News Archive - 13 February 2011

>WASHINGTON Feb 13 (Reuters) - The United States has created a Twitter account in Farsi to communicate with social media users in Iran as Iranian opposition websites renewed calls for a rally on Monday. "The U.S. State Department recognizes the historic role of social media among Iranians in the...

>* SAUDI ARABIA:-- Saudi Arabia, which had supported Mubarak throughout the mass protests, said on Saturday that it welcomed the peaceful transition of power in Egypt.* "The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the peaceful transition of power in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and expresses hope...

>MANAMA (Reuters) - Anti-government protests by Bahrain's marginalized Shi'ite majority on Monday are not likely to rival the Egyptian revolt, but will add to the pressure on the king to make more concessions to his people. Gulf states are not expected to face full-scale revolts thanks to a golden bargain...

>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and Egypt's new military rulers have made initial contact and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday welcomed their pledge to stand by Cairo's peace treaty with the Jewish state. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's Higher Military Council, spoke by...

>UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of protesters have thronged public squares; slogans have been chanted, banners waved and security forces cowed into inaction; the reviled despot has stepped down or fled abroad. Now what?It's a question not just for Egyptians who toppled President Hosni Mubarak on Friday.

Tehran - Iran's political opposition planned to resume its protests against the government on Monday despite warnings from the Interior Ministry that they would be confronted by police.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has extended an official welcome to his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, who is in the Iranian capital city, Tehran, on a four-day official visit.

The value of Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) increased by 6,108 billion rails ($610 million), indicating a 0.58-percent growth.

The party - and what a party - is over. Now it's hangover time - and what a hangover. Meet the new boss, or the Pharaoh rebuilt as Shiva; the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. If this was Southeast Asia, people would say "same same - but different".

The Middle East's auto giant Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) has started the construction of a new production plant in the Iranian province of Semnan.

The volume of Iran's trade with China has reached $38 billion from $7 billion ten years ago, said the chairman of Sino-Iranian Chamber of Commerce.

Iran has imported $53 billion worth of goods during the same period which is nearly 2.5 times more than the country's non-oil exports, Mehr News Agency Reported.

> Financials Tweet this Share this Link this Digg this Email Reprints...

Scientists are hoping that heat therapy could eventually replace a complex drug regimen as the first-line treatment of a parasitic skin infection common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The researchers successfully treated the skin infection with heat therapy in two patients whose immune systems were deficient, which...

A state security official says a street shootout possibly between local drug gangs has killed seven people and injured one in suburban Mexico City.

A Saturday morning fishing trip went horribly wrong for a Fairhope family. Randy and Wayne Dowsey, along with Kenny Mock and Kerri Burns, died when their boat took on water...

The U.S. State Department launched a new Farsi-language Twitter feed Sunday in a bid to connect with internet users in Iran.

EGYPT'S successful uprising inspires other nations, as Iran gears up for the first significant demonstration there in a year.  

Opposition says demonstrations to be held every Saturday until government falls, as police clash with youths in Annaba.

Iran is "steadily" producing enriched uranium, the head of the UN nuclear monitoring organization said in an interview published The Washington Post Monday.

Nation Digest: Man held in New York stabbing spree; NASA spacecraft will get close encounter with comet

President Hosni Mubarak is down, out of office, but not out of the country as he licks his wounds in the opulent splendour of his seaside villa at Sharm-el-Sheikh. To the end he showed an appalling sense of timing, a military dictator out of touch with his people and the...

No matter how things shake out in Egypt, one thing has become depressingly clear: Something is very wrong with the American intelligence services. First it was CIA Director Leon Panetta, telling a House committee there was a "strong likelihood" that Mubarak would step down Thursday night -- an erroneous prediction...

Manchester United Former Manchester United No2 Carlos Queiroz has confirmed he's in talks with the Iran FA. Queiroz has been out of the game since being sacked by Portugal in September 2010. "I saw the Iranian players and I have to say I like them and I like the formation...

Egypt's caretaker government is to meet Sunday, as a few hundred demonstrators resisted the army's efforts to clear Cairo's Tahrir Square. Information Minister Anas al-Fiki resigned Saturday and has been banned from leaving the country.

With two dictatorial allies of the West chased out of their palaces in Tunisia and Egypt, the strongmen that rule Iran are celebrating the 32nd anniversary of their revolution, which brought Islamists to power and made them the region's most dynamic political force. Tahrir Square may reverse that revolution...

With the fall of military re gimes in Tunisia and Egypt, a tsunami of change may affect the entire region. Which will be the next domino to fall? In such countries as Israel, Turkey and Iraq, change could come through general elections, producing new governments. In Saudi Arabia, change could...

Some variety of Stuxnet is on GitHub . Crowdleaks posted the code but it's uncertain if its the actual source or that of code posted by an organization possibly working on behalf of a government organization. Stuxnet, as you may recall, is a virus that targets industrial control systems. It's already...

TEHRAN, Iran -- The Iranian leaders who cheered the popular overthrow of an Egyptian strongman last week have promised to crush an opposition march planned for Monday in solidarity with the Egyptian people.

Potential Republican presidential candidates for 2012 painted President Obama as a weak commander in chief who appeases foes and spurns allies, as they assailed the administration at an annual conservative gathering in Washington over the weekend. "The Obama administration is wrong on terrorism, wrong on Iran, wrong on the Muslim ...

Last Thursday, Ambassador Imad Moustapha of Syria visited the university to give a talk about the Syrian perspective on the prospects for peace in the Middle East. The ambassador began his talk with the charm characteristic of a diplomat, and I thought that I would be in for quite a...

A human rights group accuses Yemen's police of using tasers against protesters. read more

MOSCOW, February 14 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov begins his visit to London on Monday. On February 15, he will meet with British Foreign Secretary William Hague to strengthen positive trends in the two countries’ relations.

Gladwell didn't defend his original argument that hierarchy is essential to political movements, much less his central thesis that social media creates only "weak ties" that cannot sustain political revolutions.

In a decree issued by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday, ex-atomic chief Ali-Akbar Salehi was substituted by another nuclear scientist Fereidoon Abbasi Davani who had survived a terrorist bomb attack at the end of last year, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Most Israelis and Palestinians consider the opposition to be their existential enemy, intent on the

On Jan. 25, President Obama gave his second State of the Union address, outlining his vision of America’s present and its future. First and foremost, Obama addressed the nation’s lingering concerns about the economy.

Lynette Heard, the executive director of the Office of the President, resigned on Tuesday, Dec. 7, according to Joyce Carter, the University of Dayton's vice president of human resources.

Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz agreed Sunday to coach Iran’s national soccer team amid mounting tension in advance of banned opposition demonstrations scheduled for Monday and a ban on professional soccer matches in Tehran aimed at preventing the pitch from becoming a rallying point for protesters. Queiroz signed a preliminary contract...

Iran may halt crude sales to India from next month if the two nations fail resolve a payment dispute.

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Iran will focus on making it easier for Iranians to apply for visas at the Philippine Embassy in Iran during the 3rd consular consultative meeting between the two countries to be held this Tuesday. According to Iranian Ambassador to Manila Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani if...

More than 100,000 women and their supporters protest against Berlusconi, allegedly involved in a sex scandal U.S. Urges Iran to Allow Protests Iran's Opposition Calls for Rally VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Prince Reza Of Iran Talks to Fox News Cops Try to Stop Yemeni Protesters

Stuxnet, a computer worm (a computer program that constantly tries to copy itself to other computers) was designed as a weapons grade cyber weapon, and all the attention it is getting now is helping to make similar weapons even more effective.

You need to know where you come from so you can get going with the rest of your life. Denying the importance of this -- as the new coalition government seems bent on doing -- isn't going to make this very human need go away.

>JAKARTA Feb 14 (Reuters) - Following is a list of events in Indonesia as well as news stories and press reports which may influence financial markets. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN INDONESIA (TIMES IN LOCAL/GMT) (The inclusion of diary items does not necessarily mean that Reuters will cover the event) -...

AFP - Huge population growth and food insecurity count among the factors that fuelled the revolution in Egypt and serve as a caution for other countries facing human and environmental overload, say analysts.

Listening to both Republicans and Democrats spout off these days, it sounds like austerity is the new patriotism. Both parties vow to cut federal spending. Republicans, urged on by their Tea Party wing, say deficit reduction is their top priority.

In a decree issued by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday, ex-atomic chief Ali-Akbar Salehi was substituted by another nuclear scientist Fereidoon Abbasi Davani who had survived a terrorist bomb attack at the end of last year, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

by Staff Writers Washington (AFP) Feb 8, 2011 US and French defense leaders penned a cooperation agreement on Tuesday designed to help track space debris and avoid collisions of vital satellites.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is now sending Twitter messages in Farsi in the hopes of reaching social media users in Iran. The department accuses Iran's government of illegalizing dissent while praising Egyptian protesters for the same activities.

Iran's interior minister says the government has devised a new comprehensive plan for enhancing control and security along the country's borders.

To view events in Egypt through the paradigm of what they mean for Israel -- as many US commentators do -- is shocking, disgraceful and counterproductive.

A is for Arianna and Tim Armstrong, who are changing the face of American journalism as AOL bets $315 million that HuffPost can help...

WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department began sending Twitter messages in Farsi on Sunday in the hopes of reaching social media users in Iran. On the Twitter account, USA darFarsi, the department told Iranians, "We want to join in your conversation."

KOTA KINABALU: Wetlands conservationists are concerned over high-rise development projects along the city’s Signal Hill which may upset plans to turn Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre (KKWC) into a Ramsar site.

Once again, our Perkasa has exposed more scandals and acts of treason against PKR, particularly its leader Anwar who must have really pissed them off for reasons best know. The latest as reported in online news reports here is this defect-o leaders being charge for rear activities is planning a...

THE tremors from the uprising in Egypt continue to be felt around the Middle East and North Africa, with protests continuing in several nations and warnings of further demonst

NO sooner had the announcement come than the streets of Cairo exploded in joyful celebration. The hated autocrat was gone. A new era was ushered in with cheers, tears and the cacophony of car horns.

Iran's official news agency said the judiciary has set up a special prosecutor's office for offences related to media and culture. A court will also be established.

The events in Egypt represent a massive eloquent validation of the moral force and power of non-violent civil disobedience. Every participant in the Civil Rights Movement should shout, "We are all Egyptians today!"

For decades, Egypts government has been a critical partner for U.S. intelligence agencies, sharing information on extremist groups such as al-Qaida and working hand-in-glove on counterterrorism operations. Now the future of that cooperation is in question....

Iranian officials said Sunday that the Middle Eastern nation will create a court focusing on "media crimes," according to state-run media reports, a move that has fueled fears Tehran is further intensifying its crackdown on journalists.

Fox News Sunday and This Week Gingrich, Pawlenty fault Obama on Egypt • Possible GOP presidential contenders Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty slammed Read more...

Calcutta, Feb. 13: Tea exporters to Iran have moved the central government’s banking services division and commerce secretary Rahul Khullar for an alternative payment mechanism that should mitigate their cash crisis arising out of the Reserve Bank of India blocking the normal transaction channel for trade with the West Asian...

Kevin Roderick: Russ Stanton's Saturday morning email to the bureaus and the newsroom names lots of names.

Should religion be part of the law? - Where does your religion -- your belief or disbeli

Global Consequences: Why is the Egyptian Revolution Special? What Happens Next?

- Much in Cairo 2011 is new. The steps ahead may be difficult “No one predicted this, but everyone could explain it afterwards”. Said of another revolution, as true of this one.

WHAT a topsy-turvy world we inhabit. Some time ago, the burning question was whether Pakistan would be the next Egypt, wracked by popular uprising. Now, after a military council has taken over from Hosni Mubarak with the full support of jubilant protesters, one has to ask whether Egypt will be...

(JTA) -- Heavy snow in New York caused the postponement of a special U.N. General Assembly meeting commemorating International Holocaust Day. The United Nations building was shut down due to the bad weather.

February 11 has gone down in the pages of history as a day when Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, as a result of the people's anger, had to escape his presidential palace after 30 years of autocratic rule.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has a range of options on inflation at a time global crude prices are on the boil. ... | Read.. Reliance Communications (R-Com) held a 9.9 per cent stake in Swan Telecom when the latter applied for a licence in March ...

The conservative commentator criticizes the "bifurcated" logic of Republicans who say Obama is blowing it on Egypt

(7.1.2011) Gegen den zunächst von der Regierung Bush geplanten Raketenschild in Europa leistete Norwegen innerhalb der NATO Widerstand, was bedeutete, Druck seitens der USA ausgesetzt zu sein.

TEHRAN (AFP) - Western spies are conspiring to ignite an uprising in Iran by recruiting a candidate willing to set himself on fire in an anti-regime protest, the Islamic republic's volunteer militia warned on Sunday.

Washington/Jerusalem - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday in an interview with US broadcaster ABC that the peaceful relationship between Israel and Egypt is safe despite the resignation of president Hosny Mubarak.

Reuters/Tehran Iranian authorities have stepped up pressure on pro-democracy movement supporters to prevent a revival of anti-government protests, opposition websites said yesterday after the arrest of 18 activists before a planned rally.

TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian state TV reports that Turkey's president has arrived in Iran with a large delegation of businessmen to boost bilateral ties. Abdullah Gul's official visit will begin on Monday after a ceremony in which his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will receive him.

Hosni Mubarak had a rendezvous with history last week. So did Barack Obama. For Mr Mubarak it was an ignominious end to three decades of Pharaonic rule. For Mr Obama it was the opening of a new page in ...

(AP:TEHRAN, Iran) Iranian state TV reports that Turkey's president has arrived in Iran with a large delegation of businessmen to boost bilateral ties.

LOS BANOS, Laguna, Feb. 14 (PNA) -- To ensure meeting the ever-increasing global demand for food, rice breeders and scientists must provide a continuous supply of new and improved varieties required to raise average rice yields every hectare annually, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said on Saturday.

This article was co-authored with Ploughshares Fund Research Assistant Reid Pauly As a free Egypt transforms itself, analysts are nervously watching for signs of new nuclear ambitions. Concern revolves around three issues: There are unanswered questions about Egypt's past nuclear activities. Egypt has the know-how and networks necessary to...

Washington, at first, didn’t know what to make of the protests.

SAMARRA (February 13, 2011): A suicide bomber blew himself up on Saturday near a crowd of Shia pilgrims at a bus depot in the Iraqi city of Samarra, killing 38 people and wounding scores, police and officials said.

TEHRAN: Up to three gas pipelines exploded on Friday in central Iran near the Shiite holy city of Qom without causing casualties or disruption of fuel supply, media reports said.

While generals do not have a good track record of delivering democracy, some of them have managed to do it

The revolution in Egypt is a unique historical event, seperate from Iran in 1979 or France in 1789, author says.

White House appears to be fanning the flames of unrest in Iran, as Prince Reza Pahlavi predicts 'Tehran moment' Iranian Opposition Calls for Rally VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Prince Reza Of Iran Talks to Fox News

The former House Speaker, who dragged out such a possibility for months on end four years ago before not running, said that he will "probably make a decision by the end of this month about whether or not to set up an exploratory committee, and we're working our way through...

TEHRAN: An Iranian state-run company and China have signed a contract of around $13 billion to build a railway network in the Islamic republic, the firm's website said in a statement.

WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner on Sunday questioned why assessments by U.S. intelligence did not appear to be ahead of the upheaval in Egypt, although he said the Obama administration responded appropriately to the crisis.

World's Strongest Men competition was held in Iranian island of Qeshm in Persian Gulf where 12 sportsmen from 10 foreign countries and 3 Iranian sportsmen competed for the titles. -Mohsen Rezaei

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. -- A snowmobiler died late Saturday when his sled hit a tree northeast of the city. The man, 39, was riding at about 11:30 p.m. when his sled left the roadway and struck a tree, Ontario Provincial Police said.[...]

Transcript of the February 13, 2011 broadcast of NBC's Meet the Press, featuring John Boehner, Martin Indyk, Robin Wright, Kasim Reed, Bobby Schilling, Dee Dee Myers, David Brooks and Mark Halperin.

Tehran refuses to grant permission for protest called in support of successful anti-government uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia

An Iranian reformist group says heeding the popular demands for reform can "save the regime from collapse and degeneration." The Islamic Iran Participation Front issued a statement on Norooz website today saying that by supporting fair elections and rejecting military interference, the people are focusing on reforms that will...

WASHINGTON (AP): House Speaker John Boehner has questioned why assessments by U.S. intelligence did not appear to be ahead of the upheaval in Egypt, although he said the Obama administration responded appropriately to the crisis.

Many Iranian-American writers count themselves as bilingual, but most choose one language or the other as their primary tool. -Jeff Baron, America.gov

Head of Iran's satellite research center of Science and Industry University said on Saturday Navid (promise) satellite is to be launched in mid 2011. Hossein Bolandi said," space version of Navid satellite is made and is ready to be delivered to launcher. It will be launched in mid 2011. "

Iranian opposition has renewed its call for people to rally on Monday in support of the recent Arab uprisings and "to protest the increasing illegal restrictions" against opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi and MirHosein Mousavi.