News Archive - 17 July 2012

Two crises, a half a world away from each other on very strategic, very different bodies of water. One I believe, the one in the South China Sea -- a major key to America's geopolitical pivot from over-engagement with the Islamic world of the Middle East and Central Asia...

>* Iran offers to insure foreign ships to skirt EU ban* U.S. crude stocks likely fell on higher refinery runs* Coming Up: U.S. EIA petroleum stocks report; 1430 GMTBy Manash GoswamiSINGAPORE, July 18 (Reuters) - Brent crude slipped below $104 a barrel on Wednesday, snapping five days of...

>* US Senate report calls bank 'pervasively polluted'* HSBC apologizes, promises to change* Senator Levin says bank put revenue over the law* Shares down 1.7 pct; analysts expect $1 bln fineBy Carrick MollenkampWASHINGTON, July 17 (Reuters) - Officials of HSBC Holdings Plc pledged to a U.S. Senate panel...

>By Amena BakrDUBAI, July 17 (Reuters) - Indian fishermen who survived a hail of gunfire from a U.S. navy boat off the coast of the United Arab Emirates disputed U.S. claims that their boat drew fire after ignoring warnings to steer clear of the American vessel.One Indian...

>* IMF cuts global growth forecast as emerging economies slow* Brent crude to hover around $102.43 -technicals* Coming Up: Fed's Bernanke testifies; 1400 GMT (Updates prices)By Manash GoswamiSINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Brent crude held steady above $103 per barrel on Tuesday on hopes of more policy steps by...

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The dear respected Kim Jong Un received a gift from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

[IPS]United Nations -An investigation by the Conflict Awareness Project has exposed an active arms trading network of associates of former trafficker Viktor Bout that involves companies from the United States, South Africa and the United Kingdom, among other countries.

The malware has targeted Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, suggesting the involvement of a nation state. However, Symantec said its research has not found evidence that this is the case.

(MENAFN - Arab News) Jordan has taken precautions to ward off a possible Syrian chemical attack, Jordan's foreign minister said Tuesday, reflecting concern that Syria might use such weapons if the ...

The growing number of politicians in this country who think that hudud is a good idea for Malaysia should see the video that is circulating online of the execution of an Afghan woman by her husband for alleged adultery.

Iran has called on Myanmar’s government to recognize the rights of Rohingya Muslims in the country, calling for an international move to stop the violence against the minority group.

HONG KONG: Shares in global banking giant HSBC fell more than two percent in Hong Kong on Wednesday after a top executive resigned over the lender's failure to control money laundering and terrorist financing.

>Chinese media reports said ZTE had planned to axe as many as 10,000 jobs this year as a slew of overseas employees return to China due to weak markets abroad. However, ZTE has denied it."ZTE is not planning any lay-offs this year and thousands of college graduates will join...

Imagine sheer, snow-plastered walls of alpine granite; a volcano with perfect symmetry whose summit soars more than 18,000 feet above the sea; and a man-made park designed for ice climbing competitions.

Local oil firms followed up their “big time” fuel hike last week with another price increase, which took effect yesterday morning.

Officials of HSBC Holdings pledged to a US Senate panel late last night (HK time) that the bank is changing the way it polices illicit funds, but sena...

Mobile giant says rumours are wide of the mark Chinese telecoms outfit ZTE has hit back at rumours suggesting it will respond to sliding market share and a scary balance sheet by shedding 12,000 staff. Instead, the company says, we can expect a graduate hiring spree.…

Nick Warner, director-general of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, will give an unprecedented public speech on Thursday.

Oh, now he’s sorry. HSBC’s top compliance official quit in front of a Senate panel yesterday — but only after a damning report accusing the global banking giant of allowing Mexican drug cartels and Middle Eastern banks with terrorist ties to launder billions of dollars through its US operations...

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to Dneal@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

There are three groups of people who view Quebec separatism differently: English Canadians, French Canadians and new Canadians.

Efforts to reopen the live sheep and meat trade between Iran and Australia by former Kalgoorlie MP Graeme Campbell do not constitute Government policy, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says.

An offensive tweet from the Twitter account of a prominent Iranian-American author targets Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s Iranian-born wife, who is one of Canada’s leading human rights activists challenging the Islamic regime in Tehran.

Opinion submitted to government panel says fields will be depleted in less than 40 years.

Alcatel-Lucent has warned it expects to miss its 2012 profit target and record a second-quarter loss, blaming cutbacks in operator capex particularly in Europe.

As India has moved away from Iran, it has moved closer to Saudi Arabia with the help of the US, says Harsh V Pant

As the dollar and shekel approach that nice round number, the exchange rate is about to become news.

Investors ought to be wary of misleadingly price-to-book signals

BEIJING, July 17 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Egypt's newly elected president Mohamed Morsi on Saturday in an bid to patch up cracks that emerged in their relationship due to the Mideast upheaval.

There’s a government office in Olympia, Wash. where employees travel the globe and titans of Wall Street are regular visitors. The singer Bono even dropped in once, after a concert. We’re talking about the Washington State Investment Board. Its job is to maximize returns on an $85 billion investment portfolio.

HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA) executives apologized for opening their U.S. affiliate to a river of Mexican drug lords’ cash, and the U.S. regulator that failed to stem the flow vowed to prevent a repeat.

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The United States and its allies will conduct a minesweeping exercise scheduled for September in the waters of the Middle East, intended to increase relevant capabilities and cooperation, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here on Tuesday.

>BRUSSELS SAYS EU'S BONUS REGIME NEEDS AN OVERHAULThe European Commission opened the door to a possible compromise over controversial bonus rules that have provoked fears of an investment banking exodus from London.The TelegraphREGULATORS WERE IN DENIAL OVER LIBOR RIGGING, SAY MPSBritain's regulators were "in denial" about widespread Libor rigging...

Helping sanctions-busting by Iran. Turning a blind eye to massive cash transfers out of a Mexican border area infested with drugs gangs. Refusing to cut off a Saudi bank suspected of having links to al-Qa'ida. Funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars in suspicious travellers cheques from Russian "used-car salesmen" through...

PETALING JAYA: More than 100 people have come together to seek justice after falling victim to an investment scam by an international company based in Shah Alam.

A hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday highlighted the split among lawmakers that has cast into doubt the prospects for cybersecurity legislation that experts say is urgently needed to protect America's vital infrastructure.

India has called for an investigation after a Navy vessel fired on a fishing boat in the Persian Gulf. One Indian fisherman was killed and three others injured. NEW DELHI — The U.S. Embassy in India expressed its condolences Tuesday after an American refueling ship in the Persian Gulf...

The head of the Secret Intelligence Service has been accused by a Liberal Democrat frontbencher of demonstrating a "lack of judgement" for "bragging" about MI6's role in slowing Iran's nuclear programme.

Economist Nouriel Roubini is standing by his prediction for a global "perfect storm" next year as economies the world over slow down or shudder to a complete halt, geopolitical risk grows and the eurozone's debt crisis accelerates.

Crude price has breached the psychological $100 a barrel mark once again after a gap of 45 days and is expected to squeeze the space for political opposition to an upward revision in fuel prices.

An Indian fisherman aboard a boat shot at by the US navy off Dubai's coast has told officials the crew received no warning before being fired upon, India's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates says.

Just before it left for its summer recess, the State Duma passed legislation that will control the Internet. This is something authorities have been preparing for years. The first piece of legislation was adopted in 2007, which permitted courts to block access to specific Internet sites.

The Foreign Affairs department has been quietly following a policy of refusing to provide an explanation whenever a foreign diplomat is kicked out of Canada so as to avoid attracting court attention, Postmedia News has learned.

The oil market Tuesday put a smiling face on testimony by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and bid up oil prices by 0.9% on stronger oil demand and expectations of additional quantitative easing.

BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian government forces attacked rebels with helicopter gunships in the heart of Damascus on Tuesday, escalating a campaign to crush their opponents as clashes spread to new areas, illustrating the rebels' growing reach.

Global oil prices rose Tuesday after oil-producer Iran warned against a US defense buildup in the Gulf and the dollar weakened against the euro.

The United States and about 20 other nations will hold a major anti-mine operation near the Gulf in September, the Pentagon said Tuesday, after Iran threatened it could block oil shipments.

A piece of malware called Mahdi or Madi has been used to spy on hundreds of targets from Iran, Israel and a few other Middle Eastern countries during the past...

>Brent front-month September crude rose 63 cents, or 0.61 percent, to settle at $104 a barrel, having traded from $102.77 to $104.75. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons) Energy...

A top foreign policy adviser for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lobbied for businesses that did business with Iran. Maybe this is what Romney means when he says he's going to do the "opposite" of President Barack Obama on Israel? Former Representative Vin Weber (R-MN) is currently a partner...

Indian fishermen who survived a hail of gunfire from a U.S. navy boat off the coast of the United Arab Emirates disputed U.S. claims that their boat drew fire after ignoring warnings to steer clear of the American vessel.

Indian fishermen who survived a hail of gunfire from a U.S. navy boat off the coast of the United Arab Emirates disputed U.S. claims that their boat drew fire after ignoring warnings to steer clear of the American vessel.

Indian fishermen who survived a hail of gunfire from a U.S. navy boat off the coast of the United Arab Emirates disputed U.S. claims that their boat drew fire after ignoring warnings to steer clear of the American vessel.

U.S. Ambassador to India Nancy Powell called the country’s foreign secretary, Ranjan Mathai, to offer her regret for the loss of life after an American navy ship opened fire on a fishing boat off the coast of Dubai.

The Pentagon says militaries from more than 20 nations will take part in an anti-mining exercise in Mideast waterways.

U.S. Ambassador to India Nancy Powell called the country’s foreign secretary, Ranjan Mathai, to offer her regret for the loss of life after an American navy ship opened fire on a fishing boat off the coast of Dubai.

A new survey by Pew Research found that 52 percent of cell phone owners are "connected viewers," meaning they use their phones while watching television.

Associated Press Tuesday, July 17, 2012 WASHINGTON — The head of compliance at Europe's largest bank resigned from his position and apologized Tuesday after a Senate investigation found HSBC had lax controls that exposed it to money laundering and terrorist financing. David Bagley told the Senate investigations panel that he...

Crude oil for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed up 79 cents, or 0.9%, at US$89.22 a barrel, the highest settlement price since late May. New York crude futures have

>"The Islamic Republic of Iran will take all responsibility for insuring any foreign shipping line and any ship that enters Iranian waters," the Fars news agency on Tuesday quoted Seyyed Ataollah Sadr, the managing director of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, as saying."The Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted...

Stocks rise; Mattel, Coke among winners ASSOCIATED PRESS Copyright 2012 ASSOCIATED PRESS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 04:02 p.m., Tuesday, July 17, 2012 Mattel jumped 9 percent, more than any other company in the S&P. The country's biggest toy maker...

An Indian fisherman aboard a boat shot at by the U.S. Navy off Dubai's coast has told officials the crew received no warning before being fired upon, India's ambassador to the United Arab Emir…

ABC's Nightline - March 6th, 1986

Kochi, July 17 : World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand has said playing at the Olympics would not happen during his career.

During her last visit in Israel as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton talked about Egypt but really thought about Iran. And made scant mention of the Palestinians, nowhere near as pressing an issue for America as the Arab Spring.

UN special envoy Kofi Annan has said the situation in Syria has reached a "critical point". He was speaking in Moscow where he met Vladimir Putin in…

Islamabad, July 17 : The chief minister of Balochistan has claimed that the situation in the province is not as bad as is portrayed by the media.

Iran's parliament speaker has acknowledged that tightened sanctions are hurting Iran. Ali Larijani said 20 percent of the country's economic problems are due to sanctions.

> Stocks Markets...

China handsent maker ZTE needs the U.S. for growth but some American lawmakers have security concerns

For a few days at least, the old joke about Israel being the 51st U.S. state feels true.

The Germans planned to use secret agents to place the bars of 'Peter's chocolate' among other luxury items trayed into the dining room used by the War Cabinet.

The Pentagon is building a missile defense radar station at a covert location in Qatar, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

TEHRAN, July 17 (MNA) – Prominent Egyptian political analyst Fahmi Howeidi says that he is surprised by Arab calls for the Egyptian government to refrain from establishing full diplomatic relations with Iran.

An Iranian delegation was in North Korea on Tuesday for talks, the two sides putting forward a "common front against imperialism and hegemony", state media said.

WASHINGTON — Europe’s largest bank had lax controls that allowed Mexican drug cartels to launder billions of dollars through its US operations for seven years, a Senate investigation found.

Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday said Moscow is ready to seek consensus in the UN Security Council on a new resolution aimed at ending Syria's civil war, but gave no indication how it would resolve a disagreement over a Britain-sponsored resolution.

>BOSTON (Reuters) - Security experts have uncovered an ongoing cyber espionage campaign targeting Iran and other Middle Eastern countries that they say stands out because it is the first such operation using communications tools written in Persian. Israeli security company Seculert and Russia's Kaspersky Lab, said on Tuesday that they...

>* Western sanctions take toll on Iran businessBy Osamu Tsukimori and Jonathan SaulTOKYO/LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - A Japanese ship classification society will close its Tehran office, becoming the latest firm to face pressure by a U.S. lobby group to end dealings with Iran as backers of Western sanctions...

BEIRUT—Syrian government forces backed by helicopter gunships battled rebels in heavy clashes with rebels in Damascus, a clear escalation in the most serious fighting in the capital since the country's conflict began last year, activists said.

It is obvious that the simmering tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are starting to boil over. Yesterday a report that a US ship fired on a boat just outside of the strait send Brent and WTI up to a new high for the session.

A stateless resident of the United Arab Emirates, who had never set foot outside the country, was yesterday escorted on to a plane and deported to Thailand, in a clear message that speaking out will not be tolerated.

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said last night that the United States will use "all elements of American power" to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and insisted it was on "same page" as Israel on the issue.

A Senate committee has found that lax oversight at one of the world's biggest banks allowed terrorists and drug cartels to launder billions of dollars of illegal funds through its U.S. branches. Executives from HSBC are being  called to testify before Congress today to answer questions about how it appears to have ignored warnings and flouted...

>One Indian national was killed and three others injured on Monday when the U.S. refuelling ship, the USNS Rappahannock, opened fire on a small motor boat which U.S. officials said ignored repeated warnings to halt its approach.The United States has been building up its presence in the...

>* Indian purchases also rebound* Iranian oil exports more than halve from 2011 (adds background on U.S. sanction exceptions)By Humeyra PamukDUBAI, July 17 (Reuters) - Iran is set to arrest a slide in oil shipments in July as China increases imports to a record high to account for more...

Turkey's government-run crisis management center said that a new camp is being set up near the town of Karkamis.

The first international scientific conference on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has begun in Tehran in the presence of intellectuals and scientists from the movement’s member states.

India called on the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday to probe the fatal shooting of an Indian fisherman by a US navy ship in waters off Dubai, the Indian foreign ministry said.

HSBC has been branded a 'financier to drug gangs' by the US Senate for its apparent connection to money-laundering activities.

July 17, 2012: The security forces, under attack by gangsters and terrorists using bribes and threats (of murder or kidnaping) are becoming less effective. This has made it possible for Sunni terrorists (al Qaeda and several local groups) to keep operating.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that Iran's proposals at recent talks over the country's disputed nuclear program were "non-starters," and called on the international community to increase its pressure on Iran.

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran says it hopes upcoming talks with an EU official could pave the way for the resumption of high-level negotiations with world powers over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

>* China rejects "groundless" criticism of relations with IranBEIJING, July 17 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday it hoped telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp , subject of an FBI probe into the sale of banned U.S. computer equipment to Iran, would receive fair and proper treatment...