News Archive - 22 August 2012

The UN announced today that Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Kim-Jong Un will attend the 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Iran at the end of August.

>* China HSBC flash PMI at 9-month low* Coming Up: U.S. new home sales; 1400 GMT (Updates prices, adds U.S. data)By Ramya VenugopalSINGAPORE, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Brent crude rose more than a dollar on Thursday, approaching $116 per barrel on renewed hopes for another round of monetary...

>QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said on Wednesday that Britain's failure to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet more than a decade ago means it has no right to lecture others over the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Correa has granted asylum to Assange, who has been...

>AMMAN/ALEPPO, Syria (Reuters) - The Syrian army shelled southern Damascus on Wednesday and helicopters fired rockets and machineguns during an assault meant to shore up President Bashar al-Assad's grip on the capital 17 months into an uprising, opposition activists said. The army has this week used tanks and helicopter gunships...

HERE COMES ISAAC At the moment it’s a minor storm – with winds close to 45 mph – but not for long. The National Hurricane Center reports that Isaac could become a hurricane by Thursday as it approaches the Caribbean. A hurricane watch has been...

>* U.S., Israel had urged Ban to boycott Tehran summit* U.N. chief to raise concerns about Iran nuclear work, SyriaBy Louis CharbonneauUNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a summit meeting of leaders of non-aligned developing nations in Iran next week,...

>* Opposition say police start violence with tear gas volley* Turmoil persists in U.S.-Saudi Gulf ally against IranDUBAI, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Protesters pelted police with petrol bombs and stones in clashes that broke out in Bahrain on Tuesday night at the funeral for a teenage demonstrator killed...

>VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear inspectors will press again for access to a major military facility in talks with Iran this week but the chances of finding any evidence of suspected atom bomb research may have dimmed because the site has been "cleaned up", Western diplomats and experts say.

Following is a list of events in Malaysia as well as news company-related and market news whichcould have an influence on the local market. ----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2344 GMT ------------ ...

>* RBS says investigations could result in material impact* Shares down 0.6 percentLONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are investigating Royal Bank of Scotland over possible breaches of sanctions on Iran, as part of a crackdown in which Standard Chartered has already agreed to pay a heavy...

>* Supply concerns persist due to Iran dispute, Syria tensionBy Peg MackeyLONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Oil eased below $114 a barrel on Wednesday as investors held out hope that Europe would overcome its debt crisis while Middle East tension kept the potential for supply disruption in focus.Brent crude...

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday that his country cannot handle more than 100,000 Syrian refugees, and proposed that the UN carve out a buffer zone in ...

Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Thursday.

SOUTHAVEN — Local individuals are joining up with an Israeli organization stationed in Jerusalem, Israel, called Emergency Volunteer Project (EVP) which recruits volunteers who are trained for the purpose of helping that country in a time of emergency.

Thailand will join with four neighbouring countries in setting up a federation of rice traders with the objective of pushing up regional rice prices, Permanent Secretary for Commerce Yanyong Puangrach said.

>Asia's fourth-largest economy imported 4.26 million barrels last month, down 42 percent from a year earlier, data from state-run Korea National Oil Corp showed on Thursday.The North Asian nation, usually the world's No.4 buyer of Iranian crude, imported 38.77 million barrels from Iran in the first...

Investment rises despite bad China news in US

War veterans aiming to serve in Congress reflect an evolving U.S. military.

TEHRAN, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Fereidoon Abbasi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said the Islamic republic is prepared to cooperate in the construction of nuclear power plants with countries that posssess the International Atomic Energy Agency's required standards, local media reported.

In June, the National Assembly of Ecuador gave Donald Silberberg, an emeritus professor of neurology at the University Pennsylvania medical school, its highest scientific award, the first such honor for an American.

ROYAL Bank of Scotland is being investigated in the United States for possible breaches of sanctions with Iran, it emerged yesterday.

Even as its security obsession has diminished, the public hasn't quite gotten the idea that more money for defense doesn't necessarily mean more security.

More than 2,000 sailors on the USS John C. Stennis heard from U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Wednesday before their expedited return to the Middle East.

The investigation points to certain wireless consumer electronics devices and components. -China Daily/ANN

Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to travel to Tehran amid growing tension over Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

If Americans think that our police action in Afghanistan is a war, they better think again. Not one, not two, but three red-hot situations are brewing around the world that could very well lead to real shooting wars, with ships, submarines, warplanes and missiles all firing at each other —...

Australia will boost its refugee intake by more than 6,000 people per year under changes announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard today.

Aug. 23, 2012, 12:53 p.m. The US has told Australia that it is "foolhardy" to think it needs to make a choice between America and China.

Helsinki (AFP) Aug 22, 2012 The head of the UN atomic watchdog IAEA said Wednesday he had little hopes of a breakthrough at a meeting later this week with Iran to discuss Tehran's contested nuclear programme. "I cannot say at this time that I am optimistic about the outcome of...

London (UPI) Aug 22, 2012 Ever since the United Nations brokered a deal with the Iraqi government regarding the 3,400 Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf north of Baghdad, the situation has been one of give and take - the dissidents giving and the Iraqis taking. The original plan had been...

North Korea's head of parliament, Kim Yong-nam will visit Iran and attend the Non-Aligned Movement summit briefly, state media reports.

Letters from Daily News readers.

THE Royal Bank of Scotland is being investigated by US authorities over possible breaches of sanctions against Iran.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's figurehead head of state, not supreme leader Kim Jong-un, will attend a summit of non-aligned developing nations in Iran next week, Pyonyang's official KCNA news agency reported on Thursday. Related Stories Bahrain Shi'ites battle police at protester's funeral U.S. says surprised by Navy SEAL's...

(The Associated Press) BREMERTON, Wash. — Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke to more than 2,000 sailors on the John C. Stennis prior to their deployment back to the Middle East.

WASHINGTON: The U.S. government was surprised by the news that a Navy SEAL who participated in the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan has written a book about the operation in which the al Qaeda leader was killed, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

Dozens have been killed in a renewed assault on the Syrian capital. Regime forces shelled several districts of Damascus in one of the worst attacks on the capital this month, opposition activists said.

Front cover of the book 'No Easy Day'. Pix: AP Photo WASHINGTON: The U.S. government was surprised by the news that a Navy SEAL who participated in the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan has written a book about the operation in which the al Qaeda leader...

>Data on Tuesday and Wednesday showing a sharp drop in U.S. crude stockpiles last week provided further support.U.S. crude rose 11 cents to $97.37 per barrel by 0000 GMT. It rose to as high as $97.54 a barrel on Wednesday, within striking distance of a...

ENERGEN Pilipinas started slowl but steadily gained steam to beat Bahrain, 99-72, and complete a sweep of their second round matches in the FIBA Asia Under-18 Championships in Ulan Bator, Mongolia yesterday. Cebuano guard and current UAAP MVP, Jerie Pingoy scored 19 points to complement team skipper, J-Jay Alejandro’s 23-point...

The Smart-Gilas Pilipinas showed plenty of character as they came all the way back from a 13-point deficit yesterday at the start of the fourth quarter to frustrate Japan, 88-84, in the 34th William Jones Cup at the TPEC Gym in Taipei. The win was the fourth in a row...

Back in the day, before the U.S. Congress tore apart China's proposed multi-billion dollar deals with Western companies one after the other, Beijing's lobbying left little to the imagination.

WASHINGTON - In a sign of housing market looking up, July witnessed a 2.3 per cent increase in Americans investing in purchase of residential properties than in the previous month, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said Wednesday.

Power plants, railway switches at risk.

Maryam Mashayekhi (pictured) told an employment tribunal in Sheffield that her boss, Christopher Story, asked her how much money she wanted to have sex.

United Nations (AFP) Aug 22, 2012 UN leader Ban Ki-moon will go to a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran next week in the face of opposition by Israel and the United States, a spokesman said Wednesday. Ban will "convey the clear concerns and expectations of the international community"...

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been wary of women. The reasons vary, of course, though the predominant belief is that the attitude stems from sexism rooted in religion and tradition. There is, as well, a more practical reason for it: a government that has...

"Kim Jong Un, first secretary of North Korean ruling Workers’ Party, will visit Iran to attend a Non Aligned Movement meeting."

FINANCE news in brief from around the world.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is probing Siemens' technology that may allow hackers to attack critical infrastructure, such as power plants. Originally posted at News - Security & Privacy

Search our Archives! Jerusalem’s identity is Arab, and the city’s and Christian holy sites must be protected from Israeli threats, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said.

The visit could serve as a step toward cementing Egypt's longtime alliance with the U.S.

Diplomacy can still solve the crisis over Iran's suspect nuclear program, the United States said Wednesday, adding that it had relayed the message to close ally Israel.

A Minnesota Democrat who had a rest-stop sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy said Wednesday he's still running for re-election, defying party leaders who urged him to drop out as they battle to regain control of the...

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke to more than 2,000 sailors on the USS Stennis prior to their deployment to the Middle East.

Kim Jong-un's regime may not prove to be more moderate than its predecessors, and could soon be an even bigger headache. A nuclear one.

The anti-Barack Obama documentary, "2016 Obama's America" will open in the Duke Ci ...

Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama have said the use of chemical weapons in Syria or even a threat to deploy them would be "completely unacceptable". Related Stories 'At least 35 killed' in Damascus Jackson nephew TJ named co-guardian UN chief to attend Iran summit 30 children...

President Of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Illustration: president.az 26-31 August in Tehran on 16-th Summit of the non-aligned movement, comprising 120 States.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian civil war has spilled over into Lebanon, bringing with it sectarian street clashes, mob violence and general government paralysis in Beirut. But it was the dramatic arrest earlier this month of a former Lebanese government minister and prominent supporter of Syria's embattled president that has...

>* Ban Ki-moon to visit Iran for summit next week* U.N. aid chief Amos appeals for more fundingBy Michelle NicholsUNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Iran appears to be supplying Syria with weapons, the United Nations said on Wednesday, as the 17-month conflict that began as a popular uprising...

Is This Incident A Retaliation Because A Bank Official Made A Disparaging Comment About U.S. Hostility To Iran? JOHANNESBURG -- On the surface, it looked like a simple game of "Gotcha," when New York Bank regulators blew the whistle on London's Standard Chartered Bank for laundering money. The...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday approved implementation of Section 1504 in the Dodd-Frank Act, requiring oil and gas companies to disclose the payments they make to governments of foreign countries.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters that Ban will be in Tehran August 29-31 for a meeting of 120 non-aligned nations.

Two more banks are under investigation for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, various sources reported today, as Royal Bank of Scotland and Germany's Commerzbank joined Standard Chartered, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and ABN AMRO to face scrutiny . Per The Wall Street Journal : RBS, 82%-owned by the British government,...

CHELMSFORD -- Republicans Jon Golnik and Tom Weaver debated Tuesday on everything from earmarks and presidential executive orders to the Israel-Palestine conflict and foreign terrorists in the U.

Thanks to an apparent mix-up on Iran's part, a tantalizing story  started   circulating  on Tuesday night that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un would be taking his first state visit to Tehran this weekend, but South Korean media reported on Wednesday that it  wasn't true . The reports that Kim Jong-Un...

Four Turkish soldiers were killed and two wounded by remote-controlled bombs targeting their convoy, security sources said, the latest sign of escalating violence in the Kurdish region.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Banks must make deep cultural changes if they are to win back the trust of customers, supervisors, politicians and the public that was lost in the financial crisis, the head of Germany's VAB association of foreign banks said on Wednesday. Related Stories German airport Hahn risking insolvency...

One arrest at Queen's Park event.

>HELSINKI/VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief played down chances of a breakthrough when talks with Iran resume on Friday but said the agency would pursue access to a military site that diplomats say may have been cleansed of evidence of illicit nuclear activity. Visiting the Parchin complex...

Yesterday, President Barack Obama made the right call. The Department of Treasury announced a general license for aid to the earthquake victims in Iran. U.S. sanctions on Iran had prevented private U.S. aid organizations from sending crucial aid to the victims of the two earthquakes that shook...

[Video] Saba Battery – Fajr Sepasi Saba Battery 1 – 1 Fajr Sepasi (W5) 28′ [1-0] David Tahnya Wirikom 65′ [1-1] Mohammadreza Hosseini Match Highlights...

[Video] Aluminium Hormozgan – Rah Ahan Aluminium Hormozgan 1 – 1 Rah Ahan (W5) 46′ [0-1] Alireza Abbasfard 50′ [1-1] Reza Nasehi Match Highlights...

[Video] Sepahan – Saipa Karaj Sepahan 0 – 2 Saipa Karaj (W5) 28′ [0-1] Sajjad Shahbazzadeh 90′ [0-2] Milad Gharibi Match Highlights...

[Video] Foolad Khuzestan – Mes Kerman Foolad Khuzestan 0 – 1 Mes Kerman (W5) 75′ [0-1] Reza Enayati Match Highlights...

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 25: Traders work in the oil options pit in the New York Mercantile Exchange February 25, 2011 in New York City. Crude oil prices alternated between gains and losses today, trading near $100 a barrel though down from highs earlier in the week. (Image credit:...

The Afghan government blamed foreign spy agencies for a rising number of killings where government soldiers and policemen have gunned down their international partners, and ordered stricter vetting of recruits and screening of those in the 350,000-member Afghan security force.

DENVER—An Air Force veteran who was one of 65 Americans taken hostage in Iran in 1979 is formally being awarded the Defense Department's Prisoner of War Medal.

WASHINGTON (MCT) — In a move that will bolster earthquake relief efforts in Iran, the Treasury Department on Tuesday issued temporary general licenses to nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that allow them to receive donations from U.S. citizens to put toward on-the-ground relief efforts.

'Rain or Shine connection' down the stretch buoyed the Philippines to an 88-84 claw-from-behind victory over Japan Wednesday in the 2012 William Jones Cup.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt requested a $4.8 billion (3 billion pounds) loan from the International Monetary Fund and hopes for a deal by the end of year, officials said during a visit on Wednesday by IMF chief Christine Lagarde to discuss helping the ailing economy. Related Stories IAEA to...

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked his far-right foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, on Wednesday for suggesting Palestinians should vote out their president to help revive peace efforts. Related Stories IAEA to press Iran for access, West suspects site "clean-up" Clashes over grazing land, water kill 48 in...

BANGKOK — Oil prices rose Wednesday as analysts predicted a strain on supplies and Middle East tensions would support crude prices. Benchmark crude for October delivery rose 3 cents at late afternoon Bangkok time to $96.87 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

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NAIROBI (Reuters) - The average price of Kenyan top grade tea inched up to $4.08 per kg at auction this week from $4.03 kg last week, traders said on Wednesday. The east African nation is the world's biggest exporter of black tea, and the crop is one of...

LONDON - U.S. officials are investigating possible violations of sanctions against Iran by Royal Bank of Scotland, Britain's Financial Times reported Wednesday.. The part-nationalized bank declined to comment except to repeat previous disclosures that it is in contact with U.S. and British authoriti

Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered the country's Revolutionary Guards to intensify its campaign of terror attacks against the West and its allies in retaliation for supporting the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

The team would distribute a six-month supply of clothes, medicine and food to about 100,000 displaced Rohingyas.

>* Q2 net profit 94 mln yuan - Reuters calculations* Telecoms gear spending should pick up in H2 - analystBy Lee Chyen YeeHONG KONG, Aug 22 (Reuters) - ZTE Corp, the world's fourth-biggest mobile vendor and fifth-ranked telecoms gear maker, posted an 85 percent drop in quarterly profit on Wednesday,...

>* Too early to quantify size of any financial hit* Commerzbank shares down 1.3 pct, lags bank indexFRANKFURT, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Commerzbank, Germany's second-largest lender, warned it faces a financial hit to settle U.S. probes into violations of sanctions on Iran and other countries, which could exceed...

Oil prices rose yesterday as hopes that the European Central Bank will act to contain the region's debt crisis boosted crude futures and sent the euro to a seven-week peak versus the dollar.

The opposition says the government should cancel plans to send senior officials to a summit in Iran.