News Archive - 13 December 2012

>Thursday's talks in Tehran are the first such meeting between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran since August.ISNA said the seven-member IAEA delegation headed by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts would meet Iranian nuclear officials.Israel has threatened military action if diplomacy and economic sanctions targeted at...

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>* Penalty would be more than twice that on Barclays* More bad news for UBS after rogue trading, job cutsBy Huw JonesLONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Swiss bank UBS is expected to pay about $1 billion to settle charges of rigging the Libor interest rate benchmark, according to a person...

>There was no immediate comment from the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the one-day meeting over Iran's disputed nuclear program, and no sign its inspectors would gain access to the Parchin military complex as requested.The agency believes Iran has conducted explosives tests with possible nuclear applications...

WASHINGTON: The United States stepped up pressure on Iran on Thursday over its nuclear program, imposing sanctions on seven companies and five individuals, including Iran's atomic energy chief.

Report predicts US could lose its superpower standing as Asian economies outstrip it and Europe by 2030.

V.V. Krishnan Arriving at one’s destination has been rated as the most favourite aspect of a journey by more than 51 per cent of over 3,000 air travellers.

U.S. leads Western snub of telecom treaty Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 4:39 pm, Thursday, December 13, 2012 Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- A disappointed American delegation led a Western snub of a U.N.

Beirut, Lebanon (UPI) Dec 13, 2012 The Assad regime's broadside of Soviet-era Scud ballistic missile against rebel forces marks a major escalation in Syria's 20-month-old civil war and could be a warning to Western powers not to intervene. Syrian President Bashar Assad's military fired at least six Scud-type weapons this...

THE UNHCR says asylum seeker conditions on Nauru are harsh and the government's 'no-advantage' principle is inappropriate.

HSBC will pay $US1.9 bn to settle a money-laundering probe by federal and state authorities.

Susan Rice faced waning political support on Capitol Hill, and President Obama's aides weighed whether contentious confirmation hearings would undercut other priorities at the start of his second term.

>* Chavez suffered bleeding after Tuesday's operation* Supporters hold vigils to pray for his swift returnBy Brian Ellsworth and Daniel WallisCARACAS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Venezuela's Hugo Chavez suffered unexpected bleeding caused by a six-hour cancer operation in Cuba, the government said, although the ailing president's condition began to improve...

>DUBAI Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iranian civil society activists have been subjected to a "campaign of repression" in the last three years, with many killed, detained or forced to flee abroad, the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Friday. Iran's government has cracked down...

Iranian security forces attacked supporters of Traktor Sazi FC, the foremost soccer club in Tabriz, the capital of Iran's Turkic East Azerbaijan province, highlighting mounting ethnic tension in the Islamic republic fuelled by economic hardship resulting from harsh international sanctions and controversial economic policies. Witnesses and press reports said...

If the 1500 delegates huddled into a Dubai conference centre to thrash out a new global telecommunications treaty didn't know how it felt to be on a reality TV show, they do now.

Emily Blunt, Helen Mirren and Jessica Chastain also share how 'elated' they are to receive nominatiosn from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The accusations against HSBC were harsh that the bank laundered money for Mexican drug cartels and conducted transactions on behalf of Iran and other states tied to terrorism. So, why did federal authorities fine HSBC rather than pursue criminal charges? read more

Three former high-ranking U.S. foreign policy advisers predict that if Iran does not halt its suspected nuclear weapons program by the end of 2013, the United States or Israel will act militarily.

North Korea does not appear to be making preparations for a nuclear weapons test following Tuesday’s test of a space launch vehicle , which was believed cover for a long-range missile test, U.S. intelligence analysts told NBC News.

When the new Congress convenes in January, it will be missing several longtime pillars of support for Israel on Capitol Hill.

Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards space corps, said his country does not need missiles with longer range than 2,000 kms since “Israel is our longest range target.”

"Today, I spoke to Ambassador Susan Rice and accepted her decision to remove her name from consideration for secretary of state. For two decades, Susan has proven to be an extraordinarily capable, patriotic and passionate public servant.

>There was no immediate comment from the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). There was also no indication that the U.N. agency would gain access to the Parchin military complex as it has repeatedly requested.According to state Press TV, Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh,...

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>The Treasury Department said the action would bar those companies and individuals from doing business with U.S. firms or citizens, and freeze any assets they have in the United States.Foreign banks that handle transactions for the companies and individuals could also lose their access to the U.S.

Editor: Jon Boyle + 44 207 542 7918 Global Picture Desk: + 65 6870 3775 Global Graphics Desk: + 65 6870 3595 (All times GMT / ET) Receive this schedule by email: http://mediaexpress.reuters.com TOP STORIES Russia says Syrian rebels might win MOSCOW/BEIRUT - Syrian rebels are gaining ground...

Steven Spielberg's civil war epic Lincoln leads the race for honours at the Golden Globes.

OPEC does not see increased U.S. oil output as a threat to its interests but is skeptical about current forecasts on the boom of American shale oil production, a senior official of the 12-nation cartel ...

Steven Spielberg's Civil War epic "Lincoln" led the Golden Globes on Thursday with seven nominations, among them best drama, best director for Spielberg and acting honors for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.

Bahrain's crown prince has made a renewed appeal for dialogue to end the political impasse in the Gulf kingdom, a call welcomed by the Shiite-led opposition, despite no end in sight to violent protests.

LANSING, Mich. – Now that Michigan has become a right-to-work state, unions in this stronghold of organized labor confront a new and urgent problem: convincing members to continue paying for their services instead of taking them for free. The Republican-controlled state government approved measures making it illegal to require that...

UN group gives nod for greater Internet oversight Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2:35 am, Thursday, December 13, 2012 A Western bloc led by a powerhouse U.S. delegation seeks to block any U.N. rules...

Kamaruddin and I drove to Anwar’s house to inform him of the deal that Azmi had offered us. We were going to get to see the marked ballot papers so it can’t go wrong. This was a sure thing. Anwar was furious. “I promised Mahathir that I would support him!...

(Adds Taiwan's 2012 Iranian crude imports, quotes) SINGAPORE, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Taiwan resumed Iranian crudeimports from November after seven months as refiners sought tofulfill contractual commitments with the National Iranian OilCo, refinery officials said on Thursday. Taiwan was one of the countries granted 180-day waivers tofinancial sanctions by the...

TEHRAN, Dec.12 (MNA) -- An analysis of the way US drone was haunted, and its comparison with claims made by U.S. officials about it, makes it clear why it is bitter for the US to acknowledge the fact of a drone being in the hands of Iranians completely...

>* U.S. "fiscal cliff" showdown may drag on after Christmas (Updates previous SINGAPORE throughout, adds quotes)By Shadia NasrallaLONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Brent crude slipped toward $109 a barrel on Thursday on rising U.S. oil stockpiles, while fears that the world's largest economy might miss a deadline for...

>DUBAI Dec 13 (Reuters) - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog arrived in Tehran on Thursday to hold talks over Iran's disputed nuclear programme but there was no sign they would gain access to the Parchin military complex as requested.The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) said "no plans...