Rebel News - Independent News and Analysis

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has rejected a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) statement over its three Persian Gulf islands.

"The baseless claims made by the GCC in Riyadh over the Iranian islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa is a clear interference in Iran's internal affairs," Mehmanparast said on Wednesday.

US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that Iran's policies were against US national interests, adding that Washington will keep existing sanctions against Tehran in force.

In a letter to the Congress of the United States, President Obama informed lawmakers about his decision to make the National Emergency on Iran, which will be expired on March 15, saying that the emergency will continue in effect for one year.

Arab League Chief Amr Moussa has declared that the Palestinians would not enter direct or indirect peace negotiations with Israel unless the regime halts plans to build 1,600 new homes in east Jerusalem al-Quds.

Following an urgent meeting of Arab delegates in Cairo, Moussa said acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas had told him he would not take part in talks in the current circumstances.

The Japanese government is planning to exclude certain officials from talks with the US on the relocation of the United States' military base in Okinawa.

Government sources said on Wednesday the decision is aimed at finding a political solution for the deadlocked talks and avoiding bureaucracy.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says about 8,000 Nigerians have fled their homes following sectarian clashes that killed over 100 people.

"The Nigerian Red Cross Society is distributing food and water to about 5,000 displaced people (IDPs) who have taken refuge in various police stations in the area and to some 300 detainees," the organization reported in statement released on Wednesday.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has paid a visit to Saudi Arabia, seeking to win the support of the United States' closest ally in the Persian Gulf on tough sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Gates met with King Abdullah and the Saudi crown prince as part of the US administration's diplomatic push for new United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Iran.

Two US drone attacks on Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region have killed at least 14 people and injured a number of others.

Eight people were killed when a drone fired five missiles at a vehicle in Mizar Madakhel village, Pakistani intelligence officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Moscow has once again hit out at Washington's plans for stationing a missile system in Eastern Europe.

Russia cannot allow US plans to deploy elements of its missile system in Europe to threaten the effectiveness of its nuclear deterrent, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

Traffic police in Moscow have been accused of making a road block using the cars of passing motorists in an attempt to stop a speeding vehicle. The story came to light after a man claiming to be a witness posted his account of the story on the internet. rt's Sarah Firth has the details.

A member of Iraq's National Alliance (INA) has warned that the US is possibly attempting to manipulate the results of the country's general elections as the release of the vote tally was postponed again.

INA candidate, Entifadh Qanbar told press TV that the United States might try to intervene in the process of vote counting through the High Electoral Commission.