News Archive - 26 April 2012

Foreign policy isn't expected to pave the path to the White House in 2012 though, of course, that could all change in a literal flash. Still, a president seeking re-election against a backdrop of a lackluster economy would be remiss if he didn't stress his unique role as the nation's...

Iran's saffron exports have increased by more than 40 percent over the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 19, 2012), standing at over 130 tons. Ali Safarzadeh, the head of Industry, Mines and Commerce Organization in the northeastern province of Khorassan Razavi, said on Thursday that Iran exported 133 tons...

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The anti-Capitalism activists are holding demonstrations across the United States to protest record-high college costs. The Student Debt Campaign, organized by members of the anti-Capitalism protesters, on Wednesday held demonstrations in over a dozen US cities. Organizers said the protests, dubbed “One Trillion Dollar Day”, were meant to point to...

At least 16 people were killed and 12 others wounded on Wednesday in the blast of an explosive device in Syria's central province of Hama, state-run SANA news agency reported. The blast ripped through the Mesha'a al-Tayyar neighborhood, shattering a building and damaging others in the area, SANA said, adding...

Egyptian officials published the final list of those standing in the first presidential election to be held after the protests that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak last year. The list contains the names of 13 candidates, out of 23 who had initially applied to stand. It includes former Prime Minister Ahmed...

The official electoral campaign for the second round of the 9th Majlis elections gets rolling in Iran, with 130 candidates vying for the remaining 65 parliamentary seats. The candidates launched their weeklong campaign in 33 constituencies on Thursday by introducing their plans to the public to win their votes and...

Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaee said the baseless claims of the Zionist regime about the nature of Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities is just another attempt by it to deviate the international public opinion from secret expansion of its nuclear arsenal. In the Wednesday meeting of the...

Argentina's senate has endorsed a presidential decree to nationalize Spain-owned oil company YPF amid widespread domestic support for the plan. At the Wednesday session of the senate, legislators from both the ruling party and the opposition voted in favor of the decree issued by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner last...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is unlikely to pull back from levying sanctions against Iran oil transactions based on a government report due on Friday, which is expected to show crude markets are sufficiently well-supplied to move forward with the penalties. The report, which the U.S. Energy Information...

[Video] Tractor Sazi Tabriz – Perspolis Tehran Tractor Sazi Tabriz 4 – 1 Perspolis Tehran (w32) All goals...

>Iranian crude imports fell 22.4 percent in the fiscal year ended in March, the data showed.The world's third-biggest oil consumer is trying to comply with U.S. demands to curb purchases from Iran.The United States last month exempted Japan and 10 EU nations from financial sanctions citing...

>* Iran negotiations still supportive* Barclays says OPEC production at all-time high* Coming up: U.S. weekly jobless claims; 1230 GMT* U.S. crude stocks rise for fifth consecutive week -EIA (Updates throughout, adds quotes para 3, 5)By Zaida EspanaLONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Oil inched above $119 a barrel...

Although the U.S. and Iran are at odds politically, a partnership between animal care groups in the two countries helped to save a cat found seriously injured in the Iranian capital of Tehran by sending it to...

Authorities in Cambodia are unable to combat the country’s rampant international drug trade because they are under-resourced in almost every area, the head of the National Authority for Combating Drugs has conceded.

This file photo shows a Sinopec oil refinery in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, pictured in 2011. Chinese oil giants Sinopec and Petrochina said they were hit by heavy refining losses in the first ...

Oil prices fell to near $104 a barrel Friday in Asia after Standard & Poor's lowered Spain's credit rating by two notches, re-igniting fears about Europe's debt crisis.

It would also stand more powerfully behind Hizballah, Jihad Islami and Hamas. Defense Minister Ehud Barak rated the prospects of Iran responding to demands to terminate its nuclear weapon program as extremely low. The Iranians are determined, he said.

By: Kerry Feltner Sixteen students represented UNH at the National Model United Nations conference in New York City this past month. For the first time since 2007, UNH received th...

By Arun Kumar, Washington, April 27 : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would make a trip to India early next month ahead of the US-India Strategic Dialogue in Washington co-chaired by her and Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna.

In mid-April, after more than a year of posturing, Iran again met with representatives of the United States, Russia, China, France, and Britain (the United Nations Security Council’s five permanent members), and Germany. The objective, at least from the non-Iranian side, was to deal with the Tehran regime’s nuclear ambitions.

According to "Urban Flow: Bike Messengers and the City" by Jeffrey L. Kidder, if you are a regular person that rides a bike and does not own a shred of spandex, alley cat bike races are your kind of sports championship.

As budget chair for the House of Representatives, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) is “The Man.” President Obama presented his budget, and Ryan has announced his. Dueling budgets. Under the Ryan budget, even if you’re part of the infamous 1%, your local services will be cut.

Posted May 1, 2012 5:00 AM CDT By Stewart A. Baker and Charles J. Dunlap Jr.

A panel of experts warned lawmakers on Thursday about the looming threat of a cyber attack emanating from Iran, an increasingly isolated nation that has been linked to numerous attacks against the United States in recent years including a plot last year to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the...

4/26/2012 - "California-Only" Diesel Will Come at High Cost for State, Study Says Significant job losses will be directly attributable to California Air Resources Board's fuel policies, says a new study by the California Trucking Association.

This past February marked the 50th anniversary of Washington's embargo against Cuba. The birthday, which went uncelebrated in the United States and the Caribbean, was a grim reminder of the persistence of one of Washington's most egregious foreign policy blunders.

Attorney attacks Young's credibility

Career started with a purchase in London

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Defence Minister Ehud Barak restated Israel's fears of a nuclear-armed Iran on Thursday after his top general clashed with the government's line by describing the Islamic republic as "very rational" and unlikely to build a bomb.

We have had 64 years of building a homeland for the Jewish people, an heroic task that has at times succeeded beyond our wildest dreams, and of which we are immensely proud, and at times let us down in deep and painful ways. That is what it means to be...

>* Brent, U.S. crude on track for weekly gains* Brent expected to average $117.30/barrel this year -poll* Coming Up: U.S. GDP, advance, Q1; 1230 GMTBy Luke PachymuthuSINGAPORE, April 27 (Reuters) - Brent crude dropped on Friday to trade just above $119 a barrel on renewed fears about...

>* Says securing alternative supplies (Adds details)By Meeyoung ChoSEOUL, April 27 (Reuters) - South Korean's largest oil refiner, SK Energy, is securing alternative supplies to make up for potential cuts in monthly Iranian crude imports from the current 10-15 percent level due to Western sanctions on Tehran, its parent company...

HARRISBURG — A federal trial targeting the U.S. Penitentiary at Lewisburg on allegations dating to 2004 begins Monday and raises claims that mirror a second lawsuit filed by prison advocates late last year.

Christopher Tappin,who was held in a New Mexico prison for two months on arms dealing charges, said he was locked in a cell near inmates with psychological problems who kept him awake every night.

BRATTLEBORO -- Do you love the movie "Psycho" but always thought it would be even better as an adventure flick? If so, you are in for a treat.

SOCIETY'S fascination with the apocalypse has led to an abundance of high-grossing movies, popular television shows and successful novels.

Recent prices at the pump prove gas prices are dipping. The national average for a gallon of regular is lower than it was a month ago, experts weigh in on why?

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel demanded on Thursday that European allies foot more of the bill for a multibillion-dollar shield being built to guard NATO members from missiles that might some day be able to carry nuclear warheads, notably from Iran. The House of Representatives' Armed Services...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 26 (UPI) -- Iran's Oil Ministry, already battling stringent economic sanctions aimed at throttling the country's oil exports, is now having to fight on another front: cyber attacks.

UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (UPI) -- The U.N. Compensation Commission Thursday made more than $1 billion available to six claimants who suffered losses due to Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hispanics favor President Barack Obama's policies over those of Republican rival Mitt Romney by large margins but many in the fast-growing voter group are still undecided on issues more than six months ahead of the presidential election. Hispanics also feel the Democratic Party better serves the needs...

China, Japan and South Korea, Asia’s largest oil consumers, significantly cut imports of Iranian crude in the first quarter of 2012 after the US and the European Union moved to tighten sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, opening the way to rival suppliers.

There's never a shortage of talk about the end of the world, and WPBF 25 News' Paul Lagrone found some who are bracing for it right here in South Florida.

Twelve ways $5-a-gallon gasoline prices would likely impact consumers; businesses; local, state and national government; and the economy.

US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Thursday he hopes that statements from Israel's military chief describing Iran's leadership as rational were "correct."

FPM Hariri said that Syrians should be encouraged by Charles Taylor’s trial that President Assad will be tried in an international court.

Obama levies new tech sanctions on Syria, Iran Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 05:08 a.m., Tuesday, April 24, 2012 WASHINGTON (AP) — Under pressure to stop the Syrian government's deadly crackdown, President Barack Obama...

This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) by a vote of 248 to168 . Unlike SOPA , which focused on copyright violations, CISPA wants to give Internet companies and the U.S. government the tools to protect and defend themselves...

US Vice President Joe Biden saluted his boss Thursday as a man of steel who neutralized Osama bin Laden, as he reduced Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney to a foreign policy neophyte "mired in a Cold War mindset."

Iran is busy acquiring the technical know-how to launch a potentially crippling cyber-attack on the United States and its allies, experts told a congressional hearing on Thursday, urging the US to step up its defensive measures.

JERUSALEM — Israel’s military chief said Thursday that other countries have readied their armed forces for a potential strike against Iran’s nuclear sites to keep Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons.

U.S. crude futures rose Thursday, helped by gains in stock markets and fuel products that pushed oil to the highest settlement in three weeks.

Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr visited the president of the autonomous northern Kurdistan region on Thursday seeking to ease tensions between Baghdad and the Kurds that have threatened the fragile coalition government

By Simon Webb and Prashant Mehra MUMBAI (Reuters) - A major upgrading of its refinery in Gujarat by Essar Oil (ESRO.NS) should boost its margins by up to $5 a barrel, its chief executive said on Thursday, ...

Two political leaders who put Iraq's prime minister in power met Thursday to discuss if they should withdraw their support, now that a bitter sectarian political deadlock has even led to calls for secession.

Islamabad, April 26 : A suicide bomber was shot dead and two of his companions sustained bullet injuries Thursday before they could attack a bus carrying Shia pilgrims in Pakistan's Quetta city, officials said.

Neither Sudan nor South Sudan can afford another conflict. But in Thabo Mbeki's words, they are trapped in the "logic of war".

eMusic Selects has served as a launch pad for up-and-coming independent artists since 2008. Today, the program has expanded through partnerships with RocketHub and Death and Taxes magazine.

Exxon Mobil failed to benefit from a rally in oil prices in the first quarter of the year as production at the world's biggest energy company fell.

Mediaite Editor Frances Martel recently argued that President Barack Obama does not get enough credit for embracing his predecessor’s neo-conservative ideals in the pursuit of national security. Few besides the president’s most vitriolic critics would not concede that Obama has aggressively prosecuted the “war on terror.” But this alone...

The story of Maloos is one of survival and overcoming the odds, and it all began 8,000 miles away in Tehran, Iran. Maloos, whose name means cute or lovable in Farsi, was born in Tehran but now lives in San Francisco's Animal Care and Control Shelter, and he's recovering from...

Gantz had earlier stated that he believed international sanctions will force Iran to give up its atomic ambitions.

International oil market analysts maintain that the decision by Iran to halt its oil sales to certain European countries will keep global oil prices up in the second quarter of 2012, when a seasonal decline in the prices is traditionally expected.

Powerful Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr arrived in Iraq's Kurdistan region on Thursday, presenting himself as a mediator in a crisis between Iraq's premier and the region's president.

Gary Baum Politicians want glamour; stars want to be near power (and seem smart to boot). A brief history of how two opposite cultures started coming together for the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. read more

Gas prices seen headed lower at the pump

President Obama gave an interview to Rolling Stone 's Jann Wenner this week and was asked about his administration's aggressive crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries, including ones located in states where medical marijuana is legal and which are licensed by the state; this policy is directly contrary to Obama's campaign...

When I say Iran is the most dangerous country in the world, many think I am trying to beat a war drum. Sam Carrigan wrote a month ago of “An escalating discussion” (March 21) which has been going on in the media.

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan and Iran have agreed to a prisoner exchange, the Foreign Ministry in Kabul said on Thursday, a sign of warming relations between the two neighbours ahead of the planned withdrawal of foreign combat forces from Afghanistan in 2014.

An Arco gas station at Interstate 10 and Monterey Avenue charged $3.99 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel Wednesday. Gas prices are on a slow decrease that experts say could last until the end of May. / Colin Atagi, The Desert Sun

A limited edition of engraved gold coins has been launched as a tribute to legendary Carnatic musician M.S. Subbulakshmi. A part of the proceeds from the coins will be donated towards cancer and diabetes research.

Legendary gold trade Jim Sinclair is seriously suggesting that gold could spike to $3,000 in a short squeeze because of the Chinese decision to pay for oil in gold bullion ( listen here ). Basically there will be a sudden demand for physical gold that cannot be met and short...

Over the last decade, Porsche has rapidly expanded its lineup from small sports cars to include SUVs and sedans. Along with the expansion, sales of the brand have also grown exponentially.

The government is likely to bring changes in its flagship rural job scheme to remove disparity between wages given under it and the minimum wages fixed in states, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said Thursday.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is part of a long parade of leaders accused of war crimes in modern history. Here is what happened to some:

Para Brigade. The movement of the tank unit was 'a precursor' towards an exercise it was to carry out in March-April 2012. The night mobilisation towards Bahadurgarh was 'to validate its loading, movement and occupation of a harbour in poor visibility conditions', the minister added.

BANDAR ABBAS, April 26 (MNA) - An Iranian national, Hossein Ashtari, plans to swim between the Iranian islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs to symbolize the lofty name of the “Persian Gulf”.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is part of a long parade of leaders accused of war crimes in modern history. Here is what happened to some: The former Ivory Coast president is also jailed in The Hague awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes...

>State-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) was given a month's deadline by Iranian Oil minister Rostam Ghasemi last week to make a serious start on the project after 32 months of delay."Despite all the opportunities given to the Chinese company...we gave this company a 30-day ultimatum to start...

Job-hunters getting back on track is encouraging, but it's likely to bump up the unemployment rate. And that could give Mitt Romney some much-needed ammo as the election gets closer.

Preventing Iran from becoming preeminent in its region should guide all U.S. foreign policy, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said. Click here for the rest of the article...

On Thursday, Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough delved into the question of whether Florida Senator Marco Rubio -- whose name continually pops up when talk turns to Mitt Romney's potential pick for VP -- is prepared to take on the task. Oh, and they also talked about...

The Baha’i Group of Chelsea will show the documentary "Education Under Fire" at 2 p.m. April 29 at the McKune Room of the Chelsea District Library.

Fed Holds Rates Steady, But Outlooks Shift ( Hilsenrath ) Has Obama Stacked the Fed? Not Really ( Hilsenrath ) High Court Skeptical of Obama’s Use of Power as Campaign Starts ( Bloomberg ) Europe Seen Adding Growth Terms to Budget Rules as Focus Shifts ( Bloomberg ) China Reaches...

Maritime risk management firm Lloyd’s Register has shut its operations in Iran and can no longer vouch for the safety of the OPEC member’s fleet due to Western sanctions, the head of the company told Reuters. Lloyd’s Register, a classification …

Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell said Thursday that net profits climbed almost 16 percent in the first quarter, boosted by "strong" oil prices and rising output.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico City's mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, said on Thursday authorities in the capital would investigate allegations "store by store" that the Mexican unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc bribed officials to expand its business in the country. Related Stories Jordan's prime minister Khasawneh resigns Afghanistan, Iran agree prisoner...

> Stocks Markets...

>DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian parliamentary candidates began campaigning on Thursday for the second round of elections set to weaken President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he grapples with worsening economic problems. Candidates allied to Iran's theocratic leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dominated the first round of elections in early March at the expense...

>* Iran may be receiving gasoline in exchange for gasoil* Syrian crude oil also lifted by Iran-linked vesselsBy Jessica Donati and Julia PayneLONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Russia and Iran are helping Syria import fuel which it needs for heavy vehicles including army tanks, allowing Damascus to avoid the full...

HARTFORD — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy quietly signed a bill repealing Connecticut's death penalty on Wednesday, effectively dropping the curtain on a practice that has been state policy since a Native American named Napauduck was hanged for murder in 1639.

Oil traded near the highest level in more than a week after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said that while further stimulus is unlikely, central banks “remain prepared to do more” to protect the economy.

SINGAPORE - Oil prices rose slightly above US$104 a barrel Thursday in Asia after the U.S. central bank boosted its outlook for economic growth and employment this year.