News Archive - 28 September 2011

Youcef Nadarkhani, a Christian pastor in Iran, faces the death penalty if he refuses to convert to Islam. Nadarkhani, who was arrested in 2009, has been given three chances to repent and convert to Islam. All three times he has refused. Nadarkhani will be given his fourth and final chance...

>KABUL (Reuters) - While everyone else is worrying about Afghanistan's future, a dedicated band of men and women is gathering up its past, hoping that a growing museum collection will show the world Afghan culture is more sophisticated than the tide of news reports suggest. Kabul's rebuilt National Museum, near...

>LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Toronto Film Festival's People's Choice Award winner, Nadine Labaki's "Where Do We Go Now?" has found a place to go in the United States: Sony Pictures Classics, which on Wednesday announced that it had acquired all U.S. rights to the film about...

>"U.S. Embassy in Riyadh advises U.S. citizens in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that we have received information that a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia may be planning to abduct Westerners in Riyadh," the embassy said in a message posted on its website."The U.S. Embassy in...

> * Govt under pressure amid Iran's biggest financial scandal * Parliament votes for supervision by new body By Robin Pomeroy and Mitra Amiri TEHRAN, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The former head of a bank at the centre of Iran's biggest ever financial scandal said on Wednesday he had been...

>LONDON (Reuters) - As Syrian army defectors begin launching attacks on government forces, Syria's largely peaceful rebellion appears in danger of descending into a sectarian civil war with wider regional consequences. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday attempted to wrest control of a central town from military forces...

>In the rubbish-strewn streets of Sanabis, the police are on the prowl for the culprits. A group of Shi’ite teenagers and women, some of them mothers, some of them single, scuttle into a nearby house, putting out the lights as men get out of cars and drag some boys down...

Iran said Wednesday it has begun large-scale production of a domestically-developed cruise missile designed for sea-based targets and capable of destroying warships.

>BEIJING, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Iran is increasingly looking for access to global financial markets to fund its nuclear programme, a top U.S. Treasury official said on Wednesday, urging Chinese regulators and banks to be prepared to block transactions and impede Iran's efforts. David Cohen, the U.S. Treasury's...

>ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Washington has just about had it with Pakistan. "Turns out they are disloyal, deceptive and a danger to the United States," fumed Republican Representative Ted Poe last week. "We pay them to hate us. Now we pay them to bomb us. Let's not pay them at all.

>Iraqi Shi’ites, like their allies in Iran, fret that unrest in Syria could oust President Bashar al-Assad and bring to power hardline Sunnis eager to put their weight behind fellow-Sunnis in Iraq who have lost out since Saddam Hussein’s fall. They fear the turmoil next door could spill into Iraq,...

>THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The road for former Yugoslavia's war criminals ends here, at "The Hague Hilton." In this section of the international war crimes detention center in Scheveningen, 40 or so accused by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia live in remarkable harmony and comfort awaiting...

>ANKARA (Reuters)- Having failed to persuade Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to end a bloody crackdown, Turkey is preparing a list of sanctions against its one-time friend in a policy shift that aligns Ankara more closely with the West. The measures, which mark a break from Turkey's long-standing record of resisting...

The arrival of the bombs, originally promised by Bush, may have come too late to use against their most likely target - Iran's nuclear programme Newsweek is reporting that Israel has received 55 US-made GBU-28 bunker-busting bombs , citing it as evidence that the US-Israeli military relationship is deeper than...

Top diplomats from around 20 nations will meet at a hotel in Oslo Friday morning, the newspaper Bergens Tidende reports. In addition to all countries bordering Afghanistan, the permanent members of the UN Security Council: France, China, Great Britain and the US are invited.

Manama, Sep 29 : Kuwait is planning to impose restrictions on the number of visas to be issued to Indians and Egyptians after a sharp increase was noticed in the number of visas given to the nationals of both countries.

This photo of the eclipse was captured by Khashayar Maroufi of Iran on January 4, 2011. Khashayar used a Canon EOS 40D with Canon lens EFS 17-85 mm with the following camera specs: ISO 400, 1/5000 sec exposure and f/25. Check out Khashayar’s website here. Want to get your astrophoto...

Sweden has been placed second in a a ranking of countries with the best reputation in the world, after Canada, in a new study linking a country's image with foreign investment and tourism receipts.

Islamabad, Sep 29 : Pakistan and Iran have vowed to work together for regional peace and stability besides agreeing to cooperate on security and border management.

After 26 months detained in Iran, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer departed the Gulf state of Oman Saturday with their families, and will arrive in the U.S. Sunday, according to a spokeswoman representing the Fattals and Bauers.

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The grief-stricken father, whose six-year-old son and 33-year-old wife plunged to death on Tuesday from the window in a building in JLT, received the bodies after returning ...

BELEM, Brazil (AP) -- Young stars Lucas and Neymar scored in the second half as Brazil defeated Argentina 2-0 on Wednesday in an international friendly which featured only domestic players.

DUBAI, Sept 29 — Oil prices may be US$20 off April’s US$127 (RM381) a barrel peak but there is no panic in Riyadh, Kuwait City or Abu Dhabi. Far from it. Oil policy officials in the capitals of Opec’s Gulf Arab price doves Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab...

A bomb set up on a motorbike has exploded near an airport in western Afghanistan, killing a policewoman and two civilians. Related Stories USS Cole trial to be capital case Greek economy crunch talks continue Drogba on Ivory Coast peace mission Hague pleads for Iran pastor's life 18 feared dead...

Al-Qaida has a message for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran: Enough with the conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks.

share: digg facebook twitter The United States and Iraq are in talks to chart military assistance Iraq needs after the pull-out of U.S. troops at the end of the year, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told Congress Sept. 22. “Because of the hard work and the sacrifices of Afghan...

The Amarillo Department of Public Health will receive nearly $45,000 more in grant funding this year to cover expensive tuberculosis tests administered to refugees. City commissioners this week approved an 8.

Summary Unrestricted laughter combined with yogic breathing positively affects the overall disposition of a person. The exercise hybrid “Laughter Yoga” was founded by M. Kataria. This study compares Laughter Yoga to group exercise therapy in their benefits to the life … Read More

CAIRO -- More than 18 political parties and groups have called for a million man march in Tahrir Square on Friday, demanding that the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces announce a schedule for transferring power to a civilian government.

HO CHI MINH City, Sept 29 (Bernama) - More than 400 scientists, researchers, and business people from the Asia-Pacific region have gathered here to discuss ways to improve quality management for sustainable development, reports Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Students interested in studying Iranian history, languages and culture could have a new major to choose after the fall semester in the College of International Studies. College professors and administrators have been working to make Iranian studies the newest major at OU.

A small plane carrying 18 people has crashed in western Indonesia, a Transportation Ministry spokesman said. Related Stories Long-term jobless 'national crisis' USS Cole trial to be capital case Greek economy crunch talks continue Drogba on Ivory Coast peace mission Hague pleads for Iran pastor's life

(RTTNews) - The Thai stock market headed right back into negative territory again on Wednesday, one session after it had ended the three-day losing streak in which it had plummeted more than 125 ...

China will achieve a self-sufficiency ratio of domestic ore over 50 percent, and moderately enhance Chinese-invested overseas ore resources, a move that signals the nation intends to prudently seek ov .....

MIAMI - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has been fighting cancer, was rushed to a military hospital for emergency care following kidney failure, El Nuevo Herald newspaper reported late Wednesday.

This editorial ran in Wednesday’s Washington Post:

Foreign Secretary William Hague has urged Iran to spare the life of a pastor reportedly facing execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith and return to Islam. Related Stories Remote planes bid to bomb Pentagon Long-term jobless 'national crisis' USS Cole trial to be capital case Greek economy crunch...

Chelsea football star Didier Drogba is taking a leading role in a bid to bring peace to his native Ivory Coast, torn apart by post-election violence. Related Stories Remote planes bid to bomb Pentagon Long-term jobless 'national crisis' USS Cole trial to be capital case Greek economy crunch talks continue...

Groton - As the budget shrinks and aging submarines are retired, Vice Adm. John M. Richardson has issued a plan to "sharpen the thinking" of the submarine force.Richardson, commander of the submarine

Lucas, Neymar give home side 2-0 win

A coward abuses his power and gives a bad name to his department

Two game Australians and a Canadian will drive more than 22,000 kilometres along the old hippie overland route in an original 1958 double-decker.

Tehran, September 27 (KCNA) -- The minister of Economy and Finance of Iran, addressing a recent international meeting, accused the World Bank of its wrong behavior.

Barack Obama has spent his entire time in office urging the Israelis to make wrenching concessions to the Palestinians, and the American Jewish community has questioned his loyalty. But appearances can be deceiving.

Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) Today is Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011 or the third day of the ninth month of the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

The festival has released a statement in support of six film-makers charged with espionage in Iran The Toronto film festival has condemned the arrest of six film-makers in Iran charged with espionage for working with the BBC and for allegedly portraying a negative image of the country in their films.

Ottawa, Sept. 27 (CNA) Taiwan was rated the 25th most reputable country in the world, according to a report released Tuesday by Reputation Institute, a global consulting firm specializing in reputation management.

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada, House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Three weeks ago we wrote to U.S. President Barack Obama urging him to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

THUNDER BAY, Ontario, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Thunder Bay, Ontario, Mayor Keith Hobbs says marijuana should be legalized as a money-maker for the federal government.

TUCSON, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Several buildings were evacuated in downtown Tucson Wednesday after an unattended cargo truck parked near a federal courthouse raised suspicions, police said.

HE started by hiding under a blanket in a lorry and hopes one day to wield a dentist’s drill. It’s not the screenplay of Marathon Man, but the adventurous life of Mustafa, an Afghan who has become a Dubliner.

Letters from Daily News readers.

Iran equips its Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) with a domestically-produced anti-ship stealth missile, Press TV reports.

A strong dollar would drive down oil prices, and the dollar earnings of countries seeking global mischief.

Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's conspiracy theories about the 9/11 terror attacks have upset al-Qaida, which takes aim at the leader in a magazine editorial.

Article in propaganda magazine says Iran jealous of al-Qaeda’s success

Kathleen Springer, senior curator of geological sciences at the San Bernardino County Museum, will give a lecture on "The Science Behind the Shakeout" at 2 p.m. Saturday at the museum. The lecture is included with paid museum admission.

SEATTLE, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Seismologists say Seattle sits in a deep, complex sedimentary basin known to amplify earthquake shaking, and have made a seismic assessment of the area.

Phamon Phonphanit, Journalist (CPJ/IFEX) - New York, September 26, 2011 - The Thai government must bring to justice the perpetrators of the September 16 bomb attacks that killed a journalist and ...

Al-Qaeda has a message for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran: Enough with the conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks.

On 12/17/2007 and 12/19/2007 I called the NBPD against this human chameleon, and without looking into the matter at all, they simply dismissed my calls as civil matter.

ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: Iran reiterated on Wednesday its continued support for Pakistan in overcoming challenges confronting the two countries and its desire for implementation of all development projects the two countries had agreed to undertake.

Wednesday: Federal agents say they've stopped a U.S. citizen from Massachusetts who was planning drone attacks against key targets in Washington; Also, despite repeatedly saying that he is not running for president, Republicans continue to clamor for N.J. Gov. Chris Christie to enter the field; And, the FBI...

A verdict could be just days away for Amanda Knox - as lawyers fight to overturn her murder conviction. Knox's family says they are anxious - but hopeful. Monique Ming Laven reports from Perugia, Italy.

DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- With Syrian President Bashar Assad's exit far from certain, the country will likely become more violent the longer he stays in power, diplomats and experts say.

Al Qaeda has become a parody of itself. In the  latest issue  of  Inspire,  terrorist operative Abu Suhail went out of his way to admonishe Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for suggesting the U.S. played a role in the 9/11 attacks. "The Iranian government has professed on the tongue of...

Caught unprepared, the authorities are still busy fire fighting, much like last year. It is feared that the per capita losses resulting from recent floods are beyond those of the great floods of 2010.

With elections expected before spring 2008, pipeline development would provide many opportunities to reward UMNO supporters with lucrative contracts regardless of whether or not the project makes long-term sense. The refinery and pipeline in Bachok would be seen as a potential UMNO deliverable and might just tip the balance in...

Oil prices may be $20 off April’s $127-a-barrel peak but there is no panic in Riyadh, Kuwait City or Abu Dhabi. Far from it.

Sheikh Louay al-Zouabi, the secretary-general of the Syrian Salafist group, El-Mu’mineen Yousharikoun (The Believers Participate), insists that minorities having nothing to fear and that all should be allowed to play a role in a post-Assad Syria.

Whitehorse has the best air quality out of 1,082 cities surveyed around the world, the World Health Organization announced Monday.

The issue of how to deal with the popular uprising in Syria is likely to generate even more international concern due to developments on the ground in Syria as well as the discussions that have been taking place recently in New York...

The Obama administration is in the final stages of a “formal review” on whether to declare the Pakistan-based Haqqani group a “foreign terrorist organization,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

The turmoil for reform sweeping most Middle Eastern oil producers is grabbing big headlines today, but that region may lose some of it’s economic clout in the future: there are signs that the Americas will replace the Middle East as the world’s biggest oil-producing region.

Al Sadd weathered an early storm from Iran’s Sepahan to reach the last four of the AFC Champions League with a 4-2 aggregate result despite losing 2-1 in the quarter-final second leg match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday.

A new intercontinental Russian missile whose development has been kept as a state secret failed in its first test-firing and crashed back into the launch zone, reports said yesterday.

TEHRAN (BP) -- A Christian pastor in Iran has twice refused to recant his faith in court and could be executed within days, which would make him the first since 1990 to be put to death by the government for apostasy.

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Iran is under increasing pressure from leaders around the world to halt the execution of Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who on Wednesday refused for the fourth and final time to recant his faith and could be executed at any time.

Iran is making ready to execute Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. He's a Christian pastor, who because of his Islamic roots must renounces Christianity or face death...

The cover of the issue reads "The Greatest Special Operation of all time." read more

He long ago left CNN. But Ted Turner is still stirring up the world--by threatening to save it.

„Philfruit“ ist eine internationale Obstexportgesellschaft in Mindanao, der Obstkorb der Philippinen. Die Gesellschaft gehört und wird von drei Europäern, die wieder auf die Philippinen gezogen sind, geleitet.

The United States Wednesday treated an Iranian claim that it would send ships close to US waters with derision, saying it did not reflect Tehran's ability to project sea power far from its shores.

Iran threatened Tuesday to put warships off the coast of the United States. Iranian Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari is quoted as saying "Like the arrogant powers that are present near our marine borders, we will also have a powerful presence close to American marine borders."

Based on unsubstantiated reports in an Italian newspaper, GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann warned Wednesday that the United States could be facing another Cuban Missile Crisis, but from Hezbollah, the Middle Eastern terror group.

Deputy Emir receives Iranian official HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holding talks with Iran’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, Amir Abdollahian, at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. They discussed bilateral relations and ways to promote them.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Egypt's military leaders should lift the country's emergency laws as soon as possible.

In a curious case of enemies uniting against a common foe, al-Qaida joined the U.S. in warning President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran against spreading September 11 conspiracy theories.

Blowing the curve, apparently The United States may be messed up in a lot of ways, but it is still the most competitive country in the IT sector, according to an index put together by the Business Software Alliance and The Economist 's Intelligence Unit.…

Release Time:  For Immediate Release James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 12:22 P.M. EDT MR. CARNEY: Okay. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for being here today for the daily briefing. It has been a while. Just returned from the West Coast and Colorado. Spectacular weather. I think --...

Mahmoud Reza Khavari, a top Iranian banker, has fled the country, the latest development in a $2.6 billion dollar embezzlement scandal that opponents are linking to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Gilles Simon, shown during the 2011 U.S. Open, played for nearly three hours Wednesday before claiming a second-round win at the PTT Thailand Open. UPI/Monika ...

Nancy Hope of The University of Kansas will lead a discussion of “My Prison, My Home: One Woman’s Story of Captivity in Iran” by Haleh Esfandiari at 7 p.m. today at Newton Public Library.

A huge selection of Globe and Mail reviews of the movies at the 2011 Vancouver International Film Festival

DUBAI - Saudi Arabia, the world's number one oil exporter and home to Islam's holiest places, has long cast itself as a natural leader of the Arab world. But on some of the most urgent issues facing the Middle East today, the kingdom's ageing rulers have so far abdicated a...

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Iran could export its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo in early 2013, if it makes enough money from oil exports to finish the long-awaited project without further delay, Iran LNG president Ali Khayrandish said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twenty years after the Madrid Peace Conference and the launch of the Oslo era, and a decade after those hopes for peace were shattered by the Second Intifada, the United States and Israel face unprecedented challenges. From attempts to isolate and delegitimize Israel at...

Amazon introduces a new tablet; lawyers assess the competency of the accused Gabrielle Giffords shooter; and Al Qaeda urges Iran to stop promoting 9/11 conspiracies.