News Archive - 20 March 2011

>"The future of Iran belongs to the young people -- the youth who will determine their own destiny," Obama said on Sunday in a video posted on the White House web site."Your talent, your hopes and your choices will shape the future of Iran, and help light the world.

>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil jumped by more than $2 on Monday, sending Brent to $116 after western forces launched a military campaign against Libya, raising the stakes in a civil war that has nearly paralyzed crude exports from the north African nation. Brent crude for May rose as much as...

>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Watch out for intraday swings because it's going to be wild. Cataclysmic events including a nuclear disaster in Japan and the prospect of rising oil prices after military air strikes on Libya will keep investors reacting to headlines.Western forces pounded Libya's air defenses and patrolled...

> By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Jeremy GauntNEW YORK/LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Investors already bruised by the Japan disaster now confront military air strikes on Libya and the prospect of rising oil prices, making it likely they will postpone any bold investment decisions. Until a clearer picture emerges, they will...

>The plane which took off from Tehran landed overnight at Diyarbakir airport and searches took place Sunday, broadcaster CNN Turk said.Last Tuesday night another plane was similarly forced to land at Diyarbakir but departed the following day after a search squad trained in chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear cargo...

> Iran's English language Press TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying Bahrain's charge d'affaires had been summoned and told one diplomat must leave. Mehmanparast called the Bahraini action "illogical and incomprehensible", it said. Bahrain Tweet this Share this Link this Digg this Email Reprints...

> Tehran has voiced support for the uprising against the Libyan leader, part of what it considers an "Islamic awakening" in the Arab world. But as a long-time foe of the United States which in recent years has invaded and stationed troops in two of its neighbours, Iraq and Afghanistan,...

>MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahrain's main opposition groups have eased their conditions for talks to end a crisis that has drawn in neighboring Gulf armies and raised tensions in the oil exporting region. The groups led by Bahrain's largest Shi'ite Muslim opposition party, Wefaq, in a statement late on Saturday called...

>Christopher "passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles" late on Friday of complications from kidney and bladder cancer, his family said in a statement.As the top U.S. statesman under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997, Christopher was a behind-the-scenes negotiator. Often called...

The Israel Defense Forces arrested two wanted terror suspects Sunday evening in the Judean Arab village of Surif, northwest of Hevron. The suspects were turned over to security agencies for further investigation.

Love rat Tiger Woods has certainly moved on from the embarassement and self-confessed trauma of his marriage ot Elin Nordegren.

News that Moammar Gadhafi ordered his regime to cease fire on the rebels and would try to resolve the dispute helped keep oil prices at bay.

MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said a foreign plot against his kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from neighboring countries to help end increasing unrest after weeks of protests.

*From a visit to Rio de Janeiro’s most infamous slum to a national address amid the gilded elegance of a celebrated theater, President Obama on Sunday sought to underscore the shared histories and futures of the United States and Brazil, reaching out to the people of one of the most...

Yet again, our leaders think they’ve got a calling to save a country in the Middle East.

TAMPA - For the first time since the end of January, the average cost of gasoline in Georgia was down this past week. AAA announced Sunday the average price of regular unleaded gasoline in Georgia is now $3.44, a decrease of four cents over the last week.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Robert Gates has arrived in Russia for what is expected to be his final visit as U.S. Defence Secretary, and he's hoping to ease Moscow's worries over a missile defence shield in Europe and expand a military relationship that has grown dramatically since his Cold...

Master of Ceremonies Sean Balingit, who is the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce vice-president and Beaumont Planning Commission chairman, looks on as members of Tahquitz High School’s JROTC presents the colors at the opening ceremony of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital’s 60th anniversary celebration.

MANAMA (Dow Jones)--Bahrain's security forces have arrested nearly 20 people, including doctors and youth activists, as the government ratchets up its efforts to silence the protest movement on the strategic Gulf island state.

Fifty-six years after it was created, people still remember the 750-pound cake that he made in the shape of a lobster. His fried dough was so tasty that a sitting president during World War II demanded it for a late-night snack.

Brent climbed 1.5 percent on Monday toward $116 after western forces launched a military campaign against Libya, stoking fears that violence will intensify in North Africa and the Middle East, source of more than a third of the world's oil.

Former Israel Tax Authority director Jackie Matza will begin to serve his prison sentence on Thursday, it was announced on Sunday.

The cheering on the streets of Benghazi when the United Nations approved military action against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi signaled something critics have long doubted: that the UN can play a vital role in an exploding crisis.

Tehran - There is almost no time when people get together in Tehran that migration to Canada is not discussed. The North American country has turned into the new Garden of Eden for those who see no future in their homeland of Iran.

The greatest baseball player who ever lived was arraigned at a federal courthouse in San Francisco earlier this month. In a reversal of the usual trajectory, he looked noticeably slimmer than he had at the end of his playing days, when his head and torso had appeared vaguely salt-swollen . .

The Energy Ministry, along with the Energy Policy and Planning Office, is planning to increase diesel subsidies by 50 satang, after world crude oil prices increased due to the unrest in the Middle East and catastrophe in Japan.

The US President, Mr Barack Obama, has said the current Iranian regime is interested in preserving its power rather than respecting the human rights of the people.

Iran and Armenia called for further expansion of bilateral industrial ties when the two countries' officials met in Tehran, the local English language satellite Press TV reported on Sunday.

The U.S. takes the lead in the assault to cripple air-defense systems and armor in order to establish a no-fly zone to protect rebel-held areas. Kadafi vows to fight the 'flagrant military aggression.'

Brent climbed more than $2 on Monday to top $116 after western forces launched a military campaign against Libya, stoking fears that violence will intensify in North Africa and the Middle East, source of more than a third of the world's oil.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast on Sunday raised doubts about the true objectives of Western military action against Libya, the English language satellite Press TV reported.

MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahrain's main opposition groups said on Sunday they would not enter talks unless the government pulled troops off the streets and freed prisoners, and insisted they stood by earlier demands for political reform.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's top newspaper on Monday stepped up Beijing's opposition to Western air attacks on Libya, accusing countries backing the strikes of violating international rules and risking fresh turmoil in the Middle East.

A Kadhafi supporter shouts slogans as the authorities call for a gathering at the Shati al-Hinshir cemetery in Tripoli. Photo courtesy: AFP BAGHDAD, Monday 21 March 2011 (AFP) -- From the United States to Al-Qaeda, the unanimous loathing for Moamer Kadhafi outweighs the world's feelings for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein...

> AT&T TO BUY T-MOBILE USA FOR $39 BLN AT&T (T.N) agreed to buy T-Mobile [TMOG.UL] USA from Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE) for about $39 billion in cash and stock as it moved to reshape the U.S. telecoms industry. here#axzz1HAzQO4TP OBJECTORS TO BSKYB DEAL RULE OUT LEGAL...

Bahrain government supporters say the protesters' move into the financial district of Manama could not be tolerated.

Sky sets the agenda, The Australian declares. Plus, Crikey's front page of the day and other media news from around the globe. Read more on the blog...

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin, whose comments to a church audience in 2003 sparked concerns from Muslims and secularists alike, will speak March 24 in Muskegon County.

Ed itor’s Note: The one thing you can probably count on about nuclear power is that the more plants that are built around the world – often in countries far less advanced than Japan – the more certain it is that accidents will occur.

Iran backs the revolt against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi but 'doubts' the aims of Western powers.

The oil price jumps after Western forces launched a military campaign against Libya, raising the stakes in a civil war.

While it will not come as a major surprise to most, according to senior BOE individuals and Wikileaks, Iran, as well as Qatar and Jordan have been actively purchasing gold well over the amount reported to and by the IMF, in an accelerated attempt to diversify their holdings away from...

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has congratulated the nation on the occasion of Nowruz and named the new Iranian calendar year as "The Year of Economic Jihad."

When Bahrain’s pro-democracy movement began its demonstrations in Pearl Square last month, Atif Abdulmalik was supportive. A U.S.-educated investment banker and a member of the Sunni Muslim elite, he favoured a constitutional monarchy and increasing opportunities and support for the poorer Shiite majority.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast on Sunday condemned the West's military air raid on Libya, local media reported.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- The awards ceremony for the Gulf Cooperation Council Women's Games was hardly on the grandest of stages. But the makeshift podium in a tiny conference room of a mostly empty sports resort was the closest thing to an Olympic moment the three women from...

Another question hovering over Iraq is weather the country could once again become a strongman state. O'Hanlon said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has already shown that he could move toward usurping more power to his office.

No description available

Manama - Bahrain's main opposition groups eased conditions for talks to end a crisis that has drawn in neighbouring armies, though tensions in the oil-exporting region remained high as Bahrain expelled an Iranian diplomat.

THE days of cheap Brazilian beef being widely available in the world market appear to be over and that’s good news for Australia’s cattle industry, according to a new report by agri finance specialist Rabobank.

Iran ordered a diplomat from Bahrain to leave his country on Sunday, in response to an announcement by Bahrain that it had banished Iran's official representative, according to Reuters.

The opposition accuses the government of hiring civilian thugs to intimidate protesters and foreign journalists. The government dismisses the charges.

ANALYSIS/OPINION: President Obama has given new meaning to that epithet "imperial presidency." It was slung at Richard M. Nixon not only for his extravagant White House "palace guard" — some in kitschy uniforms — but for his more serious unconstitutional overreaching. But though imperial in his style, Mr. Obama...

WASHINGTON – Former US secretary of state Warren Christopher, who helped bring peace to Bosnia and negotiated the release of American hostages in Iran, has died in California at 85.

The Iranian freestyle wrestling team has been defeated by its archrival Russia to finish runner-up at the 2011 Freestyle World Cup Dagestan.

When he took over as secretary of state in the Clinton administration at 68, Warren M. Christopher said he didn't expect to travel much. He went on to set a four-year mark for miles traveled by America's top diplomat.

Bahraini security forces pushed into the Shiite village of Karzakan as part of the government’s efforts to quell more than a month of unrest in the Persian Gulf island nation.

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama used the occasion of the Persian New Year Sunday to say the future of Iran lies with its young people and he stands with them.

Concerns over Western involvement and possible reigniting of Islamic radicalism complicate the situation, which is also coated with hypocrisy. Arab leaders don't relish attacking one of their own. But bloodshed across Libya and Western pressure have forced them into supporting international airstrikes against Col. Moammar Kadafi, who in many ways...

The new Iranian calendar year, 1390, has begun and all the Iranians around the globe are celebrating their biggest cultural and national event, Nowruz.

President says he speaks directly to Iran's people and they are not bound by the past.

THE tourism chief put it very mildly when he said that terrorism has “damaged” Pakistan’s tourist industry.

MANAMA: Banks and shops which had been closed for a week reopened Sunday in Bahrain's business district after the security forces crushed Shiite-led pro-democracy protests. Traffic flowed into the financial district of Manama but private businesses, especially in the tourism sector, were clearly struggling due to the ongoing political unrest...

A statement released by the ministry said Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's verbal "assault against Bahrain and its people" was aimed

Led by the largest Shiite party Al-Wefaq, opposition groups called late Saturday on security forces to free all those detained in the wake

Esteqlal has blanked Saba in the 27th week of the Iran Premier League (IPL) to close the gap with the league pacesetter Zob Ahan.

THE US last night unleashed a new raid to wipe out Muammar Gaddafi's air force less than 12 hours after Libyan air defences were pounded.

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Crowds set fire to a headquarters of the ruling Baath Party in the Syrian city of Deraa on Sunday, residents said, as the wave of unrest in the Arab world shook even one of its most authoritarian states.

Release Time:  For Immediate Release A link to the video can be found HERE . Today, I want to extend my best wishes to all who are celebrating Nowruz in the United States and around the world. Each year of my presidency, I have marked this holiday by speaking directly to...

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the Iranian government cares more about preserving its own power than respecting the rights of its people. Obama delivered that message in taped remarks to the Iranian people on Nowruz, the Persian new year.

The National Film Archive of India will be holding a three-day children's film festival from May 13 to 15.

Banks and shops which had been closed for a week have reopened in Bahrain's business district.

President Barack Obama says the Iranian government cares more about preserving its own power than respecting the rights of its people.

Defenders of the government and its crackdown say urgent measures were needed to prevent economic calamity.

Anti-aircraft fire has erupted in the Libyan capital, with volleys of tracer fire arching into the air, marking the start of a second night of allied strikes on the country.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will arrive on Monday for talks expected to be dominated by the launch of UN-sanctioned military strikes on Libya over the weekend.

SHARJAH — The latest earthquake monitoring station in the UAE was launched on Sunday in Sharjah, in the mountains of Wadi Helou.

Colonel Gaddafi has recommended the armed forces call an immediate ceasefire shortly after anti-aircraft fire was seen in the sky over Tripoli.

Inside the London offices of Glencore, just off Piccadilly, long rows, mostly men, sit hunched over screens buying, selling and shipping oil at the world's biggest commodity trader. Here work some, but by no means all, of the 485 Glencore partners worldwide.

Oil prices may rise again on Monday as traders ratchet up the risk premium for crude after Western forces bombed Libya's air defences in a United Nations-backed intervention against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have reportedly struck a secret deal, which would compel each side to protect the other's political interests.

As French, American and British forces launch a coordinated attack against the forces of embattled Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi, the staunchly anti-Western rulers of Iran angrily denounced any foreign intervention .. in Bahrain. The Iranians, who have traditionally been the...

Excluding the First Iraq Wa the no-fly zone operation is almost a Security Council first since the Korean War sixty some years ago, a resolution which only succeeded at that time because the Russian Delegation inexplicably walked out and absented itself.

Ebrahim Yazdi, the secretary general of the Iranian reformist party Freedom Movement, was released from detention by Islamic Republic authorities this morning. -Zamaneh

Spring is considered by many nations as a symbol of rebirth when flowers bloom and nature casts a green spell of fresh vitality.

A vote could come as early as March 24 on the proposal to appoint a U.N. investigator, or rapporteur, to examine Iran's actions on human rights. "This effort is not about grandstanding or showdown but about practical steps that we hope will lead to changes over time," Nossel said.

*Jalen Rose grew up poor in Detroit, the son of single mom and an NBA player he never met. He helped transform basketball culture as a member of Michigan’s iconic Fab Five team, then earned more than $100 million as a pro baller. Grant Hill came up wealthy in the...

TEHRAN, March 20 (UPI) -- Iran Sunday demanded a Bahraini diplomat leave the country, responding to a similar diplomatic move made by the Persian Gulf island state.

Persian New Year Norouz is the most festive time in Iran. To welcome the occasion, special decorations and Haftsin spreads have been setup in various parts of the capital city Tehran. - Babak Borozieh

Iranians are preparing to celebrate the upcoming Persian New Year Norouz which starts on Sunday March 20. It is a tradition to put a couple of goldfish in a bowl of water on the `Haftsin' tablecloth that is stretched on the occasion of the new year. These photos by Hojattollah...

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Itar-Tass) -- The US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is leaving for Russia on Sunday.

Up to 200 million people are celebrating the Persian New Year’s Day, or Norouz, which starts at midnight on the 21st of March. It is widely celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan and central Asian republics.

Transcript of the March 20, 2011 broadcast of NBC's Meet the Press, featuring Mike Mullen, John Kerry, Carl Levin, Jeff Sessions, Jim Miklaszewski, Andrea Mitchell, Helene Cooper, Michael Hayden and Richard Haass.

U.S. and British ships and submarines launched the first phase of a missile assault on Libyan air defenses.

Counter-terrorism expert Richard Clarke has tried before to draw attention to an imminent attack. Clarke, a former Bush Administration adviser who warned of the threat posed by al-Qaeda months before the World Trade Centre was brought...

As U.S., French and British forces blasted Libyan air defenses and ground forces for a second day Sunday, the Arab League secretary-general, Amr Moussa, deplored the broad scope of the U.S.-European bombing campaign in Libya and said he would call a new league meeting to reconsider...

The other shoe will drop in world oil markets this week after coalition forces headed by England, France, Canada and the U.S. attacked Libya over the weekend in an attempt to topple the Quaddafi regime.

NEW YORK - Former United States President Bill Clinton's first Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, has died at the age of 85 after a career of quiet heroism in which he helped bring peace to the Balkans and resolve the Tehran...

Bahrain's main opposition groups eased conditions for talks to end a crisis that has drawn in neighbouring armies, though tensions in the oil-exporting region remained high.

The revolution taking place in the Middle East has a kaleidoscope of causes, occurring along at least four different fragmentary fault lines: --youthful social networkers v. elderly power-clingers (as in Tunisia and Egypt) --religious v. secular (also, possibly, Egypt--if the reports of yesterday's elections are accurate; and potentially Yemen) --tribe...