News Archive - 4 October 2012

A video made by PFDC member “teammelli1″ – dedicated to Eamon Zayed as a birthday gift

>* South Korea's biggest refiner SK Energy received Iran cargo on Oct 2* SK Energy to get 2nd cargo later this month* Iran has $5-6 bln in bank accounts in South Korea -govt sourceBy Meeyoung ChoSEOUL, Oct 5 (Reuters) - South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank has loaded a cargo of...

>* But demand outlook stays bleak on shaky global economy* EU plans ban on Iran gas imports -sources* Coming up: U.S. non-farm payrolls at 1230 GMT (Adds quote, updates prices)By Ramya VenugopalSINGAPORE, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Brent futures slipped below $112 per barrel on Friday, but they are on...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Thursday that significant new cyber threats to U.S. financial networks appeared to be emerging from an "unusual" source. Committee Chairman Mike Rogers did not specifically identify the purported new threat nor its origin but referred...

>FUNDAMENTALS* Front-month NYMEX futures fell 21 cents to $91.50 per barrel at 0010 GMT, poised to end the week marginally lower.* Brent futures fell 37 cents to $112.21 per barrel.* Turkey stepped up retaliatory artillery strikes on a Syrian border town on Thursday, killing several Syrian...

Turkey's parliament on Thursday authorised military action against Syria but insisted it was not a war mandate following deadly cross-border fire that sent tensions soaring.

>* Fall of Assad would be blow to Iran -MeridorPARIS Oct 4 (Reuters) - Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said on Thursday a deadly Syrian mortar strike on a Turkish town had to be considered an attack on a member of the NATO alliance.Israel is technically at war...

Tehran, Iran — Iran deployed riot police at key Tehran intersections on Thursday, after tensions flared over the nation's plunging currency in the most widespread display of anger linked to the country's sanctions-hit economy.

>BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is poised to ban imports of Iranian gas as part of a set of new measures to ratchet up pressure on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear programme, diplomats said on Thursday. Diplomats from EU member states have started preparing a package of sanctions...

Washington (AFP) Oct 4, 2012 The United States needs to develop offensive weapons in cyberspace as part of its effort to protect the nation from cyber attacks, a senior military official said Thursday. "If your defense is only to try to block attacks you can never be successful," General Keith...

Editor: Jeremy Laurence + 65 6870 3922 Picture Desk: Singapore + 65 6870 3775 Graphics queries: + 65 6870 3595 (All times GMT) TOP STORIES Turkish sceptical military action would stop Syria strikes AKCAKALE, Turkey- Frightened residents of a Turkish bordertown shelled by Syria expressed scepticism on Friday thatmilitary and...

Beirut, Lebanon (UPI) Oct 4, 2012 The killing of at least three Hezbollah fighters in Syria's civil war adds weight to persistent allegations the Iranian-backed movement has deployed military forces to prop up one of its most important allies, beleaguered President Bashar Assad in Damascus. That could aggravate smoldering sectarian...

Jerusalem (AFP) Oct 4, 2012 Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday he believes "the Arab Spring will be followed by a Persian Spring," with international sanctions against Iran leading to renewed domestic unrest. His remarks came a day after scuffles broke out in central Tehran in the first sign...

Countries trying to build and operate their own internet system is “a road to disaster” a top Pentagon official said given that two nations Iran and China are making such an effort.

The fiscal policies he imposed as finance minister were flawed and left him with no constituency for smaller government.

BEIRUT (AP) — Retaliatory Turkish artillery strikes deep into Syria have showed the speed with which the bloody civil war can entangle its neighbors and destabilize an already volatile region.

As tensions swell in the Persian Gulf, the United States is pressing its fractious Arab allies to accelerate efforts to establish an integrated missile defense network to counter the threat of Iran's growing ballistic arsenal.

All times are provisional and in GMT. Other major diaries; For all Top Economic events, Click on For all Top Economic Indicators, Click on For Emerging Market economic events, Click on For Reuters World Diary, Click on To see an index of all diaries, Click on Items marked ** denote...

All 18 elementary school students buried in a landslide in a mountainous part of south-western China have dead, while one other person is missing, officials said Related Stories Daryl Hannah held over oil protest Obama back on US campaign trail Iran jamming broadcasts, claims US Vietnam's dissident poet Thien dies...

Military strategists appear to have missed a foreseeable outcome in their efforts to pressure Iran.

Hollywood is in its usual hazy head space when it comes to the Academy Awards race.

The Ministry of Environment and Water, in coordination with other entities concerned, is investigating the death of 130 sheep reported on Tuesday, especially whether they were infected with a strain of plague.

Navy SEALS killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011, avenging his mass-murdering attacks on America. And President Barack Obama, who ordered that daring raid, understandably found a way to mention how we went after al-Qaida and bin laden during Wednesday nights domestic-issues debate in Denver.

An Iranian supertanker is heading to South Korea with a cargo of oil, according to shipping data, as the Islamic republic uses state-owned tankers to make deliveries in response to sanctions over its nuclear program.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Swigging a bottle of beer before midday in a grimy cobbler's shop where he works, Cesar JÃ menez argues with a colleague on Venezuelan politics.

2008 - Un periodista iraquí lanza sus zapatos contra el presidente de los EE.UU., George W. Bush en una rueda de prensa celebrada en Bagdad. 2004 - Francia: El presidente Jacques Chirac inaugura el puente más alto del mundo, construido a 343 metros de altura, en la región...

The discovery of a tomb that experts believe might be that of a great Maya queen could redefine the understanding of women's political roles during the Classic Maya period, experts said Thursday.

The government-appointed body that oversees Voice of America and other U.S.-sponsored broadcasts is accusing Iran of jamming radio and television programming into the Middle East and eastern Europe amid protests in Iran over the Iranian currency crisis.

A second federal lawsuit has been filed seeking to overturn California's new ban on psychotherapy aimed at making gay or lesbian teenagers straight.

I hope I end up feeling better after the next two presidential debates. I'm uncomfortable about the one Wednesday night in Denver.

FXstreet.com (San Francisco) - According to the BBH Global Currency Strategy Team, a collapse of the Iranian currency has been underway for the past week. BBH states: "there seems to

The latest news from Iran is heartening to those who support sanctions as a means to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons. The economy is in shambles, with the Iranian rial losing value at an unprecedented rate. The people are feeling the pain and there are anti-government...

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourists and locals find the free GO-KL bus service a boon as it steadily makes its mark into the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hurdler Noraseela Khalid has aggravated her Achilles tendon injury and will not feature in the national championships which begin this weekend at the National Sports Council (NSC) training track in Bukit Jalil.

Word from Tehran and Washington is that the nuclear dispute might be resolved soon after the U.S. elections, assuming President Obama wins.

Terrance Nelson says he will meet with the Iranian regime in Tehran next week as part of an “exploratory mission” to discuss resource development and “human rights abuses” in Canada

OCT 5 — Malaysia and Libya have the same Internet freedom ranking, which is 23 out of 47 countries. We trail behind countries such as the Philippines, Ukraine, Georgia, Uganda and Kyrgyzstan. This is according to a recent study done by Freedom House, an independent watchdog organisation that monitors freedom...

The former First Nations chief says he will meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s regime to discuss “human rights abuses” in Canada. The Post spoke to Nelson and Iranian-born activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam about the visit

Rent It In 1958 Tehran, Nasser-Ali Khan (Mathieu Amalric, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ) is lamenting the destruction of his beloved violin. His wife (Maria de Madeiros, Pulp Fiction ) smashed it in a fit of rage. None of the instruments that he buys to replace it, including...

RESIDENTS of Kelana D’Putera Condominiums were forced to wake up from their slumber when police put on a siren to catch the attention of five car owners whose vehicles were vandalised in front of the housing area in Kelana Jaya yesterday morning.

The main problem I saw in last night's debate for President Obama was his unwillingness to point up the many successes he has had in his last three years as president. Instead of playing defense, he has a strong economic resume he could have spoken to -- a increase...

Last Monday, at 11:30 am on a beautiful, brisk fall day, I met nine other Penn State undergraduates and two professors under the Gateway to the Sciences in the center of our University Park campus, in conservative business dress and with nothing but ID and a notepad on me.

A group representing Iranian-Canadians in the Tri-Cities will host a public meeting with the Canadian Heritage minister on Saturday

* Gasoline, heating oil surge after Baytown, Texas refineryfire * Middle East tensions, Turkey strikes at Syria lift oil * Coming up: U.S. Sept. nonfarm payrolls 8:30 a.m. EDTFriday (Updates throughout) ...

During my trip to Iran last month, the owner of a chicken shop in Shohada Square, a lower middle class neighborhood in southern Tehran not far from the bazaar, complained to me about the fluctuating price of chicken. “Yesterday, I had some orders from some regular customers. So I sold...

NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said a military attack on Iran could "prove catastrophic."

Stabenow focuses on agriculture, bipartisanship

Oil futures rallied sharply Thursday, reversing much of the previous day's losses, as disruptions to the gasoline market and a border skirmish between Turkey and Syria pulled prices higher.

Turkey sanctioned further military action against Syria on Thursday and bombarded targets across the border with artillery for a second day, raising the stakes in a conflict that increasingly is bleeding outside Syrian territory.

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held out the possibility today that sanctions on Iran could be eased quickly if Tehran were willing to work with major powers to address questions about its nuclear program.

Long ago I had an argument with a friend about something the president had said. I can't remember which president, much less what the offending statement was, but passions were running high, and things devolved pretty quickly into a bit of a shouting match. In the fog of disagreement...

Ben Affleck’s Argo tells the true-life tale of a CIA agent who posed as the producer of a science fiction

While the rest of us are wondering what on earth happened to Barack Obama last night, the President’s Iran policy seems to be moving toward success. The international sanctions that he so laboriously put together are having a devastating effect on Iran’s economy. The currency is collapsing. And now, the...

OIL FUTURES: Crude Extends Rally Above $90 a Barrel

The fate of the national league has always been seen as firmly linked to the fate of the Socceroos.

Russian diplomats and security chiefs denied Thursday sending their spies to the United States to purchase high-tech military electronics and detonators in faked civilian deals. The United State on Wednesday ...

REUTERS DIARY OF MIDDLE EAST/AFRICAN HOLIDAYS Double-click in brackets for Americas holidays , Asian holidays and European holidays Alternatively click on to retrieve dates by country. Please note the diaries mentioned above can be accessed only from Thomson Reuters products. ** Details below represent the latest information available and will...

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has arrived in the Turkish capital city, Ankara, to discuss bilateral ties and increase the level of economic cooperation between the two countries.

An important element of national security is the soundness of our currency. Before a currency goes into freefall, its value can be chipped away while a distracted population fails to notice that the currency buys cheaper quality clothing and less food in a package at a grocery store. This...

If you were to peel life like an onion, you'd find layer after layer of hidden meaning philosophers have debated over for centuries and will continue to do so until the end of time. Why are we here? Where are we going? Who is our creator? Does she exist...

Gold moved $10 higher ahead of the ECB rate announcement and it once again neared the Monday high. Silver added $30 cents and traded just above the $35 level. Market participants continue to target the $1,800 and $35.50 closing levels in the gold/silver duo.

With an A-list cast, Ten's biopic of a young Julian Assange is gaining global attention.

Crude oil markets are well supplied and inventories remain adequate, Saudi Arabia's oil minister Ali al-Naimi said Thursday, reiterating that the world's top oil exporter can and will meet any additional demand.

Gold inched up on Thursday, continuing its fourth day of gains as investors await more clues from central banks on further stimulus plans. Investors will watch the key the nonfarm payrolls figure on Friday to determine if QE3 is beginning to stimulate the US economy.

Now that The New York Times pay wall is live, you only get 10 free clicks a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we're taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.

As delegates gather in Manchester for the Labour Party's annual conference, Iain Dale and Brian Brivati analyse the most powerful figures within the Labour movement

Shops in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar stayed shut and police patrolled the area on Thursday as authorities struggled to restore normalcy a day after security forces clashed with anti-government protesters angered by the collapse of the currency.

Plus, Facebook tops 1 billion users (but stock still lame)

A scientist at the University of South Carolina is continuing to build the case that natural wetlands, rather than irrigated fields, are the fertile ground from which cities initially emerged in Mesopotamia. And her conclusions about the importance of wetlands have particular resonance in southern Iraq. That area is both...

>The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)said Tehran, which is facing tough international economic sanctions over its nuclear programme, was also trying to restrict internet access."The situation for independent journalists is Iran is worsening by the day," CPJ Deputy Director Rob Mahoney said in a statement on Wednesday.

>HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan has imposed a cap on U.S. dollar flows across the border with Iran amid clashes there between Iranian police and protesters prompted by a collapse in the rial currency, Afghan police said on Thursday. The Iranian currency's plunge has also jolted traders in the...

>Efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to engage with Iran over suspicions it has been conducting research into developing nuclear weapons have stalled and a hoped for meeting this month would not be possible, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano told reporters following an address in Sydney."We are...

>By Marcus George and Yeganeh TorbatiDUBAI Oct 4 (Reuters) - Shops in Tehran's Grand Bazaar stayed shut and police patrolled the area on Thursday as authorities struggled to restore normalcy a day after security forces clashed with anti-government demonstrators angered by the collapse of the currency.Several traders from the...

>* But no sign that system of government under attack* Free-market trade in rial appears to have almost halted* Economist says Iran has hit hyperinflation* Government still has economic policy optionsBy Marcus George and Yeganeh TorbatiDUBAI, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Shops in Tehran's Grand Bazaar stayed shut and police patrolled...

VATICAN CITY - An Italian man gave up his protest atop the St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday evening, after more than 24 hours perched on the 426-foot high dome to demonstrate against government reforms.

Calm returned to central Tehran on Thursday, a day after it was rocked by unprecedented protests over Iran's plunging currency, but all money-changers and most shops were closed, witnesses told AFP.

LONDON (Reuters) - British house prices fell unexpectedly in September, figures from mortgage lender Halifax showed on Thursday, as the weak economy weighed on demand. Related Stories Government scraps flawed rail deal in embarrassing U-turn Island plans by Tokyo's nationalist governor may stoke fresh China tensions Trade association condemns Tehran...

Following are some of the main world news events expected inthe next week (all times GMT). Asterisks denote new listings. - - - - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4 BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets YemeniPresident Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi (0900). PARIS - French President Francois Hollande meets YemeniPresident Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi...

TEHRAN, Iran - The first outbreak of public anger over Iran's collapsing currency and other economic maladies jolted the heart of the capital Wednesday, with the riot police violently clamping down on black-market money changers, hundreds of citizens marching to demand relief and merchants in the sprawling bazaar closing their...

Al Jazeera's correspondent answers questions from the online community about his recent trip to Syria.

Painting a picture of internal political dysfunction in a dangerous world, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Wednesday night that a U.S. or Israeli attack on Iran would have disastrous consequences.

DUBAI (Reuters) - An Islamic trade association in Iran strongly condemned the protests that flared in Tehran's main bazaar as an enemy conspiracy and said traders had dealt with the "treacherous" acts, Iran's state news agency reported late on Wednesday.

Russian political scientist Stanislav Tarasov. Collage: BakuToday The head of the Joint Chiefs of staff of the armed forces (SC) United States General Martin Dempsey starts working visit to Turkey.

KUWAIT (Reuters) - When Kuwait's next ruler takes power he will need to reassure competing factions in the Al-Sabah dynasty that he is protecting their interests and maintaining stability, making progress toward democratic reforms unlikely, at least at the beginning. Current ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 83, has resisted opposition...

>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent futures edged up towards $109 per barrel on Thursday as a steep drop in the previous session brought in bargain hunters, while investors awaited further cues from a European Central Bank policy meeting and critical U.S. jobs data. Oil markets also appeared to win some...