World Press on Iran, Turkey and Caucasus (October 25,2010)

Today the Los Angeles Times writes that Iran sidesteps trade sanctions with help from Chinese firms. At the Tehran International Industry Fair this month, leaders boasted in a brochure that 25 countries were taking part. But on a visit to the fair, one country stood out: China. It is said that Beijing can supply versions of almost anything no
longer imported from Western countries, and can easily circumvent or even ignore the banking complications faced by other nations attempting to do business with the Islamic Republic.

More Iranian news reported by the LA Times is that a man convicted of theft had his hand chopped off in front of other prisoners in the Yazd province central prison. The sentence was carried out against 32-year-old "M", whose full name was not revealed, after allegedly committing four robberies.

The LA Times writes that no one has any word on the health of jailed Iranian human rights attorney Nasrine Sotoudeh, who began a hunger strike four weeks ago. She's now been held in solitary confinement for more than 45 days, ever since her Sept. 4 arrest, and is said to be on hunger strike, according to her husband, Reza Khandan.

The New York Times pays attention to a Philosophy Day boycotted by a few philosophers. The idea was simple: each year, on the third Thursday in November, the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization would hold an international gathering of philosophers for a day of rational discussion and free debate. But this year, the
celebration of World Philosophy Day has been overshadowed by a boycott organized by academics from around the world who say that by holding the event in Tehran, Unesco risks turning its “school of freedom” into a propaganda exercise for a brutal regime.
The Washington Post reports that the U.S. Agency for International Development has awarded a $3.25 million contract to Bethesda-based Development Alternatives Inc. to assist the newly elected Kyrgyzstan parliament, an illustration of the government's growing - and often troubled - reliance on outside contractors to promote democratic institutions abroad.

Press TV reports that in the wake of Western refusals to give proper responses to Tehran's demands and questions on nuclear talks, an Iranian lawmaker urges the P5+1 to act appropriately.

On the other hand, Ukraine and Iran are to forge stronger ties as the new Ukrainian ambassador to Iran has met with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, calling for more cooperation between the two countries.
Iran also plans to boost security co-op with Pakistan. A joint security commission is set to be held in the near future.PressTV reports that the Bolivian President Evo Morales has arrived in Tehran for a three-day state visit, with the goal of strengthening bilateral ties and seeking more Iranian investment in the South American country.

Turkey‘s Hurrriyet says a labor leader is sceptical of Turkey's democratization. The founding chairwoman of a municipal workers’ union has doubts that the referendum to reform Turkey’s Constitution has contributed to the democratization of the country. One of the major problems that troubled people about the proposed constitutional changes was that of the judiciary. The change means an increase in the number of judges on the Constitutional Court, the method by which they would be chosen and the role of Parliament.

Turkish decision-makers, including the country’s top officials and political leaders, must have an all-inclusive approach to solve the “headscarf issue,” according to a women’s rights activist. Several statements on this was cause by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyıp Erdogan said Saturday that women not wearing head-scarves had to protect the rights of those doing so.

Hurriyet also wrote about retired Turkish general Erdogan Karakuş claiming a close encounter with UFOs over the western province of Balıkesir in May 1983. Karakuş said the control towers at airports in Ankara, Istanbul and Konya also detected the UFOs that night. “We reported [the incident] and it was probably sent to NASA.”