News Archive - 1 September 2012

>The two countries will cooperate in research, student exchanges and joint laboratories, and in the fields of information technology, engineering, biotechnology, renewable energy, the environment, sustainable development of agriculture and food technology, the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) reported.ILNA said the agreement was signed by Iran's Minister for Science,...

>Iran has steadfastly supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his bid to suppress an uprising which both Tehran and Damascus see as a proxy war by Israel and Western states to extend their influence in the Middle East."If America were to attack Syria, Iran along with Syria's allies will...

>* Netanyahu, Obama may meet in New York at end of monthBy Ori LewisJERUSALEM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - A confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that U.S. President Barack Obama had yet to present a credible military threat that could deter Iran from seeking nuclear...

>The air defence drill will include fighter jets and simulate emergency situations, said Farzad Esmaili, commander of the Iranian army's air defence force, according to Iran's English-language Press TV.The drill will include both the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Esmaili said, and follows a series of large-scale...

>* Turkey will press on with calls for 'safe zones'* Russia says Assad cannot cease fire unilaterallyBy Dominic EvansBEIRUT, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Rebels seized an air defence facility and attacked a military airport in eastern Syria on Saturday, a monitoring group said, hitting back at an air force on...

>DUBAI (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has defended his controversial visit to Iran, saying on Friday that he had used this week's trip to push hard for human rights and transparency from Tehran over its nuclear programme. "I believe in the power of diplomacy and I believe in...

source: Edward Lao | abs-cbnnews.com LONDON – The English Premier League's (EPL) transfer window shut at 11 p.m. (GMT) yesterday following a flurry of last minute activity among its clubs. Rumors surrounded the possible loaning out of Fulham FC's number two goalkeeper David Stockdale, which would have made...

KARACHI: Petroleum prices in the country are linked with international rates and they will be raised or reduced in accordance with them, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain said on Saturday.

Before science, we humans came up with all sorts of ways to explain our surroundings. To the Greeks, an invisible god in the sky produced thunder and lightning. Virgins tossed into volcanoes could help prevent eruptions. Crazy people were possessed by literal demons and fossils were a trick by the...

A "big and unforgivable" sin. A Western falsehood. An attempt to deprive developing nations of peaceful nuclear technology. That's how Iran's supreme leader addresses allegations that the Islamic Republic seeks atomic weapons.

Global banking major HSBC is looking to offload its entire 4.46% stake in private sector lender Karnataka Bank, after having exited from three other Indian lenders -- Axis Bank, Yes Bank and Federal Bank.

Reading, writing — and romance? That’s what jilted hubby Khasha Mohammadi alleges went on at a New Jersey high school between his ex-wife, a high school math teacher, and a former student — to whom she is now married. “The root cause of our divorce was due to plaintiff’s having...

Iran's state news agency says a 5.2 magnitude earthquake has jolted a sparsely populated district in the country's east.

The time to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb is growing short — and so, apparently, are tempers in Jerusalem and Washington. On Friday, Israel’s largest newspaper reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got into an angry — and decidedly undiplomatic — shouting match last week with US Ambassador...

LONDON : British captain Dave Clarke thanked global football icon David Beckham for spreading the word about blind five-a-side soccer as the sport’s Paralympic tournament kicked off Friday.

New headgear pays off for athlete from Nanoose Bay, B.C.

The film industry is surprised by the box office success of a movie that critics have panned.

LONDON, Sept 2 — National elite archer Hasihin Sanawi brought cheers to the Malaysian camp when he made the semi-final of the men's individual recurve W1/W2 (wheelchair). In the quarterfinal at Royal Artillary Barrack, Hasihin beat Jung Young Joo of South Korea 6-4. Hasihin who was tied 4-4 with Jung...

Mitt Romney , the Republican candidate in the US presidential election, has indicated that he will adopt a tougher position towards Russia than his rival, the incumbent president, Barack Obama.

It's difficult to see how this ends well. After a decade-plus of war and nation-building in Afghanistan, NATO and U.S.

We have drained our resources for 11 long years to near-bankruptcy

TEHRAN, Sept. 1 -- The Islamic republic of Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called on Saturday for the expansion of bilateral ties.

Ben Affleck is about to change what you know about Canadian history.

The few minutes that a policeman-jailer took to eat lugaw (porridge) at a stall beside the old Police Station 3 in Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City were all the four detainees needed to escape from the station's detention cell.

THERE are few foreign-policy positions more silly than the assertion without context that "deterrence works." It is like saying air power works. Well, it worked for Kosovo; it didn't work over North Vietnam.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu today called for Tony Blair and George Bush to be taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for their role in the Iraq war.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu says George Bush and Tony Blair should be taken to the International Criminal Court for their role in the Iraq war.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has called for Tony Blair and George Bush to be taken to the International Criminal Court for their role in the Iraq war.

CINCINNATI – Unveiling a new campaign speech, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney vowed Saturday to lead America to a “winning season” and insisted that his party would stick to the promises of fiscal responsibility that it had abandoned in the past.

Seven of the week's best reads from around the web

The Karnataka crime branch yesterday set up a special team to investigate the terror links of a dozen youths arrested this week and unravel their plans to carry deadly attacks in the state with support from banned militant groups.

Iran and North Korea have signed an agreement to co-operate in science and technology, Iranian media reported yesterday, and Iran’s supreme leader declared that the two countries had “common enemies”.

A US-Israeli ballistic missile exercise postponed until this autumn will involve fewer US military personnel than initially planned, the Pentagon said yesterday, but it rejected a media report portraying the decision as a sign of US mistrust.

He can claim substantial accomplishments, but the verdict of history won't be known for some time.

PM Manmohan Singh wasn’t planning to be the star performer at the NAM summit. He was to speak on 21st century developmental issues in late afternoon on August 30.

Last week, an Australian court ordered Thai energy giant PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) to pay fines totalling A$510,000 (16.5 million baht) for damages from the 2009 Montara oil spill off the coast of northwest Australia in the Timor Sea. Indonesia is still seeking US$2.4 billion (75.3...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A modest bump in popularity for U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney from this week's Republican Party convention looks to be short-lived, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Related Stories Iran would take action if U.S. attacked Syria - official U.S. must show tougher stance against...

Full marks to Mitt Romney for presenting himself as a responsible challenger to President Obama — a façade that masks many questions, contradictions

PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for decisive action to resolve the financial crisis in the euro zone and dispel any doubts over the future of the euro. Related Stories Ban Ki-moon defends Iran visit, says pushed for change Isaac remnants dumping heavy rain across Missouri, Illinois...

A BRITISH soldier accused of spying by passing military secrets to Iran is a former salsa dancing teacher and nightclub owner, it was revealed yesterday.

Sahin was a transfer target for the Gunners before moving to Anfield on a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid recently. Now, he is line to make his first appearance for the Reds when they play host to Arsene Wenger's side in the third round of Premier League fixtures.

United for Iran welcomes remarks from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran this week, where he expressed "serious concerns" about Iran's human rights situation, and urged Iran to cooperate with the United Nations to improve freedoms for its citizens.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accuses the March 8 alliance of being behind the deteriorating security situation in the country in a bid to ease pressure on its ally President Bashar Assad.

The final communique of the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was adopted unanimously on Friday, has expressed support for Iran's nuclear program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad read out the resolution, which included over seven-hundred clauses, during the final session of the summit on Friday night

MANAMA: Bahrain says it has filed a formal protest with Iran over a broadcast translation that wrongly substituted Bahrain for Syria in a speech by Egypt’s president.

ROME (Reuters) - The former archbishop of Milan and papal candidate Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini said the Catholic Church was "200 years out of date" in his final interview before his death, published on Saturday. Related Stories Iran, North Korea agree to cooperate in science, technology Iran would take action...

Tehran – Iran on Saturday said it wanted to first see Western intelligence reports before allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the Parchin military complex in south east of the capital Tehran.

PHILIPPINE embassy officials in Iran assured that the government has contingency plans in place to ferry out Filipinos living in Iran in case the nuclear plants in the oil-rich country are attacked. Vice President Jejomar Binay, who arrived from Iran last Saturday after attending the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit,...

ISTANBUL/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Turkey will continue to seek international backing for a foreign-protected safe zone inside Syria after a U.N. Security Council meeting this week failed to deliver much beyond a French plan to channel more aid to rebel-held areas.

Makakaharap ng Smart Gilas Pilipinas II ang Qatar national team sa isang tune-up game sa Setyembre 8.

Iran and North Korea Saturday called for expansion of bilateral ties.

The lone secret premiere of the 2011 Telluride Film Festival ended up being Ben Affleck‘s dramatic thriller Argo. I’ve never understood the negativity regularly thrown at Ben Affleck. When given the right material, he’s delivered some great performances as an actor (Good Will Hunting, Shakespeare in Love, Boiler Room, Hollywoodland…etc).

Syrian rebels turned their attacks against airbases as they try to reduce the strength of the government’s air power being deployed against them.

With the panchayat polls slated for next year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has now trained her guns at Congress bastions in the state, making a determined bid to extend her Trinamool Congress' sway to more districts.

Delhi witnessed a muggy Saturday, with temperatures a notch above average and humidity reaching 95 percent. Rains have been forecast for Sunday evening.

Even though India attained independence Aug 15, 1947, the country was undecided on its official national anthem on the auspicious day, an archived letter made public here Saturday has indicated.

With the death of an 11-year-old boy in Kolkata, the dengue epidemic has claimed its third victim in the state, the health department said Saturday. The number of confirmed cases has gone up to 638.

The government Saturday expanded the scope of the expert committee on General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) to include all non-resident tax payers, even as the committee submitted its draft report to the finance ministry.

MANILA, Philippines – Coming from Iran, Vice President Jejomar Binay immediately addressed reportedly “unethical” remarks by broadcaster Korina Sanchez about him and his previous preference for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Binay, who arrived in the Philippines on Saturday, September 1, had said he wants the...

Badminton doubles specialist Valiyaveetil Diju expressed surprise over reports that his mixed event partner Jwala Gutta is taking a sabbatical from the game, and said if it is true then he would like to focus on the men's doubles for the time being.

Automobile major Hyundai Motor Saturday reported an increase of 5.9 percent in its August domestic sales which stood at 28,257 units over 26,677 units for the like period of 2011. However, the ...

Sixty-four private city schools have illegally collected higher fee from students since September 2008, a committee has informed the Delhi High Court while recommending a refund of the money with 9 percent per annum interest.

An Australian man has been sentenced to at least 21 years in jail for creating a fake Facebook account to lure a teenage animal lover into bushland before killing her.

Researchers have discovered that women who surf the net are most at risk of Internet addiction.

DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A rebel attack on an air base outside Aleppo has been repelled, the Syrian government says.

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's sole operational nuclear power reactor has reached full capacity, a senior official said Saturday. Iran's deputy nuclear chief, Mohammad Ahmadian, said the reactor at the Bushehr power plant was brought to its "full capacity of 1,000 megawatts" Friday evening. The reactor...

If we analyze the geopolitics of the Middle East, what should be the principal focus? There is little agreement on an answer, and yet it is the key question.

Kausir Sultana, the mother of Obaid ur Rehman, who was arrested from Hyderabad for his alleged links with terror organisations, on Saturday said that her son is innocent and was taken away by the police officials without any prior notice.

Kajol is a must have for filmmaker Karan Johar in all his films because he feels his close friend is lucky for him. No wonder the actress features in a cameo in the song "Disco deewane" in Johar's forthcoming film "Student of The Year" (SOTY).

A 75-year-old woman suffocated to death and a man fell sick after inhaling toxic fumes that leaked out of a chemical tank near here Saturday, police said.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reaffirmed the determination of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to transform the global management system based on the principles of justice and amity.

TEHRAN, Sept. 1 (MNA) - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Tehran on Thursday that he believes the structure of the UN should be reformed so that it can become more representative, more democratic, and more transparent.

Unidentified men attacked a rescue home and kidnapped four trafficked women at Ramanthapur area here early Saturday, police said.

President Mohammed Morsy, by virtue of being in the post so briefly, is to a degree making his foreign policy as he goes. Beijing and Tehran have been his first big forays and he is already making waves. It is not that he is acting at random or without design,...

TEHRAN, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The final resolution of the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has supported Iran's nuclear energy programme while condemning the West's sanctions against Tehran and voicing support for the rights of the Palestinian nation, Azerbaijan's Trend news agency reported.

President Mohammed Morsy, by virtue of being in the post so briefly, is to a degree making his foreign policy as he goes. Beijing and Tehran have been his first big forays and he is already making waves.

The opposition Free Syrian Army has issued a statement saying it is willing to target civilian airplanes, which it believes carry support for embattled President Bashar Al-Assad. The measure is set to be effective starting Monday, according to the armed rebels' Facebook page. According to them, the Syrian government uses...