News Archive - 21 March 2011

> "We do expect that Iran will try to take advantage of events," Rhodes said. "We always monitor very closely." Rhodes said Iran had shown an "extraordinary level of hypocrisy" by expressing support for reform movements in the Arab world while engaging in a "brutal crackdown" on its own...

> * Unrest gains momentum in Syria after four killed on Friday * Gaddafi forces besiege Libyan rebel town * Western forces switch from Libya air strikes to patrols By Mohamed Sudam and Khaled Oweis SANAA/DAMASCUS, March 21 (Reuters) - Popular unrest swelled into a crisis for one Arab autocrat...

>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...

> * Some progress seen at Japan nuclear plants, lifts stocks * Deutsche Telekom soars on proposed U.S. deal * Yen steady after intervention, more G7 action expected (Adds U.S. stock futures, fresh quotes, updates prices) By Mike Peacock LONDON, March 21 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose $2...

> "The agreement with Iran is still on. It is normally on calendar-year basis. We'll renew it when required," Naresh Nayyar told a conference call. Iran is India's second-biggest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia and has not stopped shipping oil to India despite the scrapping of payments through the Asian...

>MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has said a foreign plot against his Gulf Arab kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from fellow Sunni-ruled neighbors to help quell weeks of unrest. Hamad's announcement came after a day of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions between Bahrain...

>BEIJING (Reuters) - China's official newspapers on Monday stepped up Beijing's opposition to Western air attacks on Libya, accusing nations backing the strikes of breaking international rules and courting new turmoil in the Middle East. China's strongest condemnation yet of assaults on the forces of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi appeared...

> "We reject any invervention in our internal affairs and among these countries is Iran," Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdulrahman al-Attiyah told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi, responding to questions about Saudi and UAE troops helping the government in Bahrain. Asked about UAE and Qatari...

New Delhi, March 21 : India had offered to pass on a message from America to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit here in 2008, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.

SAINT PETERSBURG, Tuesday 22 March 2011 (AFP) -- Defence Secretary Robert Gates hopes to bolster US military ties with Russia in talks on Tuesday but the Western air assault on Libya threatened to dominate his visit.

Tehran, Mar 21 (AFP) Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called today for an all-out "economic Jihad" in the year ahead to foil enemy plots, as Iranians celebrated Nowruz, the Persian new year.

Women weep outside the morgue after at least four people died and hundreds were left injured when police stormed an anti-government protest camp in Pearl Square on Thursday in Manama, Bahrain.

KUALA LUMPUR, Tuesday 22 March 2011 (AFP) -- Malaysia is probably an illicit transit point for parts used in weapons of mass destruction, the home minister was quoted as saying Tuesday after police seized suspected weapons equipment.

New Delhi, March 21 : Former US envoy to India David Mulford had an "exaggerated notion" about the extent of American influence in this country, especially in the context of cabinet formation, former foreign secretary Shyam Saran said here Monday.

Three top Yemeni army commanders defected to rebels, prompting the deployment of rival tanks to the streets of the country's capital, San'a, yesterday in a major escalation in the struggle to oust US-backed President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yemen's ambassadors to Egypt and the Arab League, as well...

Those who see the Bahraini uprising in the context of a larger contest for Middle Eastern supremacy between Iran and Saudi Arabia with desultory U.S. involvement are missing the potentially crucial role played by a fourth player: Iraq

Iran, Sudan, Syria, and other countries the U.S. has named state sponsors of terrorism have received millions of dollars in U.N. nuclear technology aid—and Hillary Clinton won’t stop the flow of cash. Laurel Adams of the Center for Public Integrity reports.

Politicians insist they are not susceptible to influence by accepting sponsored trips to Asia, Iran, Turkey

When the dust has fully settled, and the history of the revolution is Egypt transcribed, the U.S. government will be credited for its part in preventing wholesale bloodshed in an uprising that led to the easing Hosni Mubarak out of office. Having shifted towards the people of Egypt...

Petrol prices in Australia appear set to soar above $1.50 a litre after a surge in the global oil price in response to the action by Western military forces in oil-rich Libya.

A realignment of the global energy mix is now almost guaranteed.

A Los Angeles screening samples contributions to an online film festival. A Los Angeles screening samples contributions to an online film festival.

With the Western attacks on Libya entering its third day, Israeli analysts said long time animosity combined with oil interests could have motivated France, Britain and the United States to launch the attacks.

Giant bullseyes painted on industrial control software The security of software used to control hardware at nuclear plants, gas refineries and other industrial settings is coming under renewed scrutiny as researchers released attack code exploiting dozens of serious vulnerabilities in widely used programs.…

'I am with you," President Obama said Sunday in his now-annual address for Nowruz, the Persian New Year. This time, however, he sidestepped the ruling ayatollahs he once tried to lure into "engagement" and instead urged "the young people of Iran" to imitate others in the region and rise up...

When I used to do jazz television interviews from the Blue Note in Manhattan, a guest one early afternoon was James Moody. (He was very disinclined to use his first name.) While the crew was setting up, Moody was in the next room communicating lovingly with his tenor saxophone.

Tel Aviv, Israel (UPI) Mar 21, 2011 Amid the political turbulence in the Arab world, which always makes Israel twitchy, its military is equipping its Merkava tanks with a new miniature defense system to protect them against Russian missiles Hezbollah used to great effect in the 2006 war. The Active...

A group of Iranians staged a protest rally in front of the Bahraini embassy in Tehran in support of the Bahraini protesters, the local English language satellite Press TV reported Monday.

Dismissed as a joke when it began five years ago this week, Twitter has revolutionised the way we communicate.

Anyone looking for principle and logic in the attack on Moammar Gadhafi's tyrannical regime will be disappointed. President Barack Obama and his advisers should acknowledge the obvious truth: They are reacting to the revolutionary fervor in the Arab world with the arbitrary"realism" that is a superpower's prerogative.

DAMASCUS, March 22 (Reuters) - Unrest spread in southern Syria on Monday with hundreds of people demonstrating against the government in three towns near the main city of Deraa, but authorities did not use force to quell the latest protests.

President Barack Obama 's decision to participate in the air campaign against Moammar Gadhafi's regime is a vast improvement over previous policy, a victory for human rights idealists within the administration, and the application of an important international standard known as "the responsibility to protect."

Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar has called for more concerted international efforts to ward off threats posed by illegal drugs.

If you happen to be planning the overthrow of a corrupt regime--whether it’s the national ruling party or the board of your Homeowners Association--your personal tech and Twitter account can be your best co-conspirators.

BAHRAIN has foiled a “foreign plot” to target Gulf countries, King Hamad said in a possible reference to Iran, after security forces crushed Shi’ite-led unrest, the state news agency reported.

In the dying days of the Ottoman empire, American diplomats – US consuls in Beirut, Jerusalem, Cairo and other cities – NGOs across the region and thousands of American missionaries, pleaded with the State Department and with President Wilson to create one modern Arab state stretching from the shores of...

LONDON: Any expectation that the bombing of Libya by U.S., British and French forces would prompt a rush into safer assets has been easily trumped by investors focused on the underlying strength of the world economy, according to Reuters on Monday, March 21.

(RTTNews) - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates who embarked on a two-day visit to Russia has paid rich encomiums to Moscow's cooperation on the Afghan war and the UN sanctions against North Korea and Iran, reports said on Monday.

Postmedia publications will be well represented at the National Newspaper Awards later this spring, with the Montreal Gazette leading the way Monday when the finalists for the prestigious awards were announced.

Dismissed as a joke when it began five years ago this week, Twitter has revolutionised the way we communicate.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks started the week with big gains Monday on a major telecommunications deal and signs that Japan’s nuclear crisis was stabilizing. The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 12,000 for the first time since a nuclear power plant in Japan failed following a massive earthquake and...

Minute-by-minute coverage of events after the United Nations approved a no-fly zone over Libya.

As Twitter hits its 5th birthday, industry analysts wonder where the company will go from here.

Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday called for further U.S.-Russian cooperation, especially in the field of anti-terrorism, according to local reports.

OIL PRICES rose 1 per cent yesterday as spreading unrest in the Middle East intensified concerns about potential threats to the region’s oil supply and UN-mandated air strikes kept flow reduced from Opec-member Libya.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - If the West wanted to help Libyan civilians it would arm them rather than bombing Muammar Gaddafi, Iran's leader said on Monday, accusing Washington of seeking a strategic "foothold" in oil-rich Libya.

Airstrikes by Western forces hit forces of Moammar Gadhafi for the third straight night. Coalition officials say the campaign as cut into Gadhafi's ability to hit rebels and has neutralized much of his air defence system, but warn that the campaign in Libya could be long.

Dismissed as a joke when it began five years ago this week, Twitter has revolutionised the way we communicate.

Congressional debate is a key means of compelling the administration to clearly state its case and its objectives, to be honest and transparent about the potential cost of its proposed policies, and to limit its actions to its stated objectives.

Saint Petersburg (AFP) March 18, 2011 Defence Secretary Robert Gates, an ex-CIA chief, on Monday hailed Russia's refusal to block military action against Libya as evidence of "extraordinary" progress in US-Russia ties. The former intelligence analyst said military ties between the two countries have made dramatic advances that would have...

* Libyan officials report 64 dead over the weekend. n Coalition military say ‘no evidence’ of ceasefire despite Tripoli’s claims. * Arab League Secretary General backs UN resolution after slamming attacks. * Several Arab countries to join coalition. * US, France play down claims of civilian death.

The United States sees Russia as a full-fledged participant in the European missile defense system.

# wtf The Fars News Agency—partially funded by the Iranian government—says that Iran has built a flying saucer called Zohal and used this image in the story. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. More »

A senior Iranian commander says the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) is spearheading the country's campaign for self-sufficiency and further growth.

Dismissed as a joke when it began five years ago this week, Twitter has revolutionised the way we communicate.

WESTERN nations have launched a military assault in support of Libyan rebels. The latest updates will be posted here.

Once again, with the incursions in Libya, our nation is getting involved in military action in the Middle East. Although we are part of a coalition effort, as usual America is carrying out a large part of the action and at no small cost. Since our government representatives and...

London Evening Standard/ London A key witness in the case against jailed Scotland Yard police chief Ali Dizaei has been arrested on suspicion of fraud, it was revealed yesterday.

The Japanese economy has been staggered by an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear crisis. But history suggests it will bounce back with no lasting damage.

Bahrain’s king said a foreign plot against his island state had been foiled, and the head of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) warned that interference by Iran in the Gulf states would not be tolerated.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei used his new year’s message yesterday to slam the military intervention in Libya, back regional revolts, and accuse US President Barack Obama of lying.

Earlier this month, the cruiser USS Monterey entered the Mediterranean Sea on a new mission. The Monterey was built three decades ago at the Bath Iron Works in Maine, but it is equipped with an improved version of Lockheed Martin’s Aegis combat system that enables it to intercept the kinds...

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The head of the Gulf's main political bloc on Monday emphasized the commitment of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the international military coalition striking Libya but stressed the mission seeks only to protect civilians.

Unrest spread yesterday in southern Syria with hundreds of people demonstrating against the government in the town of Jassem, activists said, but authorities did not use force to quell the latest protest.

JERUSALEM - Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav will learn Tuesday whether he will go to jail on a rape conviction in a case that has already made history in Israel.

WASHINGTON - The Japanese economy has been staggered by an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear crisis. But history suggests it will bounce back

The United States is one of only seven countries not to have ratified the international women’s treaty.

Dismissed as a joke when it began five years ago this week, Twitter has revolutionised the way we communicate.

Melbourne motorists to pay as Libya fighting drives up global oil price.

Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi and his wife, who are under house arrest in Tehran, are in "good health", their son Ali Karroubi said Monday.

Gunmen on motorbikes have shot dead 10 road construction workers in Pakistan before escaping.

NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices climbed Monday as energy experts warned that Libya's oil exports could be off the world market longer than expected, and countries including the U.S. enforced a no-fly zone over Libya.

JERUSALEM — It's a well-trod path for presidential contenders, and now Sarah Palin has made the trek: a visit to Israel.

Australia, Belize China, Comoros, Eritrea.

JERUSALEM - Israel on Monday began vacating the premises of a Russian landmark in Jerusalem, an official said, in an apparent goodwill gesture ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit this week to Moscow.

Oil prices rose more than 1 percent on Monday as UN-mandated airstrikes on Libya and spreading protests and unrest in the Middle East reinforced concerns about potential threats to oil supply from the region.

Release Time:  For Immediate Release The President of the Republic of Chile Sebastián Piñera and the President of the United States, Barack Obama, held a working meeting in which they discussed the main aspects of the bilateral relation between the two countries, as well as the principles and values upon...

Revenues will continue to grow in 2011, despite the soaring cost of oil, Essar Energy said as the firm reported a 28 per cent rise in pre-tax profits for the year 2010 — its first full-year results since last year's IPO in London.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates will probably get an earful of Russia's objections to the United Nations-sanctioned military operation in Libya when he meets Tuesday with President Dmitry Medvedev.

Oil prices rose more than 1 percent on Monday as U.N.-mandated airstrikes on Libya and spreading protests and unrest in the Middle East reinforced concerns about potential threats to oil supply from the region.

--Former regime element Peter Feaver asks an interesting question about the administration's debate on Libya: Where in the world is Mr. Joe Biden ? Normally you can't get the guy to shut up. I once did an interview where I asked one question and he talked for 45 minutes straight.

March 1, 7:08 a.m. : " #Qaddafi tells #ABCNews : All my people with me, they love me. They will die to protect me. The #Libyan people tell Qaddafi: You go first!"

TORONTO – Jeff Outhit, a municipal affairs reporter with the Waterloo Region Record, has been nominated for a National Newspaper Award.

Russia and India hit out Monday at the Western-led air campaign in Libya, leading a chorus of condemnation as the United Nations chief pleaded for international unity on the action against Moammar Gadhafi.

Warren M. Christopher, of Los Angeles, lawyer, negotiator, statesman, private counsel, and public servant, died on Friday night, March 18, 2011 in Los Angeles.

The Indian government hosted Iran's president in 2008 to appease India's left-wing and Muslim voters, according to a U.S. diplomatic cable published Monday by the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks. The secret message — relayed from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi by Deputy Chief of Mission Steven White on...

South African Premiership club Lamontville Golden Arrows has announced that Ernst Middendorp, former coach at Maritzburg United, has replaced Zoran Filipovic as coach.

photo by Andria Lo The Center for Asian American Media, making good on its name, rolled out events at this year’s San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival that dealt with artistic forms not just limited to film. Moving beyond the movie screen and the standard director Q&A sessions, audiences...

The Pearl Monument, which stood in the heart of Pearl Square in Manama, Bahrain, was destroyed by Bahrain authorities.

“If Georgia prevents Russia’s joining the WTO, Georgia’s business in Russia will be destroyed,” Vladimir Zhirinovsky said.

1645 GMT: British Prime Minister David Cameron has been speaking in the House of Commons about the current situation in Libya, where British forces have carried out air strikes and are helping to enforce a UN-mandated no-fly zone.

(BRUSSELS ) - The European Union on Monday agreed to rapidly slap sanctions against Iranians responsible for human rights violations, a declaration adopted by foreign ministers showed.

Five years ago today, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey fired off the first tweet signaling the dawn of a new social network. Today the company services 140 million tweets per day and is valued at about $8 billion. Though Dorsey's maiden tweet was rather bland "just setting up my twittr," the...

Josh Fattal is one of the most inspiring, honest, and committed environmental and social justice advocates I have met in my life. From 2005-2008 Josh brought a wellspring of ideas and insights to Aprovecho's environmental education programs and campus. Josh played a key role in the success of our...

In all the discussion about the current U.S. bombing of Libya, something important has gone almost unnoticed -- the lesson the United States is teaching the government of every country on earth. That lesson is: no matter what, no matter the inducements or pressure, never ever give up...

I'm going to miss Chris. I miss him already. He was much more than my friend and mentor. He was one of a diminishing breed of Americans who believe that public service is more than a resume builder. They see it -- he saw it -- as a trust,...

While the initiative taken by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the Libyan and Bahraini issues sets several precedents, it requires additional steps in terms of both reform and dialogue, which the GCC governments state they are open to. The UN Security Council had been too slow to impose...

One day after an allied cruise missile smashed into Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's residential compound in Tripoli, the U.S. reiterated its objective is to protect civilians, not to kill the dictator.

The only trade Streettalk sees good as gold is crude oil-- which is already up 17.62% in a month.

Inspired by Cord's thought-provoking post on the per gallon prices of various liquids, and by Sarah Palin's ill-informed Facebook rant on the "$4-Per-Gallon President," I decided to take a closer look at gasoline prices around the world. Mrs. Palin might be interested to learn, that the world already has quite...