U.S. security agencies; slimmer than ever!TEHRAN-In recent days, along with media leaks in the United States, US security agencies have been more critical of analysts and citizens than ever before. News and analysis in some US media shows that the CIA and FBI have been monitored and, of course, heavily criticized by American public opinion. Here's a look at some of the analysis and news:
Barr Blasts Inspector General for Whitewashing FBI
As Antiwar reported, Attorney General William Barr on Monday disparaged the long-awaited findings of the Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz into FBI conduct in the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Barr, in effect, accused Horowitz of whitewashing a litany of proven misfeasance and malfeasance that created the “predicate,” or legal justification, for investigating candidate-and-then-president Donald Trump on suspicion of being in cahoots with the Russians.In grammatical terms, ther..

Russian contractor starts work at power plant south of IranTEHRAN- Iranian officials say a Russian contractor is taking over at a major power plant south of the country which is expected to be built through finances provided by Moscow.
A local official in Iran’s southern province of Hormozgan said on Wednesday that construction works for the Sirik Power Plant had effectively started after banks opened a letter of credit for transfer of funds for the project.
Hossein Salimi, who heads the local energy department at Hormozgan, said temporary shelters and offices had been erected at the site of the project in Sirik for operations to start by the Russian contractor.
Salimi said the manager of the Russian company in charge of the project would be in Tehran within the next days to order the start of the construction work.
Russia is expected to invest up to €۱٫۲ billion in the construction of Sirik, a 1,200-megawatts power plant that would significantly boost Iran’s electricity generation ..

Caspian Sea oil exploration operations underwayTehran – Managing Director of Khazar Exploration and Production Company (KEPCO), a subsidiary of National Iranian Oil Company which handles exploration operation in the Caspian Sea region in Northern Iran, said exploration operations are underway in the region.
“Emphasized by the President [Hassan Rouhani] and the Oil Minister [Bijan Namdar Zanganeh] operations for developing and exploring hydrocarbon resources in the Caspian Sea [region] are underway,” Ali Osouli told Shana.
Mentioning President Rouhani’s recent talks with the presidents of the Caspian states, Osouli noted that Iran is pursuing joint projects for exploration and extraction of oil in the Caspian Sea.
“[In those talks] President Rouhani expressed hope that such discussions would be followed up on in joint economic committee meetings,” he added.
According to the official, KEPCO also has on the agenda to cooperation with knowledge-based companies specialized in deepwater e..

‘۱۷ foreign countries eager for investment in Chabahar Port’ TEHRAN – The Director General of Ports and Maritime Department of Sistan-Baluchestan Province said 17 countries have expressed willingness for contribution to development of Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran, Tasnim news agency reported.
According to Behrouz Aghaie so far 130 foreign company representative delegations have visited Chabahar, of which 17 have expressed willingness for investment in the port.
Emphasizing the fact that Chabahar Port has no restrictions on accepting investors from other countries, Aghaie said, “Working with India does not mean rejecting the presence of other countries in Chabahar Port.”
The official further mentioned negotiations for making the port an especial economic zone and said, “Becoming a special economic zone would solve many of Chabahar's problems in terms of tariffs, insurance, and other matters, and this is one of the necessities for development of Chabahar Port because it make..

Three million undernourished people in Asia-Pacific need to be lifted out of hunger every single month: FAOThree million undernourished people in Asia and the Pacific must be lifted out of hunger each month from now on, if the region is to meet the SDG 2 Zero Hunger goal by the end of 2030, says a new report released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
With nearly half-a-billion of the world’s undernourished people living in Asia-Pacific, FAO is calling for urgent actions to address hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, and, for the first time in this region, to take decisive, informed and coordinated action to place nutrition at the heart of social protection programmes.
Child stunting and wasting, hidden hunger alongside growing obesity
The report’s latest figures relating to hunger, including micronutrient deficiencies also known as hidden hunger, child stunting shows that “the prevalence of stunting and wasting in the region remains hig..

Russia, Iran discuss war on terror TEHRAN – Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin has exchanged views with top Iranian Intelligence Ministry officials about cooperation in the fight against terrorism, says SVR spokesman Sergei Ivanov.
“Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin has concluded his visit to Tehran. He discussed ways to boost cooperation in the fight against international terrorism and common security threats with senior officials at the Iranian Intelligence Ministry,” Ivanov pointed out, TASS reported on Wednesday.
Naryshkin also held a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani. The parties exchanged views on global and regional security issues, as well as on cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Iran, Russia, and Turkey have said they are concerned about the increased presence of terrorist groups in Syria’s Idlib province.
The trio also said they rejected attempts to create “new realities on the..

Guterres says UN is unable to verify weapons used in Saudi oil attack were from Iran TEHRAN – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the UN is “unable to independently corroborate” that missiles and drones used in attacks on Saudi oil facilities in September “are of Iranian origin”.
“At this time, it is unable to independently corroborate that the cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles used in these attacks are of Iranian origin,” he wrote in the report, seen by Reuters.
Yemenis launched drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations on September 14, disrupting half of the country’s oil supply.
Washington and Riyadh claimed Iran was behind the attacks. Tehran has said blaming Iran for the attack is part of a larger game against Iran in line with Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in September that “even the Saudis themselves don’t believe the fiction of Iranian involvement” ..

Algeria’s landmark televised trial: Court convicts, imprisons 2 ex-PMs, ministers, tycoons for corruptionALGERIA – For the second time since Algeria’s pro-democracy mass protests, following the first trial with long prison terms handed to former spy chiefs, leftist political party SG, and the brother of the ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, over charges of plotting against the state and undermining the army, senior political officials and oligarchs, including two former Algerian prime ministers, went on live trial on groundbreaking corruption charges in the most high-profile act of transparency and accountability.
The exceptional trial came few days before the historical presidential election for the replacement of the long-serving president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, forced to step down, this April, following mass protests. It resulted from the sweeping investigations into graft allegations launched after the resignation of former president Bouteflika.
The televised trial took place ..

UAE, a virus threatening IraqThe United Arab Emirates is the name of a country that did not exist until 1971 and its geographical area was known as “the Trucial States”.
The United Arab Emirates is the name of a country that did not exist until 1971 and its geographical area was known as “the Trucial States”.
On December 2, 1971, the UAE appeared as a country on the map of the world. Today, the UAE interventions in the Arab states’ affairs and its role in creating instability is clear to everyone.
Regarding the destructive role of the UAE, the al-Monitor newspaper wrote that after the 2011 incidents, the role of the UAE, especially in quelling popular movements, became more obvious. The UAE, along with its allies, made every efforts to prevent the success of popular movements in Arab countries.
Arab media outlets have recently released reports that reveal the UAE interference in the Iraqi domestic affairs. The Al Mayadeen news channel reported that three UAE planeloads of arms were..

Persepolis, Sepahan learn fate at ACL2020TEHRAN – Iranian football teams Persepolis and Sepahan have learned their rivals at the 2020 AFC Champions League following the conclusion of the draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday.
Persepolis are drawn in Group C along with Qatari giants, Al Duhail SC, Al Taawoun FC from Saudi Arabia and Sharjah FC of the UAE.
Sepahan have been also drawn in Group D with Al Sadd SC of Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr and Play-off 1 winner (UAE/UZB/IRQ).
Group A consists of Al Wahda FSCC of the UAE, Iraq’s Al Shorta, Play-off winner (QAT/IRN/JOR/KUW) and Play-off winner (KSA/UZB/TJK).
Esteghlal will host the winner of Jordan’s Al-Faisaly and Al Kuwait of Kuwait in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in play-off and will face Al-Rayyan of Qatar if come out as winners.
Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, who defeated Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan to lift the 2019 title after runners-up finishes in 2014 and 2017, will have Shabab Al Ahli Dubai (UAE), Pakhtakor..