News Archive - 10 April 2012

Iran Tuesday rejected reports that it planned to permanently cut access to the Internet in August and launch a national intranet within five months and said multiple online reports surfaced Monday about Tehran's plan to do so were a hoax.

>Tensions are running high between Iran and Israel, which has not ruled out a military strike on the Islamic Republic if diplomatic efforts fail to resolve a row over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.Iranian officials have warned that the response to any military strike would be painful and have said...

The UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, has arrived in Tehran for talks with senior Iranian officials about the unrest in Syria. Annan was welcomed by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian upon his arrival at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport late on Tuesday night.

Militants have blown up a segment of a pipeline of a Saudi Arabian oil company in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa, according to Yemeni security officials. The attack occurred in the Mafrak al-Saeed district of Shabwa on Tuesday night, damaging a pipeline carrying crude oil from the southeastern province to...

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem says Damascus has already withdrawn its troops from several Syrian cities and begun implementing UN-brokered cease-fire plan. "We have already withdrawn forces and army units from several Syrian provinces," said Muallem in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on...

An analysis of tax returns of Britain’s wealthiest people has shown that British multimillionaires pay “virtually no income tax,” exploiting legal loopholes. British Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne, whose 2012 budget was described as a budget “for millionaires”, said he was left “shocked” by the findings of a confidential study...

A large terrorist network affiliated to the Israeli spy agency Mossad has been busted by the IRI Intelligence Ministry, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday. Several super-security operation cells run by the network have also been identified and dismantled and scores of operatives have been arrested in this relation,...

Gunter Grass' poem in which he warns about Israeli nukes has shaken world media enough but its aftershocks, as strong as the earlier waves, have begun to rattle the international community, primarily in Germany. According to a mondoweiss article published on Sunday, supportive calls for Grass poem have begun to...

IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that the Iranian nation will never permit any one to forfeit its rights. Addressing a gathering of people in Hormozgan, southern Iran, the president appreciated the nation’s spirit. President Ahmadinejad is in Hormozgan on his fourth-time visit as part of his regular provincial...

lawyer of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on a hunger strike for over two months to protest against his detention, says the Bahraini rights activist is feared dead. Al-Khawaja’s lawyer Mohammed al-Jeshi said on Monday that Bahraini authorities have turned down repeated requests to contact him since yesterday and that...

Deputy IRI Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Tehran considers collective regional cooperation essential for maintaining security in the Persian Gulf. Given the importance of the Strait of Hormuz as a vital route for providing the world’s energy requirements, Iran considers collective and local cooperation necessary for maintaining sustainable security in...

Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said despite the recent ban imposed by the European Union on Iran’s oil exports, Tehran faces no problems in selling its oil. Speaking to reporters, Rostam Qasemi said the Iranian oil has high economic value and the international oil market would never neglect it. About exports...

A large march was staged Monday evening in downtown Los Angeles where marchers protested against all cases of injustice against the African Americans, including Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old fatally shot in Florida by a neighborhood watch captain. "I've had to add names to this list, and it's just heartbreaking," organizer...

IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in southern country Tuesday morning. This is the fourth time the president is visiting the province as part of his regular provincial tours. A number of cabinet members are accompanying President Ahmadinejad during his three-day stay in Hormuzgan.

>* Japan P&I club dependent on European reinsurers* Japan sharply reducing imports of Iranian crude oil (Adds quote, details)By Osamu TsukimoriTOKYO, April 11 (Reuters) - Ship owners covered by Japan P&I club must alert the maritime insurer in advance of any plans to transport Iranian oil and petrochemicals that could...

>U.S. oil slipped 10 cents to $100.93 a barrel by 0002 GMT, after settling down $1.44, the lowest since Feb. 14 and below its 100-day moving average of $101.65.Brent crude traded 32 cents lower at $119.56 a barrel, after settling $2.79 lower at...

>Iran agreed to renew discussions with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - plus Germany last month, more than a year after previous talks failed.Iraq said last Wednesday it had offered to host the nuclear negotiations following...

>* U.S. crude inventories seen rising further due to imports* Coming Up: U.S. API weekly crude stocks; 2030 GMT (Updates prices)By Ikuko KurahoneLONDON, April 10 (Reuters) - Oil slipped below $122 on Tuesday as soft Chinese import data raised concerns about oil demand growth in the world's second-biggest...

>DUBAI, April 10 (Reuters) - Iran has cut oil exports to Spain and may halt sales to Germany and Italy, Iran's English-language state television reported on Tuesday, days before Tehran takes part in crucial talks over its nuclear activities."Tehran has cut oil supply to Spain after stopping crude export...

This past Tuesday, April 10, as the ceasefire arranged by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan supposedly commenced, Syrian rebels posted a short video on the Internet that they claimed showed mortar shells fired by forces loyal to dictator Bashir Assad striking the city of Homs. I watched part of...

From the America Abroad series: "Iran and the Bomb." UN negotiations with Iran open April 13, 2012 in Istanbul, and the situation is increasingly tense. This documentary explores the history of Iran's nuclear effort, the role of sanctions and the possibility of military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

# censorship Iran has issued a strongly worded statement denying reports from yesterday that the country planned to shut itself off from the rest of the Internet . Quite the contrary—Iran is just building its own, closed version. Totally different! More »

WASHINGTON - Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight (G8) major economies open talks in Washington later Wednesday as pressure for international action mounts over security fears about Syria and North Korea.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there is no alternative to U.S. leadership in the Asia- Pacific region, recognizing concerns that the U.S. is moving to deny rising Asian nations “their fair share of influence.”

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Learning from books is important for Zelalem Tizazu. He committed five years of his life in his native Ethiopia reading, learning at school about becoming a pharmacist. When it came to hands-on, clinical experience to earn his d...

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How much does a graduate journalist earn? Elizabeth Redman did some digging to find out that most start on $35,000-$47,000, with those at rural jobs at the lower end. Plus other media news. Read more on the blog... Read more on the... Read more on the blog...

>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent crude held at $120 on Wednesday, after posting steep losses in the previous session, as a cut in global oil consumption forecast by the EIA and an unexpected surge in U.S. crude stocks reinforced fears demand growth may slow. The cut by the U.S.

Lou Williams paced five Sixers in double figures with 20 points, and Philadelphia posted a 107-88 win over the New Jersey Nets at Prudential Center.

Industry efforts in salt reduction appear to be on trend with the health challenges of an ageing population, which this year is a priority issue for the World Health Organization.

UNITED NATIONS -- Syria's yearlong turmoil could stoke violence in neighboring Iraq, where more than 600 people were killed in religion-related attacks in the first three months of this year, a U.N. official told the Security Council on Tuesday. "Terrorist...

Hope springs eternal that diplomacy will end Iran’s nuclear-weapons quest, but the latest talks with Tehran seem aimed more at kicking the atomic can down the road — preferably until the fall. Iran hopes to stall so that it can advance its nuclear-weapons program. The West still flinches at confrontation...

David Cameron is set to arrive in Indonesia for the latest leg of his South East Asia trade mission.

Carlos Beltran hit a solo home run in the first and David Freese added a two-run shot in the sixth and the Cardinals beat the Reds, 3-1, in the second test of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.

DAMASCUS, April 10, 2012 (AFP) - Global leaders on Tuesday accused Syria of failing to begin implementing a ceasefire deal as regime forces pounded protest hubs on the deadline day, with 28 civilians among more than 50 people killed.

So ends Phase One. Rick Santorum’s sudden suspension of his presidential campaign left Mitt Romney atop the Republican high ground yesterday. Barring intervention by the fates, the former Massachusetts governor will be his party’s nominee this fall. Congratulations are due, but he can’t relax: Romney needs to...

In my last column I had suggested that Pakistan needed to be careful in awarding contracts for the Pakistan part of the Iran - Pakistan pipeline. We should study such recent examples of pipeline construction in our neighbourhood as the Dolphin Project in the UAE, the IGAT 7 pipeline in...

David Cameron is set to arrive in Indonesia for the latest leg of his South East Asia trade mission.

WASHINGTON, Apr 8 (Reuters) Getting Iran to suspend higher-level uranium enrichment and close a nuclear facility built deep under a mountain are 'near-term priorities' for the United States and its allies, a senior US official said today as new talks loomed over Iran's nuclear standoff with the West.

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Three weeks ago, Rick Santorum chose this Civil War town to give a defiant speech about his need to stay in the presidential race, linking his struggle against Mitt Romney to "the things that the people in this battlefield just down the road fought for."

Good Morning, Dr. Saeed Al Shamsi, Consul General Siberell, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to extend my thanks to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for co-hosting with the United States this Gulf Cooperation Council Counterproliferation Workshop.

When it comes to the Middle East, question everything. Question quarter sheets handed to you on the Diag, question “facts,” question sources, question motives, question opportunities — especially missed opportunities like Palestine Awareness Week, which had such amazing potential to share the rich culture of a people too often ignored.

We're On Location at The Agora.

NEW YORK — U.S. drivers will pay an average of 24 cents more per gallon for gasoline during this summer's travel season, the government said Tuesday. Gasoline will cost an average of $3.95 per gallon from April through September, an increase of 6.3 percent from the same...

U.S. and Afghan officials met Tuesday to negotiate rules for U.S. military activity in Afghanistan after foreign combat troops leave in 2014. "Our negotiators are back in business today," Marc Grossman, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Forecast: Drivers to pay 6% more for gas this summer By CHRIS KAHN The Associated Press Published Apr 10, 2012 05:00PM MDT U.S. drivers will pay an average of 24 cents more per gallon for gasoline this summer travel season than last, the government said Tuesday. Gasoline will cost...

New Delhi: A pat on the back by none other than International Boxing Association president Ching Kuo Wu came as a shot in the arm as five Indian boxers geared up for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers semi-finals in Astana, Kazakhstan Wednesday.

Oil has closed at a two-month low on more troubling signs for the world economy.   Benchmark US crude dropped by US$1.44 to US$101.02 ($123.90) per barrel in New York on Tuesday while Brent crude lost US$2.79 to US$119.88 per barrel in London. Natural gas...

Experts say gasoline prices may have peaked, or are about to, but motorists are hardly celebrating about paying nearly $4 a gallon for regular unleaded.

Online adult retailer, Adulttoymegastore.co.nz has commenced a nationwide investigation into New Zealand bedrooms. The online Mega Kiwi Sex Survey 2012 quizzes New Zealanders on all aspects of their attitudes about sex, from how often we’re doing it, to ...

Andre Ethier belted a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday afternoon and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their home opener, 2-1, over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Andre Ethier belted a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning ...

Unsurprisingly, Kofi Annan's six-point plan for Syria is having trouble with its key point -- a pullback of government troops with their heavy artillery and tanks from trying to crush opposition towns and villages. That doesn't mean it's time to give up on the plan, The Plain Dealer editorial board...

>DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has cut oil exports to Spain and may halt sales to Germany and Italy, Iran's English-language state television reported on Tuesday, in an apparent move to strengthen its position ahead of crucial talks with world powers later this week. But, in an indication that Tehran's "counter-sanctions"...

Oil closed at a two-month low on more troubling signs for the world economy.

The Obama administration has the pieces in place for nuclear talks with Iran, but there are plenty of things that could derail its efforts.

US weighs limited military action against Assad. Turkey may join DEBKA file Exclusive Report April 10, 2012, 11:42 PM (GMT+02:00)

An absolutely wild showdown in the northern Indian Ocean between Somali pirates and the Iranian navy appears to have ended with with the Iranians taking one of the world's most infamous pirates captive.

According to AAA, Fresno saw gas prices drop 13 cents from last month to an average of $4.18 per gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's most powerful shareholder group has said it has concerns about executive pay levels at Barclays Plc , adding to growing criticism over a 17 million pound ($26.92 million) award for Chief Executive Bob Diamond. Related Stories Analysis - UK consumers may give surprise boost to...

The stock market extended its longest and deepest slump of the year Tuesday, caught between a recurring nightmare of European debt and the beginning of uncertain corporate earnings reports at home.The ...

Tours of duty in Iran and Afghanistan interrupted years of service When Michael Keller walks into Hillcrest Elementary School he becomes Mr. Mike, a friend and mentor to students at the school since before most of the currently-enrolled students were born.

>DUBAI, April 10 (Reuters) - Spain's biggest oil refiner Repsol stopped importing crude from Iran in January, and has replaced most of that supply with oil from Saudi Arabia, a spokesman confirmed on Tuesday."No crude out of Iran for us since January," he said shortly after Iran's energy minister...

Reports of America's demise as the driver of global growth were premature

GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum will say he is dropping out of the White House race on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the decision told Reuters. Related Stories New Malawi president sacks minister, seeks aid Zimbabwe's Mugabe "well, on holiday" - officials Sarkozy struggles...

NEW YORK - The stock market extended its longest and deepest slump of the year Tuesday, caught between a recurring nightmare of European debt and the beginning of uncertain corporate earnings reports at home.

Rick Santorum ended his presidential campaign, effectively leaving Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate most likely to face President Obama in November.

The stock market extended its longest and deepest slump of the year Tuesday, caught between a recurring nightmare of European debt and the beginning of uncertain corporate earnings reports at home

The stock market extended its longest and deepest slump of the year Tuesday, caught between a recurring nightmare of European debt and the beginning of uncertain corporate earnings reports at home.

By Obidiah No doubt being the informed Indian that you are, you've heard about the disturbing developments in the middle east. The world does not appear to be getting safer. Instead it appears things are going the other way. Things are more unstabler and unstabler, if you get my meaning.

A battle waged by the U.N.’s top internal watchdog against fraud, waste and abuse, backed by the U.S., to bring more daylight to the world organization’s internal operations has wound down -- and the U.S. is the loser.

TWO Filipino seafarers died during a rescue mission for crew of the Cypriot-flagged and Iranian-owned MV

The Cleveland Indians have signed catcher Carlos Santana to a five-year contract with a club option for 2017.

Some foreign policy wonks in the U.S. still cling to the notion that in spite of everything that has happened over the past 15 months in the Middle East and North Africa, it will be possible to continue with business as usual.

(Adds details from news conference, background) WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - Commodity-exportingcountries should prepare for lower prices given weaker globaleconomic activity and lower demand, the ...

CHINESE COURT JAILS DISABLED ACTIVIST, HUSBAND BEIJING: A Chinese court sentenced disabled activist Ni Yulan and her husband Dong Jiqin to two years in jail on Tuesday, a year after the couple was detained during a widespread crackdown on dissent in China. AFP

TOKYO, April 10 — Britain and Japan said today they have agreed to jointly develop and build defence equipment, the first time since World War Two that Japan has concluded a weapons-building deal with a country other than the United States. The announcement came at the start of a tour...

Time: 4:30 – 7 p.m. Place: Burlington United Methodist Church, 195 W. Center St.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- I wish oil prices were coming down significantly, I really do. Unfortunately, all the risks in oil remain to the upside even as crude oil prices have eased. Over the next several months, I can't see much relief at the gas pump. ...

>The European Union is set to impose a total embargo on Iranian crude oil from July following similar measures imposed by the United States to try to force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment."We must say to them that we have that much saved that even if we didn't sell...

>By Steve StecklowApril 10 (Reuters) - China's ZTE Corp, which recently sold Iran's largest telecommunications firm a powerful surveillance system, later agreed to ship to Iran millions of dollars worth of embargoed U.S. computer equipment, documents show.The American components were part of an 8 million euro ($10.5...

North Korean space officials said Tuesday all assembly and preparations for this week's planned satellite launch have been completed and denied it is a cover for a missile test.

STRASBOURG (AFP) - Britain can extradite jailed radical Muslim preacher Abu Hamza and four other alleged terrorists to the United States (US), the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday. Related Stories New psychiatric probe finds Norway gunman sane: Official Bulgarian toddler survives eight-storey fall German city seeks to...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops bombarded two restive cities on Tuesday, pursuing an assault on President Bashar al-Assad's foes instead of halting the use of big guns and leaving towns as promised under an international peace plan that now looks in peril. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported...

The price of gasoline at the pump in Canada hit record numbers across the country last week. In Maple Creek, the price of gas went up to 127.9 cents per litre from 122.9. The price at the pump in Regina on Thursday ranged from 115.9 to 126.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of personal responsibility for killing civilians and said on Tuesday he would take unspecified steps after Syrian troops shot at refugees inside Turkey. "He is continuing to kill 60, 70, 80, 100 every day," Erdogan said of...