Featured
Scotland must have its own currency to succeed: S. Sha’ath
[youtube kMIlhawqPnA]
Press TV has conducted an interview with Saeb Sha’ath, author and Middle East expert, about the referendum for Scottish independence with the latest polls showing a surge in pro-independence support.
The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: Tell us overall the significance of this now that we’re seeing an increase of those going into the camp supporting an independent Scotland. One, tell us the significance of this increase; and two, what it really would mean for inside of the country and out if Scotland really did go independent.
Sha’ath: It’s significant for the Scottish people to gain their independence.
That will, on its own, spark changes within the United Kingdom and will have an impact on the European community as well; since other nations may follow suit like in Spain. The Catalonians will follow suit.
But it looks like it’s neck and neck in Scotland and there are 56 percent of voters in Scotland that are looking for more solid information regarding the economics, to take into account with their decision of a yes or no.
The economy is the key factor to sway the voter in going this way or that way. They want to see if they move into an independent Scotland, would it be better economically for them.
The worrying factor as I see myself in the independence is that the Scottish government itself wants to retain using the sterling pound, if the country votes for independence. That is, establishing a sterling zone with the rest of the UK.
Others who are pro-Independent like the Green Party in Scotland, do want a separate currency – which they are actually taking the more sensible decision here.
An arrangement of that means… the governor of the Bank of England – Mark Kearney said, an effective sterling union; would also force a new independent Scotland to hand over some of its sovereignty. He outlined that in his speech lately, which means there are ways of controlling an independent Scotland by the United Kingdom through the union of sterling – controlling by the economy through the sterling pound. And that is not good news.
I would say if an independent Scotland wants full independence they have to establish their own currency and I think Scotland in that way will succeed. The impact of that in Europe is huge, especially in the EU.
Press TV: We are hearing more and more talk of independence in various places. We talked about Scotland and of course you mentioned Spain; even in the United States there are certain states right now more and more talking about perhaps going independent.
Why are we seeing this at this time more and more talk about independence from various entities now?
Sha’ath: Mainly it’s for two reasons: one is nationalistic background; and the other one is economic factors.
The people in Scotland they believe the United Kingdom sucked their North Sea oil fields dry and Scotland didn’t benefit out of the oil bonanza, which Thatcher at the time exploited very well and Westminster benefitted out of that. That is one of the economic factors.
And the Scottish people believe they can benefit from being independent themselves and they can explore more economic opportunities in the future.
And the EU as a supranational body can guarantee them security and safety from British revenge or imposing a British will and rule against the Scottish people.
Spain is going the same way; the Catalonian people have a nationalistic agenda, which is part of their belief that they should secede out of Spain since they well be better economically as well; and for their nationalistic ideals.
The same thing in the United States of America we see in California believe they are richer than the other states, why should they subsidize others? And that is the economic factor in America. In the United States of America economics plays more obvious than nationalistic since more of the Americans are immigrants from different parts of the world.
SaebPress/SC/AB/Press TV
Featured
‘Yemenis said it very clear, a blockade will be faced by blockade’: Sha’ath
Saeb Shaath, author and commentator, says Yemen’s control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait has emerged as a major strategic challenge for Saudi Arabia and its Western allies, arguing that any disruption to the vital maritime corridor could have far-reaching consequences for global trade, energy markets, and regional security.
News / Interviews ‘Yemenis said it very clear, a blockade will be … | TikTok
He also discusses that Yemen’s deterrence capabilities have shifted the regional balance of power while increasing pressure on Riyadh to seek a political solution rather than military escalation.
Featured
‘Saudis Arabia is not respecting its neighbours’: Commentator
Yemen will enter a new stage to fully reclaim its rights, Saudi Arabia will find itself in a major strategic deadlock and will bear high costs for its aggression.
Commenting to PressTV on Saudi Arabia’s attack on Sana’a International Airport, author and commentator Saeb Shaath said ”Saudi Arabia’s actions destroy neighbours’ trust and destabilize the region”.
Yemen’s Foreign Ministry in Sana’a has condemned Saudi Arabia’s attack on Sana’a International Airport, saying that the strike marks the end of the truce and the beginning of a new phase of war.
In a statement on Monday, the Ministry declared that Yemen will enter a new stage to fully reclaim its rights, warning that Saudi Arabia will find itself in a major strategic deadlock and will bear high costs for its aggression.
Separately, the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, stated that “the Saudi aggression will not go unpunished,” adding, “The Saudi enemy has ended the de-escalation phase, and must bear responsibility for all potential consequences.”
The Yemeni Ministry of Transport announced in a statement that “Saudi Arabia’s bombardment of Sana’a airport and violation of the Yemeni airspace signifies the Riyadh regime’s insistence, with Americans’ and Zionists’ push, to continue the siege.”
On March 26, 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies initiated a blockade on Yemen, marking the beginning of a comprehensive war, backed with military, political, and logistical assistance from the United States and other Western countries.
The war has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Yemen, while failing to achieve its primary goal of reinstating the previous government that was aligned with Riyadh.
Amid a power struggle, the government fled the country, leading Yemen’s popular resistance movement, Ansarullah, to take charge of state affairs.
After a delicate ceasefire brokered by the UN in 2022, multiple rounds of significant attacks were launched against Yemen by the United States, Britain, and the Israeli regime.
The assaults aimed to weaken Sana’a’s ability to conduct solidarity strikes against Israeli targets, which were being conducted in response to Tel Aviv’s genocidal actions in the Gaza Strip.
Culture & Arts
Over 43 million join funeral ceremonies for Martyr Leader Imam Ali Khamenei in Iran, Iraq
Fra Hughes, reporting back From Iran, as he attending the funeral service in Mashhad for martyred Leader Imam Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
Fra Hughes, reporting back From Iran, as he attending the funeral service in Mashhad for martyred Leader Imam Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
Tens of millions of Iranians and devotees from across the world turned the funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, into the largest procession the world has ever witnessed, according to a report.
The six-day grand farewell and burial rites for the revered Leader were held across five cities — Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad — drawing massive, passionate crowds that defied all previous records, the Fars News Agency reported.
The ceremonies included three days in Tehran, two days of public mourning at the Grand Mosalla and one day of the main funeral procession, with each of the other cities hosting a full day of tributes. Many mourners traveled between cities, multiplying the scale of participation and creating a continuous wave of devotion.
Official estimates, compiled from multiple independent field and government sources, confirm that between 41 and 43 million people took part in the historic events.
These figures are based on a rigorous combination of data including public transport passenger records to and from ceremony sites, active mobile phone signals in key areas such as the Mosalla and main procession routes, average individual attendance duration of approximately two and a half hours, detailed crowd density calculations along Tehran’s procession paths, physical area measurements from Jamkaran Mosque to the Holy Shrine in Qom, and the route from the airport to the Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhad.
The endless sea of mourners, who had gathered since early morning, accompanied the vehicle carrying the blessed bodies, transforming the streets of Mashhad into a scene of unparalleled grandeur and devotion.
The sheer scale of the gathering defied description. From the moment the funeral vehicle entered Imam Reza Street, it was completely surrounded by waves of mourners who had traveled from every corner of Iran, all united in grief and determination.
Their tear-streaked faces and fervent chants filled the air, creating an atmosphere that observers described as one of the most remarkable displays of national unity in recent history.
Iraqi authorities, through the Prime Minister’s Office, separately verified the presence of around 10 million mourners in Najaf and Karbala, providing an important independent pillar for the overall calculation.
Even when applying the most conservative methodologies, Iranian officials and relevant authorities emphasize that this monumental event has surpassed every comparable gathering of the past century.
It stands without doubt as the single largest funeral procession in recorded history, a powerful and everlasting testament to the deep love and unwavering allegiance of the Iranian people and the broader Islamic Ummah for their martyred Leader.
The Leader and members of his family were martyred in a terrorist attack on February 28, carried out by the United States and the Zionist regime against the leader’s residence.
Among those martyred were new Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife, the late leader’s son-in-law; a daughter of the late leader and his 14-month-old granddaughter.
The funeral ceremonies began last Friday, with tributes from political officials from over 45 countries and scholars from more than 90 nations. This was followed by farewell ceremonies at Tehran’s Mosalla over the weekend, where millions paid their respects.
Watch Fra Hughes, reporting back From Iran, as he attending the funeral service in Mashhad for martyred Leader Imam Ayatollah Ali Khamenei :
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNREVSqqW
-
Articles15 years agoChe’s triumphal return to Wall Street
-
Featured8 years agoرحلة السفر من غزة الى مصر
-
News15 years ago‘Israel’ Hijacking of Freedom Wave flotilla “Violent and Dangerous”, Activists beaten.
-
Featured15 years agoPalestine Ambassador to Ireland, ‘we support the Moyle District Council’s proposal to twin with Gaza City’.
-
Culture & Arts14 years agoGamal Abdel Nasser, on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
-
المقالات و الاخبار العربية12 years agoغزة آخر قلاع المجد
-
Culture & Arts15 years agoNo Negotiations with Apartheid ‘Israel’ – Let it Self-Destruct!
-
Articles15 years agoConfessions of 40 Turkish intelligence officers captured in Syria
