Free Republic

The European Union has cut off direct aid payments to the Hamas-led Palestinian government because of its refusal to renounce violence and recognise Israel, the EU’s executive office said today. “For the time being there are no payments to or through the Palestinian authority,” European Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said in Brussels. European Union Foreign Ministers are expected on Monday to decide on how to deal in the longer term with aid, which is considered vital to keep the Palestinian economy afloat. “The EU will need to develop some new strategy, some new measures, some new decisions,” Udwin said. “While...

If lawyer dies, Cheney could face negligent homicide charges 02/15/2006 02:42:17 PM DALLAS (AP) -- If the man wounded by Dick Cheney dies, the vice president could -- in theory at least -- face criminal charges, even though the shooting was an accident. Dallas defense attorney David Finn, who has been a state and a federal prosecutor, said Wednesday that a Texas grand jury could bring a charge of criminally negligent homicide if there is evidence the vice president knew or should have known "there was a substantial or unjustifiable risk that his actions would result in him shooting a...

Tehran plans a nuclear weapons test before March 20, 2006 – the Iranian New Year, moves Shahab-3 missiles within striking range of Israel. Reporting this, the dissident Foundation for Democracy in Iran, a US-based watch group, cites sources in the US and Iran. The FDI adds from Iran: on June 16, the high command of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force ordered Shahab-3 missile units to move mobile launchers every 24 hours instead of weekly. This is in view of a potential pre-emptive strike by the US or Israel. Advance Shahab-3 units have been positioned in Kermanshah and Hamad within striking...

TEHRAN, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Iran has reportedly begun moving its assets from European banks in an effort to protect its supplies of foreign exchange from sanctions. "We transfer foreign currency reserves related to all sectors including oil foreign exchanges to wherever it is good for us and we have started this transfer," Ebrahim Sheibani, governor of Iran's central bank, told the Iranian Student News Agency. The International Atomic Energy Authority has scheduled a meeting Feb. 2 to discuss whether to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council. The country could face sanctions for re-starting its uranium enrichment program.