News Archive - 26 August 2012

>* Oil supported by hopes of more stimulus measures by the Fed* Norwegian oil services workers break off wage talks (Adds details, updates prices)By Jessica JaganathanSINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Oil futures rose more than a dollar on Monday, with Brent climbing above $115 per barrel, on supply worries as...

>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's military is trying to staunch spillover from Syria's crisis, tightening border controls as its troops exchange fire with gunmen, rockets hit a frontier patrol and Syrian army shells land on an Iraqi border town. Iraq's army last week took over frontier operations. A border crossing to...

>SANA news agency said the vice president would meet with a parliamentary delegation from Assad's main regional ally Iran, led by senior legislator Aleddin Borougerdi.(Reporting by Marwan Makdesi) World Related Quotes and News Company Price Related News...

>* Assad: Syria will resist interference "no matter the cost"* Heavy shelling on Aleppo in north, Deraa in southBy Oliver HolmesALEPPO, Syria, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Syrian opposition activists accused President Bashar al-Assad's army on Sunday of massacring hundreds of people in a town close to the capital that government...

>The sermon by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef added to a flurry of recent rhetoric from Israeli officials that has raised international concern that Israel, widely believed to be the Middle East's only atomic power, might attack Iran's nuclear facilities."(When) we ask God to 'bring an end to our enemies', we...

>* Iran assumes 3-year presidency, hopes for solidarity* Syria likely to dominate agenda, divide participantsBy Yeganeh TorbatiDUBAI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister urged delegates at a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) developing nations summit on Sunday to oppose sanctions imposed by the West on the Islamic Republic to punish it...

>MILAN Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are investigating UniCredit's German unit HVB as part of a global crackdown on possible violations of sanctions on Iran that has already cost Standard Chartered a hefty settlement.In an emailed statement on Sunday, UniCredit said the New York County District Attorney's...

>Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's leader in Gaza, had accepted the invite over the weekend but backtracked on Sunday "in order that the participation would not be an introduction to deepening a Palestinian, Arab and Muslim division over the Palestinian cause," said spokesman Taher al-Nono.Iran's call for Hamas to attend the...

Two Irishmen in their 30s remain in a critical condition following an alleged attack in St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia yesterday morning.

Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy says the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) must play a more prominent role in international and regional relations.

The Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, is in Jordan to assess how Irish aid is assisting humanitarian relief efforts for Syrian refugees.

It was a sultry start to the week for Delhiites Monday with the minimum temperature touching the season's average of 26 degrees Celsius. The weather office has forecast rains later in the day.

Assad's army is intact and he retains no shortage of options despite high-level defections and deaths of senior figures Some wars do not end. Russian forces – Tsarist, Bolshevik, and post-Soviet – have been fighting in the North Caucasus for the best part of three centuries, and the conflict stubbornly...

(MENAFN - Arab News) Britain said yesterday it was deeply concerned by emerging reports of a "brutal massacre of civilians" in a Damascus suburb that President Bashar Assad's army recaptured from ...

India will be able to forge durable relations with China only when it emerges as a stronger, if not an equal, military and economic power with a nuclear deterrent, says a new book.

Haaretz has learned that Netanyahu conveyed this message to the Lebanese government through a Western diplomat he met in Jerusalem several weeks ago.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the foreign "conspiracy" against his country would be defeated, as his forces were accused of a bloody rampage in a town near Damascus that left hundreds dead.

At least six people were killed when a speeding truck hit a tractor trolley in Etah town of Uttar Pradesh late Sunday, police said Monday.

PRESIDENT Bashar al-Assad says Syria will defeat what he describes as a foreign plot being waged against the country.

Congressional report shows that arms exports tripled from previous year, with Gulf Arab states the main customers.

Conventions are the seventh-inning stretches of presidential politics, a pause to consider the interminable prelude and the coming climax.

Accounts of atrocities against rebels demand strong condemnation, a British official says.

Earlier this month, a liberal Israeli novelist published a liberal polemic in a liberal newspaper. The article, by David Grossman, ran in the op-ed section of Haaretz, and decried Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu’s fevered declarations that he might soon order a unilateral strike on the Islamic . . . (Subscription...

Even as government sources indicated that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may take on an adamant opposition in Parliament and clarify his government's stand on the coal block allocations, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has chosen to stay away from the action.

Top leaders of three major parties of Nepal yesterday committed to end the "blame game" against each other and work towards harmonising their "strained relationship" since the dissolution of the Const .....

>Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).EURO ZONE CRISISThe head of Germany's Bundesbank stepped up his opposition to the European Central Bank's latest moves to battle the euro zone's debt crisis on Sunday, saying that plans to...

The expert-level meeting of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit opened here Sunday.

Syria massacres Damascus Daraya civil war

Iran's national security chief has said his country stands against any foreign intervention in Syria, and that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Tehran will aim at resolving the 18-month-old crisis in Syria.

PM Manmohan Singh is expected to clarify his stand on the issue through an address to the nation before he leaves for Iran.

The U.S. should also examine policies in other countries throughout the Middle East.

Turkey has said that it is investigating a potential Iranian role in a bombing by a Kurdish separatist group near its border with war-torn Syria.

>GEITHNER UNDER PRESSURE OVER DEALS FOR BARCLAYSThe U.S. Treasury Secretary is under pressure to explain a deal that allowed Barclays to avoid prosecution for helping Iran and Libya to move hundreds of millions of dollars through the American financial system.The TelegraphCHINA AIMS TO BOOST CONFIDENCE WITH STIMULUS PACKAGEChina...

Five years ago there was considerable media speculation that the United States was about to bomb Iran to stop its nuclear program. Despite the hype, it was clear that was not going to happen. Times have changed. Now a war with Iran is not imminent, but it is inevitable.

MIRI: Pal opis DAP Senadin dirusak orang ke enda dikelala di bandar satelit Permyjaya bedau lama ke udah. [...]

Syrian opposition activists accused President Bashar al-Assad’s army of massacring hundreds of people in a town close to the capital that government forces recaptured from rebels.

Saudi Aramco comes clean with some details, resumes network operations today.

The escalating carnage in Syria came to a head Saturday when opposition activists reported more than 440 people dead -- the highest single-day death toll to date in the country's civil war.

U.S. prosecutors are looking into whether British bank HSBC was involved in laundering money for Mexican drug cartels and moving cash for Saudi Arabian banks with ties to terrorists, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Of the four "Scottish Colourists" who have come to be seen as Scotland's special contribution to 20th-century painting, George "Leslie" Hunter was the most individualistic and the most self-destructive. Born in Rothesay, brought up in California, he returned to Scotland as an illustrator, embraced French Impressionism and post-Impressionism with a...

GAZA CITY (Palestinian Territories): After winning medals in Arab and international competitions, Gaza Paralympian athlete Khamis Zaqout is hoping to set a new world record when he competes in the London Games.

US PROSECUTORS investigating the movement of money by global banks suspect HSBC of laundering money for Mexican drug cartels and transferring money through its US subsidiary for sanctioned nations, including Iran, Sudan and North Korea.

Zawya Dow Jones/Dubai The Dubai Mercantile Exchange, which launched its first sour crude oil futures contract in 2007, is considering adding jet fuel to its suite of products, a move that would further enhance Dubai’s position as an air transportation hub, the exchange’s chairman and acting chief executive said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Tehran opposes foreign interference in regional affairs, calling for the resolution of the existing crises through dialog, Press TV reports.

Iran opened a world gathering of self-described nonaligned nations today with a slap at the U.N. Security Council and an appeal to rid the world of nuclear weapons, even as Tehran faces Western suspicions that it is seeking its own...

Vice President Jejomar Binay leaves on Tuesday for Tehran to represent President Aquino at the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.

After the Bulgaria attack, Jewish and pro-Israel groups are preparing for a new round in the fight to blacklist Hezbollah.

Initially we were heartened to read the TMZ report that Mitt Romney's campaign paid $500,000 to book Journey for a fundraiser in Tampa. That's the CRAZY Uncle Mitt we know! If Romney could drive such a hard bargain with the manager of a 40-year-old band that has two original members,...

Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says foreign intervention in Syria by providing financial and military support for the armed opposition groups cannot help to resolve the country’s crisis.

Ahead of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, India, Iran and Afghanistan Sunday held a crucial trilateral meeting and agreed to set up a joint working group to spur trade and transit through the Iranian port of Chabahar.

TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) - Two people were killed on Sunday in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, a security source said, where sporadic fighting between Sunni Muslims and Alawites over six days has mirrored sectarian faultlines in the raging conflict in neighbouring Syria. Related Stories Israel arrests three settler boys suspected...

A day after more than 440 bodies were recovered -- the highest single-day death toll to date in the nation's civil war -- at least 150 more people were found dead in Syria on Sunday.

A day after more than 440 bodies were recovered -- the highest single-day death toll to date in the nation's civil war -- at least 150 more people were found dead in Syria on Sunday. Here are some of the latest key developments in the country's 17-mo...

Here are some facts that should be considered by those who criticize the Barack Obama administration for "leading from behind" in the troubled Middle East. A steady buildup in the number of U.S. ships and aircraft available for possible new military action in the Middle East has been under...

source: InterAKTV | interaksyon.com The SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team will barely have any time to rest after its grueling title run in the 34th William Jones Cup. The squad is slated to join the FIBA Asia Cup, the tournament that used to be known as the Stankovic Cup, slated...

The condition for any political negotiation is the halt to violence by armed groups, Muallem said. -AFP

AMMAN (AP) — Britain said Sunday it was deeply concerned by emerging reports of a “brutal massacre of civilians” in a Damascus suburb where activists claim more than 300 people have been killed over the past week in a major government offensive to take back control of rebel-held areas in...

President Obama made the Israeli-Palestinian peace process a priority from the first week of his administration, but his positions have rankled Israel ’s conservative coalition government, while not advancing the parties toward peace. Mitt Romney insists he would be a better friend to Israel and opposes public pressure on Israel...

>* Saudi Aramco says workstations now cleansed, restored to service* Company website still down, emails bounce back* Oil exploration, production not affected* Identity of cyber attackers still unclearBy Daniel Fineren and Amena BakrDUBAI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil producer, has resumed operating its main internal...

A pro-government Syrian TV channel, al-Dunya, on Sunday denied media reports that Jamil Hassan, head of Syria’s air force intelligence, had been assassinated.

Syrian opposition activists accused President Bashar al-Assad's forces on Sunday of committing a massacre of scores of people in a town close to the capital that the army had just retaken from rebels. Related Stories UN urges diplomatic resolution UN urges Iran diplomatic resolution Israel breaks silence over army abuses...

Tehran, Aug 26 (PTI) Iran today condemned the West's policy of intimidation against other nations and sought NAM's support to end tough West-sponsored sanctions against it over its nuclear programme, as officials from 120 countries, including India, gathered here for the 16th NAM summit.

A meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement countries opened in Tehran.

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The bodies of more than 30 civilians — some of them women and children — were found Sunday in the streets of the Syrian town of Daraya southwest of Damascus, where President Bashar Assad's forces have been waging a fierce assault against rebel holdouts.

Tehran positions Non-Aligned Movement meeting as showcase of its global relations in face of stiff sanctions from West.

Cardinal Seán Brady has appealed for a calm and reasoned discussion on the issue of abortion.

The bodies of more than 30 civilians, some of them women and children, have been found in the streets of the Syrian town of Daraya south-west of Damascus, activists say.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says criminal acts of the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people and other regional nations are the biggest threat to the region and the international peace and security.

Blizzard complies with US laws and blocks WoW and Battle.net in the territory.

Afghanistan would be on the agenda when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Tehran for the NAM summit... File photo of Singh and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

Many experts believe hackers are a real threat to the power grid. / DAN GARROW/WESTCHESTER, N.Y., NEWS JOURNAL When it burst upon the scene in the summer of 2010, Stuxnet changed everything in the world of cyberwarfare.

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Court of Misdemeanours, presided by Judge Ashraf Al Shawadfi, recently cleared three Iranians of defrauding a compatriot businessman of $25,000 in a bogus investment ...

Suez Canal Authority chairman tells Al-Ahram newspaper Egyptian navy refuses to inspect ship's cargo; President Morsi to attend Tehran summit later this month.

President Barack Obama speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Washington. Obama talked about the presidential race and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the exclusive AP interview before heading off...

Iran's Vice President for International Affairs Ali Saeedlou says the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the Iranian capital, Tehran, will display the Islamic Republic’s high capability and power.

The Reserve Bank has widened its probe into the affairs of British banking giants HSBC and Standard Chartered to a host of other foreign banks for alleged breach of controls against money laundering and terror financing.

Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency's requests to send inspectors to its Parchin military site. The IAEA believes Iran is developing nuclear weapon capability, but Iran insists it's seeking only civilian nuclear energy.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Dr Chandra Muzaffar, president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), has called on Malaysia to take a diplomatic approach to persuade Myanmar to stop the persecution and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya minority in the state of Rakhine.

There will be many high-profile no-shows at both parties’ beauty pageants (no Al Gore for the Democrats), but Republicans are especially anxious to distance themselves from “The Bush Years.”

(22ND FIBA ASIA U18 CHAMPIONSHIP) @ Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. August 26, 2012 (Game Schedules) Battle for 7th place (2:00pm) Saudi Arabia vs. Lebanon [LIVE STATS] Battle for 5th place (4:00pm) Philippines vs. Chinese Taipei [LIVE STATS] Battle for 3rd place (6:00pm) Japan v Iran [LIVE STATS] Finals (8:00pm) China v South...