US President Barack Obama has signed the foreign aid budget
law for 2010 which includes the granting of $2.775 billion
in security aid to Israel.
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20091219/pirhayati20091219130346625.jpg
The Israeli Ynet news website reported that the budget
signed by Obama, for the first time, also grants $500
million to the Palestinian Authority.
The aid also includes $100 million to be used by US General
Keith Dayton, who is in charge of training the Palestinian
security forces in the West Bank.
The aid will be handed over to the Palestinians under the
condition that the American taxpayers' money will only be
transferred to a Palestinian government whose members accept
the conditions of the international Quartet - the United
States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
The conditions include recognizing Israel, renouncing
violence and accepting past agreements signed with the Tel
Aviv regime.
The $3 billion aid is comprised of $2 billion in security
aid and $1 billion in civilian aid.
The annual American security aid to Israel increased to $2.4
Billion after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took
office and gradually relinquished the civilian aid.
The aid is accompanied by special additions to the Israeli
military industries for the development of technologies,
particularly in the missile field.
MP/MTM/DT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=114132§ionid=351020202
Firms to sign pre-contracts for 7 Iraqi oil fields
Iraq will sign preliminary contracts, from Sunday, with oil
companies that bid successfully last week for seven fields,
oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP.
Iraq currently produces around 2.4 million barrels of oil per day Enlarge photo
http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/ne/afp/20091219/13/372645989-firms-sign-pre-contracts-7-iraqi-oil-fields.jpg
The contracts will then be submitted to the cabinet for
final approval.
On Sunday, the consortium comprised of Anglo-Dutch firm
Shell (60 percent) and Malaysia's Petronas (40 percent),
will sign a pre-contract for the development of Majnoon,
with estimated reserves of 12.58 billion barrels.
On Monday, Petronas will again sign in a 60-40 partnership
with Japanese firm Japex a pre-contract to exploit the
Garraf field, whose reserves are estimated at 863 million
barrels.
On Tuesday, a consortium grouping China's CNPC International
(50 percent), France's Total (25 percent) and Petronas (25
percent) are due to sign for the exploitation of the Halfaya
field which has estimated reserves of 4.09 billions barrels.
On Thursday, the group consisting of Russia's Gazprom (40
percent), Turkish firm TPAO (10 percent), South Korea's
Kogas (30 percent) and Petronas (20 percent) will ink a pre-
contract to develop the 109-million-barrel Badra field.
On December 29, Russia's Lukoil (85 percent) and Norway's
StatoilHydro (15 percent) will ratify the preliminary
contract to exploit West Qurna-2, the largest field to be
awarded in the latest auction, with reserves of 12.876
billion barrels.
Finally, on December 30, Angolan firm Sonangol will sign the
two preliminary contacts it won that cover the Najmah and
Qaiyarah fields in the northern Ninevah region, which
contain estimated reserves of 858 and 807 million barrels,
respectively.
Iraq holds the world's third-largest crude oil reserves
after Saudi Arabia and Iran, with some 115 billion barrels.
But wars and the embargo imposed in 1990 have hampered the
exploration and development of its oil resources for
decades.
Production currently stands at 2.4 million barrels a day,
about two million of which are exported. Iraqi oil revenues
represent 85 percent of government receipts.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20091219/twl-firms-to-sign-pre-contracts-for-7-ir-3cd7efd.html
--
A government, of Israel, by Israel, and, for: Israel.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. The light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not. The light of the body is the eye:
if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.