News Archive - 10 August 2011

> * U.S. call for Assad exit expected this week - official * Quandary is little clout to force Assad to heed call (Adds details and quotes) By Doug Palmer and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The United States imposed new financial sanctions on Syria on Wednesday...

>DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain has released more than 100 detainees who had been facing military trials over their roles in anti-government protests earlier this year, but some of them will still be prosecuted in civilian courts, one of those set free said Wednesday. A panel of international lawyers which Bahrain's...

>Television pictures of riot police battling to quell unprecedented unrest in cities across Britain have led news schedules in countries that London accuses of human rights abuses, giving their leaders the chance to hit back."What kind of country treats its own people like this? The ugliest treatment is the...

IT was valiant effort, but Smart Gilas-Pilipinas ran out of gas in the final five minutes as it fell short to undefeated South Korea, 78-70, in the 33rd Jones Cup at the Hsinchuang Stadium in New Taipei City last night.

A senior member of Iran's Majlis (parliament) says the Islamic Republic supports efforts by Muslim and regional countries to help resolve the crisis in Syria.

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Salbashian Trading Company has recently participated in the Amman Shopping Festival 2011, and in the 14th Tasting Exhibition. Ahmad Barakat, marketing manager at Salbashian ...

Stocks have seen another day of gains at Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), with the market's main index, TEPIX, up 261 points to 24,858.

(MENAFN - Qatar News Agency) Iranian Representative to the OPEC Board of Governors Mohammad-Ali Khatibi said Wednesday that the oil exporting cartel would hold an emergency meeting, if it felt ...

(MENAFN - Arab Times) The Personal Status Section of the First Instance Court granted a wife the right to divorce her husband after medical reports proved he was impotent. The wife had filed ...

(MENAFN - Arab Times) Police have arrested eight young men for harassing and disturbing women and visitors to commercial complexes in Jahra, reports Al-Rai daily. According to reports police shaved ...

Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Reza Taqipour says Israel ranks first in planning cyber terrorism against other nations in the globe.

Cairo - Chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi stressed the need to promote cultural and tourism cooperation between Tehran and Cairo.

Iran's Red Crescent Society (IRCS) is set to send the Islamic Republic's second humanitarian aid shipment to Somalia to help with the relief of famine-stricken people of the African country.

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The rupee fell on Thursday, weighed by oil importers' demand for dollars and weak domestic shares , with movements in the euro eyed in the backdrop of debt worries in the region.

Tehran, August 9 (KCNA) -- The production of cement and clinker increased 19 percent and 13.8 percent respectively in the first four months of the current Iranian year starting in March this year as compared with that in the same period of last year.

Social networking sites used to expose rioters British PM hails 'fightback' approach and tougher action against rioters Thursday, August 11th, 2011 12:25:00 LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron said a “fightback” had begun Wednesday against Britain’s worst riots in a generation, as he authorised the use of water cannon for the...

Harambee Stars coach Zedekiah 'Zico' Otieno says they are treating the friendly against Botswana today with all the seriousness it deserves. "We are taking it very seriously and I am very glad most players who are here will make my team for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea...

New Delhi, Aug 10 : Export of tea has declined by nearly half in March this year to 11.90 million kg due to low overseas demand and payment problems from importing countries, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

A: 'Ant smarts' not 'asymmetry' Forget everything you've read on The Reg or anywhere else about wars that target computer networks, power grids and other essential electronic infrastructure because it's loaded with fallacies, a prominent security consultant said Wednesday.…

The Neocons decided to force regime change in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Lebanon 10 years ago ... or more. Obama is implementing their plan.

The former Wilson and South Carolina standout is headed to Israel and will play for Maccabi Haifa, a professional basketball team in the Israeli Basketball Super League.

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The rupee could weaken for an eighth consecutive session on Thursday as dollar demand from oil companies is expected to stay strong and foreign fund outflow fears mount due to worsening debt crisis in Europe.

Thursday, August 11th, 2011 12:00:00 KUALA LUMPUR: The red, white, blue and yellow colours of the Jalur Gemilang are now flashing brightly atop the KL Tower in Jalan Puncak here nightly in conjunction with Merdeka on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16. This began last Friday and will...

Many refugees' post-settlement experiences had an even greater effect on their mental health, including the search for accommodation. Read more in this special Crikey series. Read more on the blog...

by Palo Alto Online Sports The United States men's junior national volleyball team lost to Serbia, 25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-13, in the match for the bronze medal Wednesday at the FIVB Volleyball Men's Junior World Championship at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro.

The United States has imposed new financial sanctions on Syria and edged closer to issuing an explicit call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's parliament was to meet Thursday for a special session to discuss the worst riots in a generation as Prime Minister David Cameron pledged a fightback and authorised the use of water cannon.

• As he transitions to private life and retirement, Defense Secretary Robert Gates carries with him a legacy of bipartisanship that is particularly admirable in these nastily divisive political days in Washington.

SALT LAKE CITY — The former director of the CIA and National Security Agency said Wednesday that President Barack Obama is pulling troops from Afghanistan a few months too early.

The U.S. plan to pour funds into Egypt to help organize political parties has sparked a backlash from Cairo's interim military government, its Islamist parties and even some reform-minded activists. Six months after pro-democracy protesters ousted longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, U.S. efforts to help promote democratic reforms...

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The former director of the CIA and National Security Agency said Wednesday that President Barack Obama is pulling troops from Afghanistan a few months too early.

Iran has invited Kuwait's National Assembly Speaker Jassem al-Kharafi to attend a conference on Palestine in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Minsk, Aug 11 (IANS) Belarus has rubbished the reports suggesting it illegally sold weapons to terrorist groups in Pakistan, Xinhua reported Thursday.

Largely symbolic move hints at Beijing’s naval ambitions, could help U.S. navy win budget battles back home

Comments from around the world on the riots and violence in England.

In the most comprehensive international review yet, a team of scientists has found listening to music can reduce pain, lower blood pressure and heart rates in cancer patients.

The current regime in Syria, terrified of a Sunni takeover, might appeal to the Jewish state for help.

520 more points down the tubes. That's what the Dow lost today. The other stock indexes also took a hit. Analysts point out that American companies generally have good earnings but that fear over the bigger picture - U.S. debt and the global economy - is driving down the...

SYRIAN tanks and troops swept into two north-western towns near the Turkish border, killing one person and wounding 13 according to activists, as Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Syria of aiming guns at its own people.

The critically endangered wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is so rare and lives in such remote areas that it was only recognized (after a few years of scientific debate) as its own species in 2008, decades after China started using one of its few habitats, the the Lop Nur Desert,...

By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – Environmental advocates and anti-imperialist groups condemned the continuing nuclear threat from the US as they marked the 66th anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In August 1945, the US dropped atomic bombs in Japan’s two cities. This...

Authoritarian regimes churn out their fantasies of the world through their state-controlled media outlets and we regularly check in on what they're dreaming. China scores an 'exclusive' with silenced Ai Weiwei The race to interview dissident artist Ai Weiwei is apparently over. It was no small feat: released from government...

World leaders can look at the same events and interpret them in radically different ways. So it is with President Barack Obama’s June 22 announcement to accelerate the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan.

Kampung Dew in Perak is gaining a reputation as a firefly tourist destination. PUTRI ZANINA is fascinated

SALT LAKE CITY — Even with the United States making major strides in the global war on terror, the world is still "very dangerous," according to one of the nation's top intelligence experts.

A three-week old rare sand cat kitten made its public debut recently at a zoo near Tel Aviv. A rare sand cat kitten was born in an Israeli Zoo three weeks ago, and this week made its public debut. Sand cats live in the deserts of North Africa and the...

Afghanistan Endgame: Are U.S. Troops Caught in a Strategic Cul-De-Sac?

IRAN'S VIEW:HAVING ALREADY offered to send an expert team to investigate human rights abuses in Britain, the Iranian regime has gone one step further and called on the UN security council to intervene over the government’s handling of the unrest rocking the UK.

SYRIAN TROOPS have taken control of the eastern oil hub of Deir al-Zor after a four-day siege, moving into two northeastern towns near the Turkish border, reportedly killing one person and wounding 13.

Visiting Utah, former CIA director lists nation’s top security threats By Kristen Moulton The Salt Lake Tribune Published Aug 10, 2011 12:47PM MDT The ongoing slaughter in Mexico’s drug war is one of the five biggest security threats to the United States, former CIA director Michael V. Hayden told a...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday strongly condemned what he called the “savage” crackdown by police on rampaging youths, the state television’s website reported.

Researchers are slated to unveil their new Xenith solar-powered car at the Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory at Stanford University on Aug. 11.

TO THE growing list of people in Brasilia who are unhappy with president Dilma Rousseff, add a new group: the armed forces.

The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took gleeful advantage of the riots that have convulsed Britain, decrying the UN and human rights groups for their "silence" on the police response and demanding that the Security Council take action against David Cameron's government.

Persepolis coach Hamid Estili on Wednesday asked Tehran-based team’s fans to show patience. Persepolis football team was held to a 1-1 draw by Malavan in the first week of the Iran Professional League in front of its home fans.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Islamic Revolution in Iran is moving steadily ahead in its original path.

SYRIA'S bloody crackdown on protesters is having repercussions for one of Damascus's most crucial allies, eroding the reputation of the Lebanese militant group Hezboll

Iran's youth volleyball team has downed India to face Brazil for the fifth place of the 2011 FIVB Men's Junior World Championship.

The Great Recession gave birth to a lost generation across the world, where youth unemployment rates stretch into the 20s, 30s and 40s.

Jeff Greenwald performs his travel experiences because he wants "the audience to come along on his journeys." For the past 30 years, Greenwald, a best-selling travel author and journalist, has specialized in journeys....

Bahrain has released more than 100 detainees who had been facing military trials over their roles in anti-government protests earlier this year, but some of them will still be prosecuted in civilian courts, one of those set free said Wednesday.

The threat of the infiltration of Sharia, or Islamic law, into the American court system is one of the more pernicious conspiracy theories to gain traction in our country in recent years.

If, as an investor, motorist, or reader, you're perplexed and surprised by the continuing anomaly in the oil/natural gas relationship, joing the club.  The

Immigration minister Jason Kenney has slammed Amnesty International for criticizing his government’s snitch line for “war criminals” dodging deportation.

Rupee weakened for the seventh day, the longest losing streak since March 2009, on speculation local refiners stepped up dollar purchases to settle pending Iranian oil bills.

Overlooking Vineyard Haven Outer Harbor, the lawn of Mike and Mary Wallace's home was the site last Friday of a gathering to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Amnesty International.

The initial, hopeful fervor of the Arab Spring democracy movement has given way to a grim summer.

Syrian forces killed 15 civilians in the city of Homs yesterday, an activists’ group said, despite international calls for President Bashar al-Assad to end a bloody crackdown on protests against his rule.

As the White House presses Syria to halt it's brutal repression of dissent, it is considering calling for Assad to step down. While it is not clear how effective that would be, Obama may have little choice.

Reuters/Dubai Bahrain has released more than 100 detainees who had been facing military trials over their roles in anti-government protests earlier this year, but some of them will still be prosecuted in civilian courts, one of those set free said yesterday.

More than half a year after the beginning of the Arab Revolution, pro-democracy movements in several countries appear to have stalled. The despots in Syria and Libya are fiercely opposing rebellions in their countries, while Yemen threatens to slide into chaos.

Men have an added responsibility in the fight for gender equality -- we are who we are because of women.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.

Reuters/Dubai Rolling summer maintenance outages on parts of Iran’s giant South Pars gas field, which have led to lower Iranian fuel oil exports since July, are expected to be completed by the end of September, industry sources told Reuters.

MANILA, Aug. 11 (PNA)- The Aquino administration has to focus on rice self-sufficiency to cut poverty in the Philippines, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said.

PopTech has unveiled a few of the topics, personalities, and cultural touchstones that will be on stage and up for discussion at PopTech 2011.

Iran has warned about the mounting humanitarian crisis in famine-hit Somalia in the wake of the unprecedented drought in the Horn of Africa.

Saudi Arabia pumped the most oil in three decades last month, reaching 9.8mn bpd and boosting Opec production, the International Energy Agency said. Increased output in Angola helped replace lower supply in Libya.

Book Passage in Corte Madera offers free author readings and other free events open to the public.

LONDON, August 11, 2011 (AFP) - Britain's parliament was to meet Thursday for a special session to discuss the worst riots in a generation as Prime Minister David Cameron pledged a fightback and authorised the use of water cannon.

Investors fear France may lose its AAA status, which could be a fresh blow to Eurozone, with French banks holding Italian debt facing the heat.

Suspending BlackBerry smartphone instant chat service BBM in Britain, where rioters are using it to communicate, will not solve the problem, a cybersecurity expert says.

Americans today are surrounded by a cloud of confusing numbers on the economy and the federal budget. But what do the numbers really mean? What do they describe? How are they related to the debt ceiling crisis? Below are some of the more frequently mentioned figures - from the astronomical...

Thousands of Dragon Boat racers descended upon Tampa Bay, Florida to compete in the 10th annual World Championships.

LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Wednesday to prevent a “culture of fear” from taking hold in Britain and authorized tougher riot-control measures, after violence and looting that began in London spread to other British cities. In a somber televised speech after a meeting with officials managing the crisis,...

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody presided when Parliament met at 1 pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the Orders under the Strategic Development Projects Act and the State Industrial Corporation Act for debate.

AMMAN, Aug 11 — Syrian forces killed 15 civilians in the city of Homs yesterday, an activists’ group said, despite international calls for President Bashar al-Assad to end a bloody crackdown on protests against his rule. The United States said the world was watching Syria “in horror” and slapped sanctions...

Among the worldwide employment-based categories, worldwide 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th remain current (no backlogs), while the 3rd category for professionals and skilled workers advances 3 weeks compared to a 3 month advance for unskilled workers.

New Delhi, Aug 10 : Indian Oil Corporation, the nation's largest fuel retailer, today reported a net loss of Rs 3,719 crore for the first quarter of this fiscal, mainly on account of under-recovery on sale of regulated products.

Senior Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi says the Islamic Republic is entitled to defend its citizens against the terrorist activities of the Party for Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK.)

Real budget reductions present the prospect of real reform in the Pentagon. Clearly, Secretary Panetta is not opting to be the source of that reform. It now must come from the outside.

ANKARA [MENL] -- Turkey has been examining a proposal to significantly cooperate with Iran in their war against Kurdish rebels. Copyrights 2008, Middle East Newsline.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Press Club President Mark Hamrick expressed outrage Wednesday at reports that Kouhyar Goudarzi, an Iranian blogger, and his mother have been imprisoned in Iran. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO) The...

A senior Iranian lawmaker on Wednesday warned that it is considering to close the British embassy in Tehran to protest the "violent crackdown" on British citizens, referring to riots which have taken place in London and other cities since Saturday. Iranian lawmakers have previously condemned the events in England as...

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian tanks swept into two towns near the Turkish border on Wednesday despite international demands to end a military crackdown, and the United States announced sanctions against a major Syrian bank and mobile phone company.

Russia warmed up for next month's Euro 2012 qualifiers with a welcome 1-0 win over Serbia in a friendly here on Wednesday.

Iranian embassy in Malaysia has programmed to mount an exhibition to display exquisite arts and calligraphy of the holy Qur'an in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

Pakistan will neither attain lasting food, energy, and water security, nor educate its masses, until its political leadership removes the indigenous obstacles that have long constrained the country's development.