationism could become a threat to human rights."
The council, based in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, oversees human rights standards in member states and enforces decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Creationism teaches that God created the world and all beings in it, as depicted in the Bible. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that teaching creationism in science class in public schools violates the ...   more »

Untreatable TB threat 'apocalyptic scenario'
30,000 infected annually now, but toll could become 8 million 'time bombs'


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted: June 24, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern


By Bob Unruh
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
The World Health Organization is appealing for billions of dollars in funding to avert the apocalypse en route if a virtually untreatable form of tuberculosis that already infects 30,000 people a year is left unchecked.
The TB, called XDR-TB for extensively drug resistant, is virtually immune to currently available antibiotics, turning aside the effects of both front-line and secondary drugs, officials have said.
It has been in the news of late because of an American airline passenger, Andrew Speaker, an Atlanta, Ga., lawyer, who was diagnosed, then traveled to Europe for his wedding, and returned, on commercial airliners, potentially exposing hundreds of people to the frequently fatal disease.
He now is being treated at a special center in Denver that deals with cases of tuberculosis.
"XDR-TB is a threat to the security and stability of global health. This response plan identifies costs, milestones and priorities for health services that will continue to have an impact beyond its two-year time line," said WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan.
(Story continues below) ...   more »

 Last night, yet another back-room meeting resulted in the “amendments for amnesty” deal I told you about a few days ago (see below).
That means the Bush-Kennedy Amnesty bill is back and steamrolling toward passage in the Senate -- unless grassroots citizens once again “roar” in opposition.
And don’t buy for a moment the President’s lame attempt to throw money at the problem. The bill’s Amnesty provisions are unrelated to any amount of money for border security. Amnesty comes first, amnesty comes immediately, amnesty comes at no cost to the illegal and amnesty is irrevocable!
We can stop this bill again -- but we must take immediate action.
See original post below and thanks for your help!
Steve
ORIGINAL POST 6/13--
I was just informed that the back-room plan has been launched to bring Bush-Kennedy back and
get it quickly passed through the Senate. I call it “amendments for amnesty.”
How "Amendments For Amnesty" Works
President Bush and the Amnesty Republicans are working on convincing about a dozen Republicans to support “cloture” on Bush-Kennedy in exchange for a commitment that a set list of amendments will be considered. Even though most of these amendments will be defeated, this is apparently ...   more »