News Archive - 12 October 2012

The Islamic Republic has dismissed a recent report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, as politically motivated, biased, and without any legal basis.

>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Antonio "Tony" Mendez is the rarest of creatures: A former spy who has come out of the woodwork. His story is the subject of Ben Affleck's new film, "Argo," released in the United States Friday, and tipped to feature in Hollywood's awards season."Argo" is based...

>The new sanctions will have to be formally approved on Monday at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg before coming to effect.They include a ban on financial transactions, with some exceptions; a ban on imports of natural gas from Iran into the European Union; and a ban on...

>LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's oil supply, which has fallen to the lowest in more than two decades, is unexpectedly continuing to decline due to Western sanctions, putting further strain on the country's financial resources. In a report on Friday, the International Energy Agency estimated Iranian supply fell by 220,000 barrels...

Mitt Romney's foreign policy speech at the Virginia Military Institute, while trotted out as a major rejection of the current administration's approach to the Middle East, mostly just rehashed President Obama's policies, albeit with more hawkish bravado. But Romney's speech also included a host of faulty assumptions about Arabs...

>* Pressure on OPEC to produce more easing* Iraq, North America to increase oil production steeply (Adds trader comment)By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Christopher JohnsonLONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The world could see a gradual easing of oil prices over the next five years due to sluggish economic growth and rising...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said based on Islamic principles the country has no aggressive intents but will never back down in the face of any aggression, Xinhua reported.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's handling of the Libya attack has opened up a new front in the presidential campaign just weeks before Election Day, as Republicans seize on it

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the threat of computer attacks from Iran has grown and he says the Pentagon is prepared to take action. A former US official says authorities believe Iranian-based hackers are responsible for cyber-attacks that devastated Persian Gulf oil and gas companies. The former official...

11 hrs. U.S. authorities believe that Iranian-based hackers were responsible for cyberattacks that devastated Persian Gulf oil and gas companies, a former U.S. government official said.

The benchmark Light Sweet Crude Oil for November delivery on NYMEX settled at $ 91.86 per barrel on Friday 12 October 2012, up 2.2% in the week.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that based on Islamic principles Iran has no aggressive intents but its armed forces are ready to protect the nation against “the aggressive illusions of the enemies,” Press TV reported.

Freida Pinto and Reece Ritchie tell Digital Spy about training for Desert Dancer .

WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities believe that Iranian-based hackers were responsible for cyberattacks that devastated Persian Gulf oil and gas companies, a former U.S. government official said. …

This is a selection of stories, classified ads and commercial ads from the Celina Record first published Thursday, September 27, 1962.

>BEIJING (Reuters) - China's imports of iron ore reached their highest level in 20 months in September as buyers took advantage of falling prices to replenish stocks, and copper and crude oil imports also rose, but the data did little to raise hopes that demand in the world's second biggest...

It is with amazement that I read the headline article concerning low SAT scores in Savannah-Chatham County public schools. Amazement that the scores are low? No.

WHAT A difference a week and a serious behind-kicking make.

The defense secretary's warning appears aimed at Iran, suspected in an attack on oil companies.

The choice this year is simple given the reality of each political party’s ideologies,

Tea Party favorite and former presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) brought in $4.5 million to her campaign in the third quarter of 2012 -- the largest fundraising haul for any House member thus far in the current election cycle.

History says vice presidential debates rarely matter, since people vote for president, not the running mate.

The Greeks had a word for everything in their ancient world. One of those things was a mythical creature they called a Chimera. It could be many things at once. During the first presidential debate we learned that we have just such a creature running for the presidency.

In a blur of facts, VP debate strained the truth

Police said a shot was fired through the window of President Barack Obama's Denver campaign office. Related Stories UN urges Iran to halt executions Two more EU satellites launched Dog surgery not to be sniffed at Apple 'set to reveal iPad mini' Storm warning for Caribbean islands

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential contender Paul Ryan plowed fertile ground in terms of policy and politics during their debate -- now the question is whether the presidential candidates can reap what was sown.

UN human rights officials have condemned Iran's use of stoning as a form of capital punishment "among a number of deeply troubling rights violations", according to a report.

ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) — In a sign of escalating tensions, Turkey diverted its civilian planes Friday to avoid using Syrian...

It seems that media consensus has been conclusively reached: Turkey has been forced into a Middle Eastern mess not of its own making; the ‘Zero Problems with Neighbors’ notion, once the foreign policy centerpiece of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), is all but a romantic notion of no use...

REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Mitt Romney has hit back in a row over a deadly attack on the US consulate in Libya.

Message of the day... “No meat will leave the plant until inspectors are satisfied

In a rare display of growing disquiet within Iran's top leadership, the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lashed out at western sanctions, characterizing them as "illogical" and "barbaric." He admitted their debilitating impact by stating, "They may create problems. Mismanagement may even increase these problems..."...

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential contender Paul Ryan plowed fertile ground in terms of policy and politics during their debate -- now the question is whether the presidential candidates can reap what was sown.

It was the second debate of this Presidential season, and the reviews are mixed. Opinions about who won usually depend on the politics of the observer. YouTube Video:  No YouTube read more

The 71-year-old retired CIA agent is the man who managed to sneak six U.S. diplomats out of Iran during the 1979-81 hostage crisis by having them pose as the fake crew of a fake movie. Mendez is played by Affleck in ?Argo,? the rapturously reviewed new movie about the...

Tropical Storm Rafael has formed over the eastern Caribbean Sea, and warnings have been issued for numerous Caribbean islands. Related Stories Baby Laila a numerologist's delight UN urges Iran to halt executions Two more EU satellites launched Dog surgery not to be sniffed at Apple 'set to reveal iPad mini'

It’s admirable — but not particularly rare — to turn a good story into a good movie. To realize that the story is best told in an entirely different genre ... that’s exceptional.

WASHINGTON - The United States believes Iran was behind a major cyberattack on Saudi Arabia's state oil company and a Qatari gas firm, a former US official who has worked on cybersecurity issues said Friday.

A Cleveland RTA bus driver was suspended after being caught on video assaulting a passenger while on duty.

Government jets swiftly move in to destroy the missiles, a rebel spokesman says, but the incident plays into the fear that arms and chemicals will fall into rogue hands. BEIRUT –- Syrian rebels seized a government missile defense base near the northern city of Aleppo on Friday that had been...

OTTAWA — The escalating threat of cyber attacks requires a rethink in the government’s security priorities, experts and opposition critics said Friday in the wake of a stark warning from the American defense secretary about potentially devastating Internet-based threats.

The event offered students the opportunity to learn about cultures and stereotypes.

In the spooky new film “Sinister,” directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Derrickson and former movie critic C. Robert Cargill, Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime novelist who is having a very difficult time matching the success of an earlier bestseller.

The movie, "Argo," drawn from an incident during the Iranian hostage crisis, is now playing in area theaters. Photo: Contributed Photo / Westport News

Authored by J. Michael Cole, originally posted at The Diplomat , Hezbollah, through direct strikes on Israel or terrorist attacks, could complicate Israel's decision to attack Iran and spark an even greater regional crisis.   As the day approaches when Israel may decide to launch a preemptive strike against Iran...

IN THE wake of Thursday night’s debate, Republicans ganged up on Joe Biden, portraying the vice-president’s aggressive performance as “unhinged” and excessive.

Three senior United Nations human rights experts have appealed to Iran to halt 11 executions they say are scheduled to take place and to declare a moratorium on the death penalty. Related Stories Toddler-abuse mother gets 99 years Growth key to recovery - Lagarde Boy 'insulted prophet in texts' Stronger...

The former sheriff faces a challenge from a perennial hopeful.

Syria's continuing carnage and chaos have led to tens of thousands of people (mostly non-combatants) being killed and maimed. Many more have become refugees, within their homeland, or in neighboring countries. With things already so horrific, it's hard to imagine them getting worse. But the regime of Bashar al-Assad...

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's pointed warning that the U.S. will strike back against a cyberattack underscores the Obama administration's growing concern that Iran could be the first country to unleash cyberterrorism on America.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI's Washington field office has created a squad dedicated to investigating intellectual property thefts, part of a more aggressive law enforcement approach to cybercrime, an official said Friday.

Much of what is written today about the capabilities required by the military services is offered within the context of fiscal restraint, national budget austerity, and cuts in the defense budget to ensure that the armed services pay their “fair” share of deficit reduction.

Nationally televised campaign debates are to a large extent performances, and the theatrics matter. For all that, an amped-up Vice President Biden used the single turn he’s been allotted on this year’s debating stage to amplify some of the Democratic ticket’s overriding points.

It's a surreal sight residents won't soon forget: A hulking space shuttle strutting down city streets, pausing every so often to get its bearings as it creeps toward retirement.

Three top U.N. human rights experts appealed Friday to Iran to halt 11 executions they say are scheduled to take place Saturday and to declare a moratorium on the death penalty.

The United States has now spent $1 trillion more than it's taken in for four straight years.

Ben Affleck is everywhere. And even after Argo hits theaters today, he'll stay everywhere. A look at why Affleck and his new thriller, which he directed, produced and stars...

In the Beirut cemetery where martyrs of Hezbollah are buried, new graves are appearing more frequently. It's unclear where the men were killed, but members of Syria's opposition accuse the militant group, allied with Iran, of sending fighters into Syria to aid the Bashar Assad regime. It's an accusation that...

I remember being 28 years old early last month. But I blinked and now I’m 75.

In the past decade or so the Arab cinema landscape has undergone radical alteration. This has largely been thanks to the founding of competitive film festivals in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.

Who won the vice-presidential debate?  Watch the replay, read the chat room chats to get a sense of how others reacted as they watched the debate.

VIENNA (Reuters) - A new way of making nuclear fuel with lasers may help cut costs and ensure energy security but could also make it easier for rogue states to secretly build nuclear weapons if they got hold of the know-how.

Thirty years ago, the decision would have been seen in the United States as a grave defeat, a Russian move in the zero-sum, ideological battle for spheres of influence that defined the Cold War. Even today, Russia seen by many a major world influence and geopolitical counterweight to the United...

He was a rising Hollywood star, then fumbled his career notoriously. But Affleck has remade himself as a whip-smart director

AS ELECTION season rolls into full swing in the United States, American politics is once again building a steady following around the world.

by Tyler Hanley In 2010, when I reviewed Ben Affleck's sophomore directorial effort, "The Town," I wrote: "Ben Affleck is all grown up." Affleck doubles down on that statement with his third -- and best -- directorial undertaking, "Argo." -- TH

Remarks With Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata After Their Meeting Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Treaty Room Washington, DC October 12, 2012 SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning, everyone. I am delighted to welcome back to Washington someone who is very well known here, a friend and a colleague,...

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Mitt Romney accused Vice President Joe Biden on Friday of contradicting the testimony of U.S. State Department officials on Libya, in an escalation of the Republican presidential challenger's attacks over the September 11 deaths of four Americans there. Related Stories Kenya coast tourist numbers fall...

It’s the same the world over. A Hollywood production comes to town, and the locals all turn movie-crazy. When a little picture named “Prancer” came to Three Oaks, Mich., I was sitting in the bar and overheard one bearded regular confide in his friend, “See that guy? He’s assistant...

After Hezbollah stepped forward to claim responsibility for firing the drone that Israel shot down last week, Hezbollah Secretary-General Said Hassan Nasrallah told the Hezbollah-affiliated outlet Al-Manar that the drone was part of a “special operation,” and while he expected that the drone would be downed, “the achievement is that...

The dispute escalated after Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made statements during the debate that later prompted Mitt Romney to accuse the president of trying to mislead the public.

Virginia Congressman Jim Moran and Maryland's former Governor Bob Ehrlich give their take on the sharp exchanges in the Vice Presidential debate.

Cyber attacks on energy companies in the Persian Gulf raise fears of further assaults that could cause panic and destruction, the US has warned.The attacks, which have been described as a "pre-9/11 ...

Argo, the new thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, takes place during Iran's Islamic Revolution and tells the true story of a risky, outlandish scheme to get six U.S. embassy workers out of the country by having them pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for...

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While Vice President Biden left no question Thursday night he's the attack dog on the Democratic ticket, the verdict is out whether his aggressive -- often disdainful -- debate style against Republican running mate Paul Ryan will stem the dramatic erosion in the polls of President Obama's once-solid lead.

LONDON (Reuters) - Energy reporter Platts will use its purchase of consultancy Kingsman to strengthen its coverage of biofuels but will find it harder to use the acquisition to extend its business model into grains and oilseeds, market sources said on Friday. Platts, a division of McGraw-Hill , announced on...

BAGHDAD/PRAGUE (Reuters) - Iraq has agreed to buy 28 combat planes from the Czech Republic for about $1 billion (622 million pounds) as part of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's programme to rebuild the country's air force and control its vulnerable airspace. Related Stories Syria rebels capture air defence base, fight...

While the vice presidential debate Thursday night heated up Twitter, it didn't rock the micro-blogging site like last week's presidential debate did.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta warned Thursday that the United States was facing the possibility of a “cyber-Pearl Harbor” and was increasingly vulnerable to foreign computer hackers who could dismantle the nation’s power grid, transportation system, financial networks and government, report Elisabeth Bumiller and Thom Shanker in Friday’s New York...

Actor-director Ben Affleck's latest movie tells the incredible story of Hollywood's role in an attempt to get a group of US diplomats out of Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis.

The European Union has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing "peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights." DW spoke to Human Rights Watch in Brussels about the award.

WASHINGTON - Anyone who paid attention to a hearing in Congress this week knew that the administration had been implored to beef up security at the U.S. Consulate in Libya before the deadly terrorist attack there. But in the vice presidential debate Thursday night, Joe Biden seemed unaware.

Iran's supreme leader said Friday that his country's military is ready to deter any attack and warned enemies of the Islamic Republic to abandon any "thoughts of invasion." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks came as tensions are rising in the region over a possible strike by Israel against Iran's nuclear...

President will need to deal with rising violent crime and over-dependence on oil after winning election with smaller margin The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, brandished the sword of independence hero Simón Bolívar as he celebrated his re-election with a promise to further his government's brand of socialism in a new...

In a spirited debate that laid out stark choices, Joe Biden and Paul Ryan teed up pointed arguments on the economy, social policy and America's place in the world that President Barack Obama and GOP rival Mitt Romney now will drive forward into the campaign's final stretch.

You’re not just electing a president in November, you’re electing a party. That’s a dangerous thought if it’s Mitt Romney and the GOP, writes J.J. Goldberg. Click here for the rest of the article...

Crude-oil prices rise for a second day on Friday, as investors balanced a weaker dollar, a fresh report estimating weaker oil demand for this year, and continued tension in the Middle East.

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican challenger Paul Ryan hit the campaign trail on Friday after a combative debate in which they challenged each other's facts and claims while offering starkly different visions for the direction the country should follow.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 12 — Over the past six years UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has undergone a metamorphosis from a soft-spoken diplomat cautiously juggling conflicting demands from big powers into an outspoken defender of human rights in Syria, Iran and elsewhere. But his scathing public reprimands of those he considers...

The United States faces a growing threat of a "cyber-Pearl Harbor" and has drafted new rules for the military that would enable it to move aggressively against digital attacks, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said late Thursday.

Trying to pick the most important places in history is not easy but Andrew Marr, presenter of History of the World has narrowed it down to these five.

Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Representative Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee, debate the Obama administration's policies intended to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. They speak at the only vice presidential debate in Danville, Kentucky.

>Shamseddin Hosseini, Iran's minister of economic affairs and finance, told reporters the government was taking steps to curb speculative demand and other measures to combat a sharp decline in Iran's rial.Hosseini was in Tokyo to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund.(Reporting by Stanley White; Writing by Chris...

>* Top Iran shipping line hit by rial's plunge* Growing criticism of Ahmadinejad's handling of economy* Seaborne trade crashes more than 50 percentBy Jonathan SaulLONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Iran's vital seaborne trade is buckling under the weight of Western sanctions, deepening hardship for a population deprived of basic imports...