News Archive - 14 October 2011

>NEW YORK (Reuters) - The idea of Mexican drug cartels cooperating with Iranian plotters to carry out bombings and murders in the United States may be far-fetched. That is because the alleged plan by Iranian-American suspect Manssor Arbabsiar and a co-defendant to use a Mexican gang to kill the Saudi...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While President Barack Obama and top aides have been united this week in grave warnings over an alleged Iranian assassination plot, some U.S. government officials are privately expressing disquiet that the outlandish-sounding plan has triggered U.S. calls for stiff new action against Iran. These officials,...

>"I will again confirm that we did meet with the Iranians," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said."They know that very well, and any efforts on their part to deny it speaks again to how truthful they are about any of these sorts of matters," she added.Nuland had initially...

>VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog is expected to raise international pressure on Iran with a report next month likely to heighten suspicions about the Islamic state's atomic ambitions, Western diplomats said on Friday. But they said it was unclear whether the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would...

>NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who smoke may hit menopause about a year earlier than those who don't light up, according to a new look at past research. That's important because the age at which women stop getting their periods may influence their risk of bone and heart diseases...

>* Trading on Nasdaq under symbol "UBNT"* US gov't reviewing sales into Iran, other countriesBy Clare BaldwinOct 14 (Reuters) - Shares of wireless equipment maker Ubiquiti Networks Inc rose in their stock market debut on Friday after the company broke a two-month drought in the U.S. IPO market.The...

>BEIRUT (Reuters) - A week after Mishaal al-Tammo was shot dead in Syria's eastern town of Qamishli, pictures of the Kurdish activist adorn walls and shop windows, signs of lingering anger in a community with long-standing grievances against President Bashar al-Assad. Tammo was gunned down in an attack which many...

>"There has been no direct contact between the two countries," Alireza Miryousefi, official in charge of the media at Iran's U.N. mission, told Mehr news agency.U.S. State Department said on Thursday that it had been in direct contact with Iran over the allegations, which Tehran has denied.

>* Says Oct 3 clashes sparked by arrest of two elderly men* Saudi accused "foreign power" of instigating violenceOct 14 (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch accused Saudi Arabia of arbitrarily arresting peaceful activists in its Eastern Province, home to a large Shi'ite Muslim minority, and of sparking recent clashes there...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned Iran on Thursday it would face the toughest possible sanctions for an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington, as Treasury officials eyed action against the Iranian central bank. Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused Iran of fomenting instability but pledged a...

>SEOUL (Reuters) - Asia's most renowned film festival drew to a close in the South Korean port city of Busan on Friday, with films from new directors in Iran and the Philippines capturing its main prizes in an affirmation of the event's focus on emerging Asian talent. "Nino", a portrait...

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has called for an Arab foreign ministers’ emergency meeting on Syria in view of the unabated violence and instability.

Tehran has warned it will cut cultural ties with France if renowned Paris museum The Louvre fails to set up an exhibition of Persian artifacts in Iran as agreed, an official was Monday cited as saying.

Q: My twin boys will be 3 years old next month. They sleep in the same room. They’ve recently taken to getting out of their beds (together, although one seems to be the ringleader) every night, over and over, for up to two hours. They make a lot of noise,...

How to care for an older rug or purchase a high-quality reproduction.

Washington: Applauding India's key role in Afghanistan, the US says that New Delhi is helpful in providing training to the security forces of the war-torn country to help improve the situation there.

Barack Obama deploys US special forces to central Africa 14 Oct 2011 President Barack Obama on Friday announced he was sending 100 combat troops to central Africa to advise forces aiming to hunt down the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army, which stands accused of gross human rights abuses over the course...

WASHINGTON -- When an Iranian scientist was shot and killed in front of his home in Tehran on July 23, he was the third researcher with supposed ties to Iran's nuclear program to be assassinated in less than two years.

Larry Zarian, ex-Glendale mayor and TV-radio host, dies at 73; Paul Kent, an actor who co-founded Melrose Theatre, dies at 80; Marty Harris, a pianist who performed with jazz and pop greats, dies at 77 Larry Zarian

The COMELEC started bracing up for the next Philippine elections by training consuls and attaches from 18 diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa since Monday.

MANATEE -- Michael D. Evans, a Middle East political insider and well-known author, is scheduled to speak on “The State of Israel ” today at Christian Retreat Family Church and Conference Center.

Growing up in Iran, Shahnaz Fattahi had no clue she would become a mini mogul owning sandwich franchise stores in and around Malibu.

TUNIS, Tunisia — A mob attacked the home of a Tunisian television station owner with firebombs Friday, after protests against a film his channel aired.

Iran’s official news agency insisted on Friday that American officials had not been in direct contact over the alleged plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States.

A new survey shows that a majority of Europeans want the United States to continue exerting "strong leadership in world affairs.

The odd facts of the case—including Arbabsiar’s apparently bumbling nature, and his approach to a supposed Mexican drug cartel figure, who happened to be a US federal informant—have raised eyebrows among Iran specialists.

A KSFY exclusive as we sit down one-on-one with Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann. Among other things, she tells us why she believes the U-S is again in danger of a terror attack on U-S soil.

NEARLY nine years in office as prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has already carved his name in history by his domestic and foreign policies.

WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) US officials said today it was ''more than likely'' that Iran's supreme leader and the head of its Quds force knew of the alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington, but acknowledged the claim was based on analysis rather than hard evidence.

DUBAI, Oct 12 (Reuters) The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) today condemned the alleged Iran plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington, saying they would severely harm relations.

WASHINGTON/LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) The International Energy Agency cut its global oil demand growth projection on Wednesday while the U.S. government increased its outlook for 2012, making it the most bullish forecaster as the economy heads into an uncertain year.

Esteqlal has been held to a draw against Rah Ahan in the 10th week of the Iranian Premier League (IPL) and lost the chance to claim the top spot on the table.

Tehran, October 13 (KCNA) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson denounced Tuesday the West's recent decision to slap sanctions on Iran.

Tehran, October 13 (KCNA) -- The current popular protests in US are non-partisan and will destroy Washington's political system, the head of Iran's Basij (volunteer forces) Mohammad Reza Naghdi said on Saturday.

source: Jonas Terrado | mb.com.ph The Energen Pilipinas U-16 team leaves Saturday for Nha Trang, Vietnam, determined to gatecrash the party of the top guns in the FIBA Asia U-16 Championship slated Oct. 18-28. Coached by former San Miguel Beer star Olsen Racela, the National cagers will take...

Should we bomb Iran for plotting to blow up a Washington, DC, restaurant in order to assassinate the Saudi ambassador? Probably not. Should Iran be worried that we might? Absolutely. And yet, within hours of the Justice Department charging elements within the Iranian government (the Quds Force of Iran’s...

No description available

This early, the Commission on Elections has started training Philippine consuls and attaches for the upcoming midterm elections in May 2013.

The so-called Arab Spring is bearing fruit, some of it bitter, some of it unexpected. Events this week show just how far the seeds have spread. reports from Jerusalem

QUETTA: Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said the Balochistan government has engineers and other experts who can run the Gwadar port efficiently, but the federal government does not realise this.

Tehran, Oct 15 (IANS) Iran has denied the US claim of having direct contact with it over the alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Xinhua reported.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has urged Muslims not to fall into the latest US-Israeli trap, Press TV reports.

A production examining the impact of the mass evacuation of Japanese-American communities in 1942 is

Forty years ago, in October 1971, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced multiculturalism as an official policy for Canada.

For years, Iran has quietly waged war against the United States, allying with and arming this nation's enemies. Now that war has come to U.S. soil.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- In a Congressional briefing on Wednesday, several Members of Congress deplored the State Department's unjustified 450-day delay in completing the Court-mandated review of the designation of Iran's main opposition, the Mujahedin-e Khalq...

A new study into the use of social media in street protests and riots has revealed how it is effective for both protesters and police.

SOCCER ANGLES:So it is back to Tallinn for the first time since Ireland’s 2-0 win in the World Cup qualifier in 2001, writes MICHAEL WALKER

The drumbeat against Iran continued Friday, at the highest level of the United States government for that alleged plot that sounds like a Hollywood movie. The one in which an Iranian-American car-salesman and pot-smoker hires Mexican drug lords to kill the Saudi Ambassador in Washington D.C.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has congratulated Zambian President Michael Sata on his victory in the country's presidential election.

President Barack Obama said Thursday that officials at the "highest levels" of the Iranian government must be held accountable for a brazen and bizarre plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. on American soil, and he insisted that leaders of the world will believe the U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a Saudi ambassador to the United States may have revealed the biggest secret of all -- intelligence agencies mess up and do not always live up to the James Bond ideal.

Defence secretary caught in a relationship with a much younger male friend who had passed himself off as a government adviser

The Triad has 49 new legal citizens, after a they were naturalized Friday at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.

There is a class of politicians known as the leaders who never were, to which can be added the name of Liam Fox, whose fall illustrates how swiftly a politician can go from being yesterday's rising star to today's has-been.

The United States held direct contacts with Iran over allegations that Tehran was behind an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador on U.S. soil, the U.S. State Department said Friday, dismissing Iranian denials that the meeting had taken place.

The curtain fell on the 11th edition of the Beirut International Film Festival Thursday evening with a speedy closing ceremony at the Carcalla Theater.

Almost 10 weeks ahead of a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq after an eight-year presence...

Human Rights Watch accused Saudi Arabia of arbitrarily arresting peaceful activists in its Eastern province, home to a large Shiite Muslim minority, and of sparking recent clashes there with the detention of two elderly men.

Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Moazzam Begg says Canadian officials relied upon confessions he made under torture in order to deny him entry to the country earlier this week.

Several members of Congress say sanctions against Iran aren't working, assert that stronger action is necessary

TUNIS, Tunisia — A mob attacked the home of a Tunisian television station owner with firebombs on Friday, following protests against a film his channel aired.

Click here to download TV listings for the week of Oct. 16 - 22 in PDF format TV listings for the week of Oct. 16 - 22 in PDF format (from latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv) Weekly TV Listings and more can be found...

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations on Friday named Finland to host a sensitive conference next year on ridding the Middle East of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction.

When nearly $100,000 landed in an undercover FBI bank account from a source linked to an Iranian paramilitary force, officials began taking seriously an alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador that at first had seemed outlandish . And as the investigation unfolded over recent months, a name emerged that chilled...

Some experienced Iran experts say plan doesn't follow Iran's usual tactics, would show foolish risk-taking

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday that federal agents stopped an Iranian plot to kill Saudi Arabian ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir.

Like Lewis Carroll’s Alice, “The hurrier I go the behinder I get” — but I probably wouldn’t have been late if the phone hadn’t rung just as I was turning off the bath water.

The Obama administration said Friday that a proposed arms sale to Bahrain is designed only for the Gulf kingdom's "external defense," seeking to soothe concerns the weapons would be used on protesters.

The Obama administration announced plans on Friday to send about 100 U.S. forces to Uganda to act as military advisers to Ugandan and African Union forces fighting the Lords' Resistance Army (LRA). The U.S. special forces will provide information and training to assist Ugandan forces trying to apprehend...

Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain make separate appearances on this week's shows.  

Prime Minister Stephen Harper talked tough against Iran on Friday, joining other leaders in condemning an alleged plot by the rogue state to murder a Saudi ambassador in the U.S.

Economic Statecraft Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Economic Club of New York New York City October 14, 2011 var runVideo_872375_pre = function() { if (typeof BrightcoveExperience == "undefined" && typeof embedded_plugin_status[2] == "undefined") { embedded_plugin_status[2]=1; embedded_plugin_Q[2] = new Array(); embedded_plugin_Q[2].push(runVideo_872375); $.getScript("/js ...

TEHRAN (BP) -- The attorney for imprisoned Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has confirmed that Iran's Supreme Court will review his case if the appeals court returns it, CNN reported Oct. 13.

Since spring, a wind of change has been blowing through the Arab world. Last week it again reached the shores of Turtle Bay. But this time it turned into a sudden chill.

Various media sources are attempting to sift through the confusion surrounding the “review” of death row pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s appeal to Iran’s Supreme Court.

The Busan Film Festival in South Korea awarded its top prizes Friday to new directors from Iran and the Philippines.

Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have been trying to suppress the online voices of the Arab freedom movement. But Telecomix, a loosely organized international network of techies in Europe, has been helping them find ways around government censors.

The National Iranian Offshore Oil Company has announced plans to begin the development of six new offshore natural gas fields in the Persian Gulf, whose reserves are estimated at 25.7 trillion cubic feet.

Once suppressed by the former regime, conservative Muslims are increasingly making themselves heard in the country's politics. Since the government was overthrown in January, Tunisia has been filled with unrest and demonstrations as well as the rise of a new ultraconservative group of Muslims that had kept a low profile...

Iranian officials deny any direct contact with the US about allegations Tehran was behind a plot to kill the Saudi envoy on US soil.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Reuters) - An Iranian-born Texas man accused of an elaborate plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington was a heavy drinker and flighty businessman who did not fit the profile of a cunning agent, according to people who knew him well.

Tunisian police fired teargas to disperse several thousand Islamists trying to force their way into the prime minister’s office yesterday, the biggest in a series of clashes that are overshadowing next week’s landmark election.

(14 Oct 2011) DICEing with death

Jurgen Klinsmann will lead the U.S. men's national soccer team to Europe for the second time to face France on Nov. 11. Another friendly in Europe is to be scheduled for Nov. 15, according to USSoccer.com . In his short tenure with the team, Klinsmann is 1-3 and is...

This week on indieWIRE, Netflix changed their business plan (again), "Bombay Beach" got reviewed, and we spoke to Elena Anaya, star of "The Skin I Live In," just in time for the film's release. News Netflix, Under Fire, Ditches Plans to Split Company, Kills Qwikster Netflix will remain the brand...

The appeals from cash-starved businesses in Iran come in nearly every day at the small shipping office in Dubai. Can they get goods on good-faith credit? Can the company help as economic sanctions on Iran cut off access to international banking and commercial markets?

For years, Iran has quietly waged war against the United States, allying with and arming this nation's enemies. Now that war has come to U.S. soil.Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that federal authorities have foiled a plot by men linked to the Iranian government to kill the...

The Associated Press The Associated Press ALEXANDRIA, Va. A judge has indefinitely postponed the trial of a former CIA officer accused of leaking secrets about Iran to a newspaper reporter, following a decision by prosecutors to appeal one of the judge's pretrial rulings. Jury selection had been scheduled for Monday...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., urged tougher unilateral sanctions against Iran and Syria, saying the United Nations is ineffective.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will face 1998 FIFA World Cup champion France on Nov. 11 in Paris, marking the second visit to Europe under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

Speaking with reporters today in Peterborough, the Prime Minister commented as follows on the...

As a boy growing up in Iran during his country's struggle to become modern, Heydar Radjavi was a quiet rebel.

Norwich North MP Chloe Smith has tonight landed a new job in the treasury, working for chancellor George Osborne, after the resignation of defence secretary Liam Fox sparked a government shake-up.

Flight For Life prepares to deploy aerial search beacon that will speed searches By Bob Berwyn SUMMIT COUNTY — Certain types of avalanche rescues in Colorado could become easier as Flight For Life prepares to deploy a powerful aerial device that could detect buried beacons from up to 100 meters...

Unlike the protests in Egypt's Tahrir Square, Occupy Wall Street and its related movements have not expressed any clear goals yet. The movements have picked up steam globally, though, and more than 850 additional rallies in 70 countries are planned for this Saturday. Meanwhile, Tumblr blogs like We Are The...

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati sounded optimistic Tuesday about forming a government capable of uniting the Lebanese and putting an end to the rival factions' political divisions. "My aim is to form a government capable of bringing the Lebanese together. I am working to form a government acceptable to the Lebanese,"...

Soybeans Stage Rally

Both bloggers and the military played important roles in the Egyptian Uprising of 2011, but the two groups are not at odds. In Iran, there is a similar silencing of opposition voices. Actress Marzieh Vafamehr was sentenced to a year in prison and 90 lashes for appearing in the film...