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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the CIA and Mossad for assassination of Iranian scientists

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused U.S. intelligence agencies Thursday (CIA) and Israeli (Mossad) was behind the assassination of the scientist Iranian Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, informs AFP.

"This murder, whose authors do not dare to take responsibility, planned or supported as many other crimes committed by the CIA and Mossad," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a message of condolence to the family of the scientist.

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed Wednesday in a bomb attack. Three other scientists, including two involved in the nuclear program, were killed in similar actions in Iran since January 2010.

Belgian lawmakers have agreed to reduce their salaries by 5% in 2012

Belgian lawmakers agreed Thursday to reduce their salaries by 5% this year to demonstrate their willingness to help give the austerity measures in a country facing a major budget deficit, Reuters. MPs decision came a few days after the new government of Belgium passed their salaries increase by 8%, contrary to promises 5% reduction in cost reduction plan. According to recent information available, the salaries of the new ministers were approved in a government session on 16 December 2011.

"Everyone should make an effort. MEPs show that concern them and that this part," said a spokeswoman for the Belgian Parliament.

Reuters says that, given that the annual salary of a Belgian parliamentarian is around 82,700 euros, members of both Houses of Parliament will give up about 170 euros per month.

Members of Parliament decision came a few days after the new government of Belgium passed their salaries increase by 8%, contrary to promises 5% reduction in cost reduction plan.

Under the new increases, annual salary of vice-prime ministers increased from 224,000 to 248,000 euros, one of the ministers from 220,000 to 238,000 euros, and the Secretaries of State from 210,000 to 227,000 euros. Belgian nationalists have already expressed anger towards the new measure.

The European Commission rejected the Belgian state budget on 2012, after the budget deficit calculated by the Commission does not match the one that sits Belgian authorities. Prime Minister Di Rupo team estimate for this year an increase of 0.8% and a deficit of 2.8% of GDP, while EC officials have calculated a deficit of 3.1%.

Belgium aims to save about 13 billion to bring its budget under 3% this year from 4.2% in 2011

Russia opposes sanctions against Iran oil

Russia opposes sanctions against Iran's oil and believes that initiatives in this area will only ruin its efforts to seek a solution to Tehran's nuclear program, AFP reports.

"Independent of all the circumstances in which we discussed this issue, the development by Iran of activities to improve their (uranium, no) or other circumstances, we appeal to such sanctions against Iran," said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Riabkov, quoted by Itar-Tass agency.

European countries agreed, in principle, the imposition of an oil embargo against Iran. Danish EU presidency said Wednesday that a new set of EU sanctions will be decided on January 23, after the launch announcement of uranium production improved from 20% to Fordow, 150 km southwest of Tehran.

Russia doubles the penalty for insults to senior officials of the State

Defamation and insult a Russian citizen are no longer considered ordinary crimes, but the maximum penalty for insulting a senior official of the state has doubled from 6 months probation, a year, according to a law which came into force on 1 January , informs RIA Novosti.

Law signed on December 7 was described as progress made ​​by President Dmitry Medvedev in an attempt to liberalize the Criminal Code.

After legislative reform, defamation and insult a Russian citizen with maximum fines are usually $ 1,600. Defamation and insult a legal entity with fines up to 16,000 dollars.

Under the new law, the maximum sentence for insulting a senior official of the state has doubled from 6 months probation, a year.

British engineers defused a bomb placed under the car of a soldier Irish nationalists in Belfast

British engineers defused a bomb placed under the car of a soldier in Northern Ireland, police said, quoted by Reuters. The attack was claimed by the militant Irish nationalists.

Soldier found explosives placed under his car seat one Thursday in a residential area north of Belfast.

The authorities decided to evacuate dozens of residents in the area.

Dissident nationalist group Oglaigh na hEireann ("Soldiers of Ireland") announced that its members have placed the bomb.

Reuters reminds that Irish nationalist groups opposed to the peace agreement in Northern Ireland, completed in 1998, continue to attack military targets and controlled by British police in the province. The level of violence is low however, far from the one registered during the conflict 30 years ago, when over 3,600 people lost their lives.

Oglaigh na hEireann and other dissident groups opposed the decision of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to end British campaign against the guerrillas.

Sinn Fein, political wing of the IRA, now shares power with former opponents of the pro-British community.

China denies information that she had sent troops into North Korea

Ministry of National Defense in Beijing Wednesday denied reports that information were sent Chinese troops in North Korea to ensure public order in this country, after the death of Kim Jong-Il, RIA Novosti.

"Such information is pure invention," said ministry spokesman Yang Yujun.

After leading North Korea for 17 years, Kim Jong-Il died on December 17, following a heart attack at age 69. He was buried Wednesday.

His youngest son Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un, took power.

Several publications have reported that Beijing would send troops into North Korea to maintain stability in this country, after death "beloved leader".

Mariano Rajoy announced that in Spain over "fiesta"

Spanish People's leader, Mariano Rajoy, described Monday in the investiture speech or his government will be lines to remove Spain from the crisis.

After describing the pitiful state of the Spanish economy, marked by a 23% unemployment, with 5.4 million unemployed and a generation that is likely to remain outside the labor market, Rajoy said that it takes a concerted effort by all Spaniards to come through.

For this, the new prime minister promised to "thin" administration will reward youth employment, will reform the banking system and budget cuts will be drastic.

Austerity will be the first gift in 2012 for the Spanish have to save 16.5 billion euro deficit ceiling to reach 4.4 percent of GDP imposed by the European Commission.

"Next year will be to reduce our deficit by 16.5 billion, which represents the difference between revenues and expenditures in the public administration. It is our goal and commitment," said Mariano Rajoy before the Spanish parliament.

Beyond that, Mariano Rajoy has given signs that he wants to change all or almost all of which have left Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialists.

In his first speech after winning elections and not to translate too much, Rajoy announced changes in the financial sector, intensive control of public spending, tax incentives for companies and state budget cuts.

In short, it will make budget cuts in administration, companies will only pay VAT once collected bills, the number of holidays will be reduced, the banking system will be reformed justice must become more efficient, and pensions will increase depending on level of inflation. These are some of Mariano Rajoy's proposals, which offered very few concrete details about the reforms that prepare them, but says he feels obliged to tell the truth "if only".

Behind this strategy but opposition sees only drastic cuts in terms of subsidies and public health services and education.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Moldova is in the hands of several people hostage

Moldova has not managed to get out of political crisis and has made a step towards early parliamentary elections. That failure can be classified presidential elections of 16 December. The only contender, parliament speaker and President of the country, Marian Lupu, failed to accumulate 61 votes of deputies, which would be made head of the state Democratic Party, writes Nezavisimaya Gazeta. Modova is practically in the hands of several people hostage, whose ambitions do not allow solving the political crisis.

In addition, wrong policies have wiped clear picture of how you assess the country in future.

And present within the Alliance for European Integration of politicians with conflicting political views and preferences makes this building unstable and lacking in perspective. You can not talk about a homogenous team alliance if the key figures say antagonistic positions on issues of principle. Hard to imagine the country's foreign policy achievement if led by the Liberal Democratic Filat is in favor of unification with Romania and therefore are willing to sacrifice Moldovan statehood and democratic leader, Marian Lupu, at least formally pronounced to strengthen statehood neutrality of Moldova and developing relationships with both the West and the East.

Interestingly, in this context, the position of Western countries, who prefer not to see political instability in Moldova. In the past two years, the Alliance has demonstrated an inability to reach political agreement. And yet, the AIE continues to enjoy full support of the West, who welcomed democratic reforms during development and Moldovan.

The reason is simple, says Russian newspaper. Moldovan politicians meet all indications coming from Western structures in economic policy of the state. Meanwhile, the life of the population has decreased dramatically in Moldova, prices rise, as well as state debt.
 
Political situation in Moldova is determined, in part, the role of Romania, which in the past two years has increased the influence of Chisinau. Bucharest is committed to maintaining the principle that political instability allows his interests on Moldova.

Whether, ultimately, will be or not a president elected in Moldova, the distribution of political forces will undergo significant changes.

On the one hand, choosing a head of state will lead to the resignation of the government. A step that will allow the next president to establish "guilty" to all his problems. It's a perfect thing Filat understand that is not interested in the election of Marian Lupu as supreme in the state.

As such, in Moldova seems impossible to reach a compromise on the future head of the country's candidacy, which bring it closer to early parliamentary elections. Moldova reached a point beyond which the ruling alliance will either disappear or will change. A process that will involve but on communists.

Croatia signed the EU Accession Treaty

Croatia has signed on Friday in Brussels, EU accession treaty will become, in July 2013 after approval by referendum at the national and following ratification by 27 Member States, the 28th State of the Union AFP writes.

After six years of negotiations, European leaders, in the absence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy signed on Friday, officials Croatian accession treaty, Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and President Ivo Josipovic. France was represented by Minister for European Affairs, Jean Leonetti.

"You are welcome into the European family", addressed the EU President Herman Van Rompuy, the Croatian delegation, he stressed that "not the end of the road for Croatia". "Reforms must continue before the accession date," said Van Rompuy.

"Witnessing a historical event, measured in terms of importance that has for the Croatian people is not equal than the Declaration of Independence of our country," said Croatian President Ivo Josipovic.

Head of the Croatian government will participate on Friday, as an observer for the first time at an EU summit.

Following lessons learned from Romania and Bulgaria, the EU has established a monitoring system to ensure that the authorities in Zagreb reforms will continue until July 2013. The European Commission will report on reforming the judiciary, the system of competition and fight against organized crime and corruption.

If the government in Zagreb will diminish efforts, the EU can send them warning letters, followed by sanctions decided by the 27 Member States (eg, freezing of EU funds).

After Slovenia, Croatia is the second state of the six former Yugoslav republics, which join the EU. EU politicians hope will convince other countries Croatia Balkan advantages it brings will accelerate reform and democratic transition region.

Syria accept monitoring by the Arab League

According to anonymous sources belonging to diplomats in Damascus, Syria accepted the plan proposed Wednesday by the Arab League. League will send a mission to Syria with an observer of the implementation of the proposal which seeks to end violence, informs BBC.

Under the agreement, Syria would begin withdrawing tanks from troubled cities of fighting, to stop attacks on protesters and begin a dialogue with opposition leaders in maximum two weeks. President Bashar al-Assad accepted the plan more time but so far not put into practice.

And Friday, 12 people died in violence that took place in different parts of the country. Since the beginning of protests in March and so far it is assumed that over 3500 people died.

International powers in Syria warns that the situation looks increasingly more like a civil war. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé warned opposition groups not to resort to armed insurrection. Fears were intensified after a group of military deserters now organized as the Syrian Army attacked a Free State institution killing more people.