Britannia Radio

Livni claims Kadima leadership after too-close-to-call vote DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 18, 2008, 10:33 AM (GMT+02:00) From TV landslide to real wafer-thin victory Foreign minister Tzipi Livni declared herself victor of the Kadima party’s first leadership primary before dawn Thursday, Sept. 18, although her win was challenged by transport Shaul Mofaz, one percent behind her (43 to his 42 percent). All night, he demanded a partial recount in view of election irregularities, claiming there was no more than one vote dividing them – not 431. Early Thursday, Mofaz finally called Livni to congratulate her. Real results differed dramatically from the three TV exit polls which wrongly awarded Livni a landslide victory of up to 10 percent wide of the mark. Throughout the campaign the foreign minister was a media favorite and inaccurately described as unchallenged successor to Ehud Olmert both as party chair and prime minister.  More...
US closes Yemen embassy after al Qaeda attack kills sixteen DEBKAfile Special Report September 18, 2008, 12:52 PM (GMT+02:00) US embassy in Yemeni capital Sanaa Eight Yemeni soldiers, six assailants and 2 civilians were killed in an al Qaeda suicide car bombing, RPG rocket and shooting attack on the US embassy in Sanaa, Wednesday, Sept. 17. No embassy staff members were harmed in the five explosions reported by a US official. The rockets started a blaze in parts of the heavily fortified building. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources disclose that Yemeni president Abdullah Salah, recently began working with al Qaeda to win their help for quelling plots by army dissidents to overthrow his regime and for beating back an Iran-backed Shiite rebellion.  More... In show of bravado, Iran launches “air defense exercises” DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 15, 2008, 6:11 PM (GMT+02:00) Iranian air force jets in drill Iranian official sources report that the air force drill began Monday, Sept. 15, in half of the country’s 30 provinces. The commander of Iran’s aerial defense, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Mighani said that any enemies attacking the Islamic Republic would regret it. DEBKAfile's sources report: Of late, certain influential voices have been raised in Israel arguing against the need of military action to cut down Iran’s covert nuclear designs. President Shimon Peres, for instance, maintains that tough economic sanctions would “do the job.” The latest IAEA report shows how invalid this argument is.  More... Syrian commandos invade seven N. Lebanese villages outside Tripoli DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 13, 2008, 12:10 PM (GMT+02:00) Syrian commando units drive into Lebanon Two Syrian commando battalions accompanied by reconnaissance and engineering corps units have crossed into Lebanon in the last 48 hours and taken up positions in seven villages, most of them Allawite Muslim, outside Tripoli, DEBKAfile’s military sources reported Saturday, Sept. 13. Damascus has signaled to Washington and Paris: Don’t interfere.  More...		TOP STORIES •US closes Yemen embassy after al Qaeda attack •Livni's wins Kadima leadership by a hair •Turmoil continues in Wall Street, Moscow, Tel Aviv •CIA chief: Al Qaeda greatest security threat to US •France says Iran's conduct is "worrisome" •Iran launches “air defense exercises” •Syrian army invades northern Lebanon Wall Street opens on sinking prices, Moscow halts trading, Israeli banks hammered DEBKAfile Special Report September 17, 2008, 8:18 PM (GMT+02:00) Trillionaire US insurance company bailed out Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, AIG were hit hard Wednesday even after the White House approved a Federal Reserve $85 bn rescue loan to save the American insurance giant American Insurance Group from bankruptcy. Moscow halted trading after less than two hours. In Tel Aviv, prices plunged across the board, with the major banks taking a beating of up to 12.5 percent.  More... CIA chief: Al Qaeda greatest security threat to US September 17, 2008, 9:06 AM (GMT+02:00) CIA Director Michael Hayden: North Korea and Iran follow al Qaeda as threats Speaking in Los Angeles, CIA director Michael Hayden said Osama bin Laden has said repeatedly that he considers acquisition of nuclear weapons a religious duty and he intends to attack America. He also pointed to North Korea and Iran as threats.  More... France wants more sanctions on Iran for stonewalling UN nuclear probe DEBKAfile Special Report September 16, 2008, 6:30 PM (GMT+02:00) Inside an Iranian uranium enrichment plant The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no progress in its efforts to establish whether or not Iran is developing nuclear warheads, enriching uranium for military purposes, testing nuclear explosives or building nuclear-capable missiles. The draft report handed out Monday, Sept. 15, to IAEA board members in Vienna, attributes this lack of progress to Iran’s non-cooperation with the inquiry. DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources report that the Tehran administration has never been more contemptuous of the UN, international diplomacy and potential sanctions, certain the prospect of a US and Israeli military strike on its nuclear facilities is receding further day by day.  More...