Monday, January 4, 2016

Saudi Arabia severs ties with Iran over embassy attack

Riyadh // Saudi Arabia on Sunday severed ties with Iran over the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran, in a worsening diplomatic crisis between the regional rivals following the kingdom’s execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric.

Foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir told a news conference that Iran’s diplomatic mission and related entities in Saudi Arabia had been given 48 hours to leave. He said Riyadh would not allow the Islamic republic to undermine the kingdom’s security.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia accused Iran of sponsoring terror and undermining regional stability in a response to Tehran’s strong criticism over the execution of Sheikh Nimr Al Nimr.

The cleric, who spent more than a decade studying theology in Iran and had been a driving force behind Shiite-led anti-government protests in Saudi Arabia since 2011, was among a group 47 people convicted of terrorism who were executed on Saturday. The group included many Al Qaeda-linked militants involved in deadly bombings in the kingdom since 2003.

Iran “is the last regime in the world that could accuse others of supporting terrorism, considering it is a state that sponsors terror, and is condemned by the United Nations and many countries”, the Saudi foreign ministry said.

“Iran’s regime has no shame as it rants on human rights matters, even after it executed hundreds of Iranians last year without a clear legal basis.”

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran was stormed early on Sunday when protesters broke into the building, smashed furniture and lit fires inside before being cleared by police.

Demonstrators also set fire to the Saudi consulate in Mashhad, Iran’s second-biggest city.

The storming of the embassy was widely condemned. In the UAE, the Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador, Mohammad Reza Fayyad, to protest at Iranian intervention in Saudi Arabia’s sovereign affairs and the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad.

The embassy attack was also condemned by fellow GCC members Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, as well as Egypt, Al Azhar, the leading Sunni institution based in Cairo, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The Iranian president Hassan Rouhani condemned the execution of Al Nimr but also denounced the attacks on the embassy and consulate as “totally unjustifiable”.

The Saudi foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in Riyadh on Saturday to protest at Tehran’s “aggressive” statement on the execution of Al Nimr.

Iran said in reaction to Al Nimr’s execution that “the Saudi government supports terrorist movements and extremists, but confronts domestic critics with oppression and execution” and warned that it would “pay a high price”.

Iran’s statements reveal its “true face as a backer of terrorism, which is a continuation of its policies in undermining security and stability in the region”, the Saudi foreign ministry said.

“By defending the acts of terrorists … the Iranian regime is considered a partner in their crimes and is held completely responsible for its policies of incitement and escalation.”

Iran has offered “many Al Qaeda leaderships safe haven since 2001” in addition to “offering an Iranian passport” to a Saudi man accused of involvement in 1996 bombings in the kingdom who was arrested last year, the ministry said.

It criticised Iran’s “flagrant interferences in regional countries, including Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, as well as Syria where it has directly intervened through its Revolutionary Guard and Shiite militia” causing the death of tens of thousands of Syrians.

Iran-linked cells smuggling explosives and arms to Bahrain and Kuwait have also been uncovered, the kingdom said.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are supporting opposite sides in several conflict zones across the region.

As well as supporting rebel groups opposed to Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, an ally of Tehran, Saudi Arabia leads a regional coalition that includes the UAE to subdue an uprising by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and restore the internationally recognised government.

The Yemeni president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi voiced support yesterday for the Saudi judicial process in the execution of the 47 convicted terrorists. In a message to King Salman, he said it sent a strong message to terrorist groups in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and other Arab or Islamic countries.

* Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Wam

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19 Reasons why sex is important.

Sex is an important aspect of every relationship – sometimes even more important than we would dare to admit. Are you with me on that? Now, I have to say that I am a very romantic person and that, for me, emotions do come first. However, even the most romantic ones do need a reality check from time to time, to remind us that we’re don’t have a soul only but a body too, and that we deserve to have both of them fed properly. Emotions will feed your soul, food will keep the body functioning, but there’s one thing that can feed them both at once – sex. So here’s some good reasons to engage in this activity tonight!

1. IT’S A STRESS RELIEF

Similar to other pleasurable activities and chocolate, sex makes our bodies produce happy hormones. It is a scientifically proved fact that couples who have a lot of stress practice this act of intimacy less often. So, let your troubles aside and plan a romantic evening followed by this mood lifting activity. Why not? It will help you forget all those problems, you’ll fall asleep like a baby and you’ll have enough energy to face the next day feeling happy and rejuvenated.

Read also:

2. IT’S AN EMOTIONAL PROCESS

Yes, it is a physical activity but most #men and women agree that there’s much more to it than just seeing stars and losing calories as a bonus. You see, there’s a good reason why “having sex” is often replaced with “being intimate with somebody”. Sex starts with romance and ends with romance because both genders feel the need to cuddle after it. Furthermore, healthy sex life is a confidence boost for both genders – it proves that partners are still very much interested in all aspects of their relationship. Did you know, for example, that couples who have sex often, demonstrate more feelings? They feel the need to touch, kiss and hug more often and have fewer problems with demonstrating this lovey-dovey behavior in public. You know why? Because sex makes the body produce more oxytocin, a hormone that makes us feel the need to love and trust somebody.

3. IT KEEPS OUR LADY HORMONES BALANCED

A night of passion can do much more than put a smile on a lady’s #face. You see, being sexually active actually means producing more estrogen. And we all know what happens when your #body stops producing this female hormone in optimal amount! Practicing your lovemaking skills at least once a week delays menopause symptoms, regulates menstrual cycle and increases fertility. Now, isn’t that one great reason to throw yourself on that sexy #man of yours?

Read also:

4. IT REDUCES THE RISK OF CANCER

#Everything can cause cancer these days! Active smoking, passive smoking, deodorants, paints and even some clothes! Luckily, there’s one thing you can do to help prevent both breast and prostate cancer – engage in some ol’ fashioned horizontal gymnastics!

5. IT HELPS YOU TO LIVE LONGER

Sex rejuvenates, heals wounds, makes you more flexible and less prone to various illnesses. It’s a metabolism and immunity booster, reduces the risk of stroke and fights the aging process too! Add that positive, happy, sexy feeling your weekly supply of “Big O’s” will give you and you’ve just got yourself a perfect anti-aging method no lab could ever produce, bottle or sell!

Read also:

6. IT TARGETS ALL MUSCLES

Whoa! This definitely sheds a different light on our regular at home #exercise routine. By the way, when I say all muscles, I really mean ALL of them. You see, challenging him to come to play won’t only do wonders for your physical appearance, it’s also helps to do your Kegel exercises more efficiently in order to reduce the risk of incontinence later in life.

7. IT REDUCES PAIN

A headache is not a reason to refuse sex. In fact, that’s the reason why you should have it! When our emotional and happy hormones join forces during sex, pain has no other option but to run away. So, the next time your partner says he has something to take the pain away, you better believe it’s true. Yes, that is an excuse to get some, but hey, let’s not be petty.

Read also:

8. IT MAKES YOU WANT IT MORE EACH TIME

The more you have sex, the more you'll want it. Doing it will increase your libido, which means that you'll want to have sex more often. This occurs, because sex increases your blood flow and vaginal lubrication, which makes sex feel even better for you this time than it did the last time.

9. IT HELPS BLADDER CONTROL

Having sex works out your pelvic muscles. So if you're guilty of having to run to the bathroom every five minutes, having sex can be the cure you've been looking for. The more orgasms you have, the stronger your pelvic muscles will become.

Read also:

10. IT IMPROVES SLEEP

Are you having trouble getting a good night's sleep? Well, all you need to do is have an exciting round of sex, and you'll be snoozing in no #time. Orgasming releases a chemical in your body that relaxes you, which means it'll be super easy to fall asleep in your lover's #arms.

11. IT CREATES A GLOW

Women who have sex have a certain glow about them. Studies have shown that women who have frequent sex actually end up looking younger than #women who do not commonly engage in intercourse. So if you don't have enough cash for wrinkle cream, have some sex instead.

12. IT CAUSES LIGHTER PERIODS

The more you orgasm, the shorter your period will be. When your pelvic muscles contract, it helps expel blood and tissue more quickly, which means your period will be over before you know it. Those orgasms will even lower your risk of getting bad cramps!

13. IT HELPS YOU GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

When you have sex with someone, they're letting you see a side of them that not many people have seen. That means you're special! Having sex helps you learn what makes your partner happy, and will let you know them better than anyone else does.

14. IT REDUCES RISK OF PROSTATE CANCER

You might not have to worry about prostate cancer, but your#partner does. If you want him to live a long, happy life then having sex with him can help make it happen. You shouldn't be focused only on the #benefits of sex for you, but for your partner as well.

15. IT BURNS CALORIES

Not only will your muscles become toned, but you could lose some #weight. Losing 100 calories every half-hour or so doesn't seem like much, but if you have sex multiple times a week, all of those #calories will add up. Instead of hitting the gym, you can just have some fun at home.

16. IT CAUSES HEALTHIER SKIN

If you're unhappy with your complexion, sex could help. A hormone called DHEA is produced during intercourse, which helps with a variety of #things, including your skin. So skip the dermatologist and hop into #bed.

17. IT'S A HEALTHY RELEASE

When you're in love with someone, you can't get enough of them. You want to show them how much they mean to you, which is hard to do. That's why sex is a great way to release your emotions and show him how much love you have.

18. IT HELPS YOU STAY SMART

Sex increases blood flow to the brain, which means that you'll be more alert. If you have a lot of work to do, having sex beforehand could actually help you. It'll make your brain sharper.

19. IT MAKES YOU HAPPY

The point of being in a #relationship is to make each other happy. Sex is fun, so just relax and enjoy it! You don't need an excuse in order to engage in intercourse. The fact that it makes you happy is all the reason that you need.

I guess whoever came up with the slogan “Make love, not war” was certainly a smart person. Do you agree? How often do you demonstrate your bedroom skills? And a little question I’ve been trying to answer for ages now – Do you think relationships without sex can last or they end as soon as#people involved in them find somebody with whom they can have it all?

This article was written in collaboration with editor Holly Riordan.

http://allwomenstalk.com/7-reasons-why-sex-is-important

Sunday, January 3, 2016

US Was Smuggling Guns to Syria Through Benghazi Consulate

CIA 'running arms smuggling team in Benghazi when consulate was attacked'

The CIA has been subjecting operatives to monthly polygraph tests in an attempt to suppress details of a reported US arms smuggling operation in Benghazi that was ongoing when its ambassador was killed by a mob in the city last year, according to reports.

CIA running arms smuggling team in Benghazi when consulate attack: The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames during a protest by an armed group in this file photo taken September 11, 2012.

Up to 35 CIA operatives were working in the city during the attack last September on the US consulate that resulted in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, according toCNN.

The circumstances of the attack are a subject of deep division in the US with some Congressional leaders pressing for a wide-ranging investigation into suspicions that the government has withheld details of its activities in the Libyan city.

The television network said that a CIA team was working in an annex near the consulate on a project to supply missiles from Libyan armouries to Syrian rebels.

Sources said that more Americans were hurt in the assault spearheaded by suspected Islamic radicals than had been previously reported. CIA chiefs were actively working to ensure the real nature of its operations in the city did not get out.

So only the losses suffered by the State Department in the city had been reported to Congress.

"Since January, some CIA operatives involved in the agency's missions in Libya, have been subjected to frequent, even monthly polygraph examinations, according to a source with deep inside knowledge of the agency's workings," CNN reported.

Frank Wolf, a US congressman who represents the district that contains CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, is one of 150 members of Congress for a new investigation into the failures in Benghazi.

"I think it is a form of a cover-up, and I think it's an attempt to push it under the rug, and I think the American people are feeling the same way," he said. "We should have the people who were on the scene come in, testify under oath, do it publicly, and lay it out. And there really isn't any national security issue involved with regards to that."

A CIA spokesman said it had been open about its activities in Benghazi.

"The CIA has worked closely with its oversight committees to provide them with an extraordinary amount of information related to the attack on US facilities in Benghazi," a CIA statement said. "CIA employees are always free to speak to Congress if they want," the statement continued. "The CIA enabled all officers involved in Benghazi the opportunity to meet with Congress. We are not aware of any CIA employee who has experienced retaliation, including any non-routine security procedures, or who has been prevented from sharing a concern with Congress about the Benghazi incident."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Expat

Opinion: U.S. Expats Could Make a Difference in 2016 Presidential Race

When it comes to how a Presidential election can be won, all we ever hear is “Florida, Florida, Florida,” with “Ohio” and “Pennsylvania” occasionally thrown in. But in 2016 there could be one more way. Because in addition to these critical states and the electorate across the entire U.S., there’s actually another group of eligible voters who collectively make up a larger population than Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, the District of Columbia, Vermont and Wyomingcombined. This group of 7.6 million people, called U.S. expats (aka Americans living abroad), comprise a significant voting population that could have a material impact on the 2016 Presidential election. Here is who they are and why they could matter—a lot.

U.S. expats are Americans who have made a conscious decision, whether personal or professional, to live off U.S. soil. Whether they are global nomads seeking adventure, have careers at companies which require them to live abroad or just wanted a change, they are U.S. citizens who have the right to participate in elections, just like U.S. residents. Last month, my company surveyed nearly 2,000 U.S. expats and found close to 60% voted in the 2012 presidential election (comparable to the U.S. voter turnout that year). We believe this to be a clear indicator of the total U.S. expat population behavior and that translates into a lot of potential swing voters: 4.6 million to be exact. For the candidates who decide to campaign to this group as purposefully as they might seniors or soccer moms, they’ll need to identify and offer solutions to the issues that are important to them, as it very well could be a factor on election day.

More In renunciation

So what are the critical issues that 2016 Presidential candidates should address? The largest concern for U.S. expats is Fatca (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act). Fatca is part of the U.S. initiative to thwart tax cheats hiding assets overseas but it’s having unintended consequences. In addition to the U.S. taxpayer requirement to report certain financial assets if they exceed the thresholds, foreign financial institutions are now required to report on the accounts of their American clients. As a result, many banks are choosing not to work with Americans who live and work there—either summarily closing their accounts or simply refusing their business outright. This is reportedly a huge issue for expats who need access to a foreign bank for their daily activities. Not only is this tremendously frustrating but it’s having a direct, negative impact on their lives.

The latest data on the number of Americans who renounced their citizenship in 2014 should be all the proof we need to know something is going wrong; a record 3,415 Americans handed over their passports last year. We don’t know the exact reasons why they did so, but it can’t be a huge stretch to connect the dots. The cost to file U.S. taxes, as well as the burden of filing, has risen in recent years due to initiatives such as Fatca—but not as sharply as the renunciation rate. Perhaps if candidates were more actively addressing the concerns of this group, we could actually reverse the trend and find more Americans retaining their citizenship.

Rules like Fatca and Fbar (Foreign Bank Account Report) are causing significant pain to those living overseas and are serving as a wake-up call. U.S. expats now realize that with their right to vote comes the power to change the system. In our survey, nearly 20% of the expats who didn’t vote in the past election didn’t believe it was important to vote or that their vote would make a difference. If a candidate addresses the primary pain points for expats, they may just give the other 40% of expats a real reason to vote—and possibly swing a swing state!

In the past, few candidates (if any) have considered overseas Americans an important demographic. But the candidate who does see the value of addressing the expat concerns may just find themselves with the ability to make real change for all Americans—from the campaign trail to behind the desk in the Oval Office.

Complete > http://tinyurl.com/jhywb9c

Monday, January 4, 2016