News Archive - 10 December 2012

>Dec 11 (Reuters) - HSBC Holdings Plc is expected to become the first bank to admit to both money-laundering lapses and U.S. sanctions violations on Tuesday as part of a settlement of around $1.8 billion with law enforcement agencies, according to people familiar with the situation. The settlement,...

>Israeli officials would like the United States to take the lead in a military assault on Iran's nuclear sites, but say in private they would go it alone if necessary, describing a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat to the Jewish state.Speaking to foreign journalists, Netanyahu said Israel was...

>* Germany expelled four Syrian embassy staff* Youth decapitates Alawite officer - amateur video* Syria's economy to shrink by 20 percent - finance groupBy Mariam KarounyBEIRUT, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Syrian rebels expect greater military help from Gulf Arab states after they announced a new command structure which aims finally...

>The U.S. Justice Department and the New York District Attorney's office on Monday accused the bank of moving millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system on behalf of customers in Iran, Sudan, Libya and Burma, in violation of sanctions laws.The agencies both agreed to defer and...

>SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean refiners will cut imports of Iranian crude during the six months to May by about a fifth from a year earlier, to avoid sanctions by Washington, government and industry sources told Reuters on Monday. Last week the United States granted 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions...

The British bank, HSBC, has confirmed it will pay $1.9 billion to the American authorities to settle allegations of money laundering.

NEW YORK (AP) - The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report Tuesday that a record-number 232 journalists are imprisoned worldwide and that Turkey has the highest number with 49 journalists behind bars.

Tuesday newspaper round-up: Mario Monti, HSBC, Mervyn King...

The secluded valley that sheltered Jerry Blanco's banana crop from communist and Muslim rebellions offered no refuge from Typhoon Bopha, which left him destitute in seconds.

>* Italian markets in upheaval after PM says to step down early* Geopolitical tensions in Mideast support oil* Eyes on Wednesday OPEC meeting, U.S. EIA dataBy Florence TanSINGAPORE, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Brent crude edged down towards $107 a barrel on Tuesday as a stalemate over fiscal talks in...

Journal. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said on Monday that the figure includes nearly $1.3 billion, a record amount for a bank, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.

India will provide money and technical know-how to Iran to build wind and solar power plants, the Iranian official media reported Monday. Both sides have already finalised an agreement, Xinhua quoted the Press TV as saying.

VIENNA, Austria - World powers keen to re-start diplomatic efforts to resolve he Iranian nuclear crisis will be closely watching a UN atomic agency trip to Tehran on Thursday, December 13, for any indications of a change in mood. Recent comments coming out of the Islamic republic indicate however that,...

BAMAKO, Mali - A policy officer and an intelligence official have confirmed that Mali's prime minister was arrested at his home late Monday night by the soldiers who helped lead a recent coup.

Barack Obama is back and China has a new leader in Xi Jinping, but world leaders face heavyweight issues in the coming year, from lingering economic crises to bloody tumult in the Middle East:

Shares in HSBC rose Tuesday despite a report the bank would pay a record $1.9 billion fine to settle money laundering charges, while Standard Chartered also climbed after paying a massive fine.

Sixteen asylum seekers on Nauru appeared at the island's tiny local court on Monday, accused of causing $24,000 in damage at an alleged riot at the processing centre in September.

British banking giant HSBC will pay a record $1.9 billion to settle a money-laundering probe by U.S. federal and state authorities, a law enforcement official said Monday. The probe of Europe's largest bank by market value has focused on the transfer of billions of dollars on behalf of...

LONDON - World oil prices rose on Monday, making a positive start as traders digested a raft of upbeat economic data in top energy consumer China, ahead of an OPEC oil output meeting later in the week, dealers said.

Global banking giant HSBC is set to pay $1.9 billion in a settlement with U.S. regulators over its allegedly lax anti-money laundering controls, according to several reports Monday.

Search our Archives! After graduating from a Modern Orthodox high school in New York, 30-year-old author Yoseph Needelman moved to Jerusalem to explore the use of marijuana in Jewish tradition.

Because it's never too early to talk about the election cycle after the next one. Especially in this era of the permanent campaign. Yet I suspect that something is going to short-circuit much of the chatter. At least with regard to the Democratic side, until Hillary Clinton is ready...

Who gets to decide when medical treatments are no longer worth pursuing and should be ended? The doctors? The patients? In the case of those who can’t speak for themselves, their surrogate decision makers?

MOSCOW, December 10 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian army is giving up the Gabala radar it leased in Azerbaijan because of a disagreement over rental price, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — HSBC, the British banking giant, will pay $1.9 billion to settle a money-laundering probe by federal and state authorities in the United States, a law enforcement official said Monday.

A report on global trends prepared by the U.S. intelligence community notes that by 2030 China is likely to have surpassed the United States as the world’s largest economy. The report suggests the United States would likely serve as “the first among equals” in a...

HSBC will pay 1.9 billion US dollars (£1.2 billion) to settle a money-laundering probe by US federal and state authorities into Europe's biggest bank, officials have said.

Calcutta, Dec.10: Tea exports dipped 20.24 per cent between April and September to 81.85 million kg against 102.62 million kg in the first six months of the previous fiscal.

The United States and the European governments have vehemently repeated that Bashar al Assad must step down. Can his departure stabilize Syria and stop the bloodshed? The views are more and more divided. The crisis in Syria is dramatically escalating. The conflict is no longer about a democratic movement...

The United States will likely be the "first among equals" in 2030 in an increasingly chaotic world where China is the top economy and demand soars for resources, a US intelligence report said Monday.

Stocks are closing with modest gains after a strong sales report from McDonald's offset concerns about the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2030, with most people middle class, connected by technology, protected by advanced health care and linked by co...

Rekordstrafe beilegen. Die US-Behörden würden die Einigung am Dienstag gegen bekanntgeben, HSBC werde mindestens 1,9 Milliarden US-Dollar zahlen, berichteten die Nachrichtenagentur Bloomberg sowie das “Wall Street Journal”“ am Montagabend unter Berufung auf Kreise.

LOS ANGELES, Dec 11 — Osama bin Laden thriller “Zero Dark Thirty”, Iran hostage drama “Argo”, indie comedy “Silver Linings Playbook”, and mythological indie film “Beasts of the Southern Wild” yesterday made the year’s top 10 films as picked by the American Film Institute (AFI). The AFI list, released at...

>* Experts and industry officials say attacks are increasing* Iran target rather than threat of cyber attacksBy Mahmoud HabboushDUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The former chief of the United Arab Emirates' air force said his country's advanced cyber infrastructure made it a favourite target for hackers, especially when tension heightened...

Why not take a break from the hoopla and give yourself a gift by seeing a film or two, especially a film that should be in contention for an Oscar or two. Check out our list, no need to check twice. 

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Standard Chartered Bank has agreed to pay $327 million to settle federal and New York charges it laundered money on behalf of four countries that were subject to U.S. economic sanctions from 2001 through 2007.

The United States could see its standing as a superpower eroded and Asian economies will outstrip those of North America and Europe combined by 2030, according to the best guess of the U.S. intelligence ...

TOP STORIES ----------- CAIRO - Egypt's Islamist president has given the armytemporary power to arrest civilians during a constitutionalreferendum he is determined to push through despite the risk ofbloodshed between his supporters and opponents accusing him of apower grab. - - - - WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama heads for...

WASHINGTON -- Nearly two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2030, with most people middle class, connected by technology, protected by advanced health care and linked by countries that work together, perhaps with the United States and China cooperating to lead the way. That's the best case...

The Global Trends 2030 report says that in the worst-case scenario, rising populations lead to conflict over resources, especially in the Mideast and Africa.

SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 10, 2012 / Christian Newswire / -- Open Doors will release its 2013 World Watch List of 50 countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, during a press conference in Washington, D.C.

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's economy is likely to surpass the United States in less than two decades while Asia will overtake North America and Europe combined in global power by 2030, a U.S. intelligence report said on Monday. "Meanwhile, the economies of Europe, Japan, and Russia are likely to...

>* HSBC separates financial crime from other compliance* HSBC expected to be hit with $1.8 bln fine this week* Shares down 0.3 percentLONDON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - HSBC has promoted a former U.S. official who headed sanctions action against drugs traffickers and money launderers to be its...

>* Minister urges central bank action* Excluding exports, economy shrank* Lira eases, bond yields fallBy Daren Butler and Seltem IyigunISTANBUL, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Turkish economic growth slowed more sharply than expected in the third quarter as domestic demand remained stubbornly weak, data showed on Monday, raising pressure for a...

>DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have shut down a small pipeline built by smugglers to carry illegal oil from Iran, officials said on Monday, a new twist as Western sanctions against Tehran bite. Along with the 3-km (1.9-mile) pipeline, Turkish security forces dismantled a rudimentary, hillside refinery with...

>* Economic conditions ups pressure on governmentBEIRUT Dec 10 (Reuters) - Sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program have pushed the country into recession, a global association of financial services said on Monday.Crude oil exports have dropped sharply, the Iranian rial has plummeted and inflation has soared in...

>VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear inspectors will press Iran this week for a long-sought green light to visit a key military site, although suspected clean-up work may make it difficult to find evidence of any illicit atomic bomb research there. Thursday's talks in Tehran could provide clues as to...

Jerusalem, Dec 10 (IANS) The biggest dream of Israeli President Shimon Peres is to go to India, if he gets an invitation, said one diplomat. Shimon Peres would very much enjoy his visit to India, said another.

Why is the most famous reporter in America highlighting a Fox News boss's attempt to get the general to run for president?

Commentary on current economic and financial news.

Reuters will issue this diary daily at around 0930 GMT and1700 GMT. All times in GMT unless otherwise stated. Items marked ** denote new or amended listings. Media clients will also receive around 0700 GMT a daily REUTERS WORLD NEWS OUTLOOK which highlights key events for the coming week. For...

Vide-sharing site is Tehran's latest effort to create Web experience free of Western content; Iran blocks YouTube, Twitter, Facebook

Just in time for the holidays, ABC Dental of Cleveland hosted its fifth annual Smiles on Wheels bike giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Cleveland High School stadium.

Iran has launched its own video-sharing website to compete against Google's popular YouTube whose content is deemed inappropriate by the Islamic regime, the state television reported on Sunday.

Gifts Intended For Kids At The Children's Hospital Of Alabama It had all the markings of a well-oiled Christmas machine. Santa Claus arrived by state police helicopter Thursday, the first of 16 aircraft that would arrive on the helipad of the old Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL, while young patients...

Human rights are not a priority in international relations, remaining a “poor cousin” to trade, security and economic issues, according to the director of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.