Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Barack Obama: Iran faces fresh nuclear sanctions within weeks


Barack Obama: Iran faces fresh nuclear sanctions within weeks

President's warning comes as Tehran rejects reprocessing deal

Barack Obama speaks at Osan air force base in South Korea

Barack Obama speaks at Osan air force base in South Korea. Photograph: Jang Dong-Min/Getty Images

Barack Obama has signalled a further escalation in the crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions by serving notice that punitive measures could be agreed "within weeks".

Obama used a speech in South Korea's capital, Seoul, to warn that the lesson of dealing with neighbouring North Korea was that Tehran must meet a deadline for complying with international demands and would face unspecified "consequences" if it did not.

The president's remarks came a day after Iran appeared to definitively reject a proposal put forward in Vienna last month for sending enriched uranium to Russia and France for further processing, leaving negotiations at an apparent dead end.

"Iran has taken weeks now and has not shown its willingness to say yes to this proposal ... and so as a consequence we have begun discussions with our international partners about the importance of having consequences," Obama said at a news conference with the South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak. "Over the next several weeks, we will be developing a package of potential steps that we could take, that would indicate our seriousness to Iran." Obama added that he hoped Iran would change its mind. The two leaders also pressed North Korea to return to dormant nuclear talks.

Iran's foreign minster, Manouchehr Mottaki, speaking in Manila, dismissed talk of further sanctions. "Sanction was the literature of the 60s and 70s," he said. "I think they are wise enough not to repeat failed experiences."

On Wednesday Mottaki had appeared to reject the so-called Tehran nuclear research reactor (TRR) package but said Iran was ready for further talks.

The next diplomatic steps will be discussed tomorrow at a meeting in Brussels of the E3+3 – Britain, France and Germany, along with the US, UN and Russia – though diplomats said no decisions were expected. Britain is represented by Geoffrey Adams, a former British ambassador to Iran.

Obama failed to win assurances on his visit to China that Beijing would support fresh sanctions against Iran. Russia and France have been more supportive

The Foreign Office said it was "very disappointed" by Iran's failure to respond positively to the proposal by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran should send 75% of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France, where it would be turned into fuel for medical research. "Iran must act now to restore confidence in its overall programme," a statement said.

Gala Riani, an analyst at thinktank IHS Global Insight, said: "The deal has been viewed as an important exercise in confidence building, given in particular that it is the product of the first direct negotiations including Iran and the United States for some time."

Iran says it wants nuclear energy solely for peaceful purposes but its history of secrecy and restricting UN inspections have raised suspicions of a quest for nuclear weapons. Israel, which wants to preserve its nuclear monopoly in the Middle East, has threatened to attack Iran's nuclear sites if diplomacy fails.

Earlier this week the IAEA expressed fears that Iran may have other secret nuclear sites following the discovery of a hidden facility near the holy city of Qom.

British officials had privately doubted Iran would accept the TRR proposal, not least because of divisions in Tehran in the wake of last June's disputed presidential elections. Diplomats reported initially surprising signs that Iranian negotiators were considering a deal but these vanished once they returned home. Sanctions are unlikely to directly target Iran's energy sector due to opposition from Russia and China. But sanctions would likely target Iranian banks and companies, affecting project financing, the development of the hydrocarbon sector and limit foreign investment — bad news for an already weak economy.

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, meanwhile condemned death sentences imposed by Iran over unrest after the elections. "It is a very unfortunate, distressing development to see these sentences handed down … imposing the death penalty on people who participated in expressing their opposition to the government," Clinton said.


Mazes of Obama
Barak Obama Maze Portrait- 2009

Portrait barak obama maze


Portrait Maze of Barak Obama, profile view - 2009
Portrait barak obama maze by maze of mazes artist yonatan frimer InkBlotMazes Ink Blot Mazes, By Yonatan Frimer, your humble maze artist

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Foot maze a big step for school

Foot maze a big step for school

LUNCHTIMES and lessons could soon be a-mazing for pupils after they drew up plans for an adventure area on their school field.

A proposed maze at Wybunbury Delves Primary School, near Nantwich, would be laid out in the shape of a giant foot, symbolising children's efforts to reduce their own carbon footprints.

It would be made entirely from natural materials, such as shrubs, and the network of paths would lead to a teepee at its centre.

This tent would act as an outdoor classroom and could be used for reading sessions, small group work and other fun learning activities.

The maze is set to form the centrepiece of an environmental area, which would also include a hibernation zone for hedgehogs, a sensory garden, a wildlife area, and a den.

But pupils and staff need funding to bring their grand ideas to life. So now they have turned to The Sentinel's and Barclays' Class Act competition for help.

If they win a £5,000 prize, it would pay for the materials they need and would also enable pupils to work with Cheshire Wildlife Trust on environmental science activities.

Rose Borup, aged 10, from Audlem, said: "We would probably get the school's environment club to help plant the maze.

"We could use the maze at lunchtimes, because we would have a longer period of time to find our way round it. But it shouldn't be too difficult or children may get lost.

"I really like the idea of mazes because they are fun and they keep you occupied. It would also be good to have a maze made out of natural resources, because it shows us about the importance of the natural environment."

Other ideas for the environmental area include creating an outdoor art gallery for children's work.

Teacher Rhion Silvester said: "The land isn't used at the moment and is just under an acre. With the maze in the middle of it, there is going to be a lot of space to work with. We've talked about having log piles to create a home for mini-beasts. The children have lots of other ideas."

All 185 pupils at Wybunbury Delves Primary would be able to use the maze, and so too would children who attend a pre-school on the same site.

For solving these mazes, find the entrance and exit arrows and the path that connects them, then you've solved the maze.

More Mazes by Yonatan Frimer, visit Team Of Monkeys . com of Ink Blot Mazes . com


Maze Portrait of Albert Einstein.
Portait maze of albert einstein

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Maze of Albert Einstein, created by Yonatan Frimer

Maze Portrait of Albert Einstein.
Celebrity, artword, celebrities, portraits, famous,  Portait maze of albert einstein
"Genius Maze" - By Y. Frimer

This Maze of Albert Einstein was created by Yonatan Frimer. the arrows depict the entrances and exits of the maze. good luck!

More Mazes like this one at Team Of Monkeys . com and InkBlotMazes.com

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Rhino Maze by Yonatan Frimer


Rhino Maze, by Yonatan Frimer
rhino maze
Rhino Maze By Yonatan Frimer

The art above it a maze.
to solve it you need to find the entrances and exits with their arrows and then the path that connects them. How long does it take you to finish this maze? Better than sudoku?

More mazes at TeamOfMonkeys.com


Monday, November 9, 2009

Maze Portrait of Evan Rachel Wood, Created By Yonatan Frimer

Evan Rachel Wood Plays The Queen in True Blood, The Maze
maze comic of team of monkeys changing a tire

Created By Yonatan Frimer

To Solve these mazes, simple find the entrance and exit arrows and then located the path that connects them, without crossing over any of the dark lines.

Good Luck! More mazes like these can be found at TeamOfMonkeys.com and at InkBlotMazes.com