News Archive - 18 October 2011

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First there was the Stuxnet computer virus that wreaked havoc on Iran's nuclear program. Now comes "Duqu," which researchers on Tuesday said appears to be quite similar. Security software firm Symantec said in a report it was alerted by a research lab with international connections on Friday...

>Oct 18 (Reuters) - The Pentagon has delayed until December the award of a contract that could unseat Boeing Co as the current prime contractor for the U.S. long-range missile shield. A team led by Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co is vying with Boeing to expand and maintain...

>* Chance for Russian involvement not "infinite," U.S. says* U.S. would let Moscow use own sensors to measure testBy Susan Cornwell and Jim WolfWASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The United States has invited Russia to use its own radars and other sensors to size up one or more...

>Here is a list of Republican White House hopefuls and their views on the economy, and U.S. foreign and domestic policy.MITT ROMNEYFormer governor of Massachusetts and on-and-off front-runner of the Republican race has said he would revive the economy by lowering taxes and repealing regulation on businesses. He...

>NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Tackling Iran's nuclear program will become more urgent over the next year and the world must not be distracted from it by the focus on the Arab Spring popular uprisings, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday. Hague said U.S. allegations of an Iranian-linked plot...

>SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - Just days before he died when a Taliban militant detonated a bomb hidden in his turban, Burhanuddin Rabbani was trying to persuade Islamic scholars to issue a religious edict banning suicide bombings. The former president's 29-year-old daughter said in an interview that her father...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four months ago, Admiral William McRaven commanded the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. Now, as the new head of U.S. special forces, he argues that his shadowy, secretive warriors are increasingly central to how America and its allies fight. When the suntanned, towering SEAL testified...

>In a report coinciding with rising tension between Iran and the West, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) also said tougher sanctions could make it more difficult for the Islamic state to obtain key parts for its uranium enrichment work.Enriched uranium -- produced by spinning centrifuges at...

Freed Palestinian prisoner Palestinian Yehiye Sinwar, a founder of Hamas' military wing, center, is greeted by Gaza's Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh during a rally celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners in Gaza City, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. Sinwar, a founder of Hamas' military wing, told the crowd that Palestinian...

More controversy surrounds Iran Relations between Iran and the United States seem to have taken an especially tumultuous turn recently. According to CNN, the hikers originally held captive in Iran under charges of espionage were released in September and free to return home. And just...

George Clooney has no bad feelings towards Ben Affleck for taking over political thriller Argo. Related Stories Shia LaBeouf for Giant comedy? Sugar hopes to inspire youngsters Moore goes solo for film premiere Nicolas Cage flutters into thriller Mara drinks into Dragon Tattoo role

Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Wednesday.

Would you buy an international bomb-plot from a used-car salesman? Barack Obama would. Last week, Obama's attorney-general, Eric Holder, announced that the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had uncovered a plot by elements of the Iranian government to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US, Adel al-Jubeir.

After Tuesday night's brutal Republican debate in Las Vegas, the candidates could use a break from each other

With each passing day, the Occupy Wall Street movement is picking up steam. The growing roster of A-list supporters at home and from around the globe is impressive, if that’s the right word. Iran’s chief mad mullah, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, loves the protests, the government of China...

Tehran appeal court upholds sentence against the Iranian film director that includes a 20-year ban on film-making, travelling abroad or talking to the press

It is increasingly clear that many want war with Iran or aggressive action against it. Like Iraq, they have no concept of Iran’s actual capability to harm us, nor do they have respect for the constitutional requirement for a declaration of war.

U.S.-Iran Relations Still Hinge on the Nuclear Issue

Explosions and gunfire erupted Tuesday in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan as U.S.-led international forces and Afghan soldiers began what seemed likely to become a new, coordinated offensive against insurgents whom American officials blame for a series of recent major terrorist attacks in Kabul.

London, Oct 18 : Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has lost his appeal against a six-year prison term and a 20-year ban on filmmaking, travelling abroad and talking to the media. He will now approach Iran's Supreme Court, his lawyer said.

In a session that turned fiery at times, Republican candidates for president hurled tough attacks at each other Tuesday during a CNN debate in Las Vegas. CNN Opinion asked contributors for their thoughts.

The Republican candidates for president have taken turns being in the spotlight during the debates. On Tuesday, the spotlight falls on Herman Cain.

“I not only will never take another cent from them, but I am giving their past donations away to charity,” said Maffei, a Democrat, in a statement e-mailed by his campaign yesterday.

The United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran and a few other countries are finding themselves in the hot seat at the United Nations, as U.N. human rights officials known as special rapporteurs submit reports to the General Assembly over the next couple of weeks on topics ranging from...

Pyongyang, October 18 (KCNA) -- Round-table talks and lectures took place in Austria, Iran, Tajikistan and Uganda between October 7 and 10 to mark the 66th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 85th anniversary of the Down-with-Imperialism Union.

Teheran, October 17 (KCNA) -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that people play a key role in protecting the country from conspiracies.

Pyongyang, October 18 (KCNA) -- Iranian Permanent Ambassador to United Nations Mohammad Khazaee expressed outrage at the United States anti-Iran propaganda that Iran hired Mexican drug cartel to assassinate Saudi ambassador to Washington.

ROBERT Mueller, the director of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has described the purported plot as “reading like a Hollywood script”.

The United States destroys two oil platforms of what Middle Eastern country Oct. 19, 1987?

The US government says it is working with its allies to escalate pressure on Iran over allegation of Tehran's involvement in a plot to assassinate the Saudi envoy to Washington, Press TV reports.

The designers of Stuxnet, the computer worm that was used to vandalize an Iranian nuclear site, may have struck again, security researchers say. Stuxnet, which infected tens of thousands of computers in 155 countries last year, created an international sensation when experts reported that it was

Romney often sounded like he wanted Anderson Cooper to put Rick Perry in the penalty box, says Paul Begala.

Matthew Bolick died in his home in 2009 after getting Tased by two East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety officers. His family has now filed a federal law suit against the department and the officers.

As many as 22 members of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) issue a statement in support of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement in the US and other anti-corporatism protests in the Western countries.

The candidates all agreed, for the most part, that everything should be on the table when it comes to budget cuts, but there was disagreement about just how to tame the military budget.

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

What country are we most like in terms of the distribution of income? Brazil, Canada, Germany, Iran or Norway. If you said, " Iran ," you're right. Statistics from the Central Intelligence Agency 's 2008 World Factbook show that the economic disparity among Americans put us in the...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived early Wednesday in Oman for talks with Sultan Qaboos about his reform efforts and TO share US concerns over neighboring Iran, a US official said.

Security researchers have detected a new Trojan, scarily similar to the infamous Stuxnet worm, which could disrupt computers controlling power plants, oil refineries and other critical infrastructure networks.

The Human Rights Committee of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has issued a resolution against Israel, condemning its illegal incarceration of Palestinian legislators, an Iranian lawmaker says.

MY life is stuffed to bursting with questions people ask me. For instance, why do I watch the sometimes depressing Japanese anime Ayashi No Ceres when all it does is make me miserable? Or why do I support Chelsea and not Arsenal or Manchester United?

TEHRAN, Oct. 18 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said Tuesday that Washington's "evil scenario" is intended to tarnish Iran's ties with its Arab neighbors, the local satellite Press TV reported.

MATTHEW LEE Associated Press MUSCAT, Oman U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has traveled to Oman to personally thank the Persian Gulf nation's leader for his help in securing the release of three American hikers detained in Iran. U.S. officials with Clinton say she will also raise...

Gaunt and pale, Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit returned home Tuesday after more than five years in captivity, freed in a lopsided exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners that could greatly complicate Mideast peace prospects and strengthen the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Letters from Daily News readers.

Gaunt and pale, Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit returned home Tuesday after more than five years in captivity, freed in a lopsided exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners that could greatly complicate Mideast peace prospects and strengthen the Islamic militant Hamas.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague says London would seek to “step up pressure” on Iran over its peaceful nuclear program, while his own government is seeking to upgrade its nuclear stockpiles.

NEWS: PHL U16 team to face Indonesia in FIBA-Asia opener Two Energen Fil-fors gain Fiba Asia nod DAY 2 Game Schedules: (October 19) [Live Stream] Iraq vs. Uzbekistan Japan vs. I.R.Iran Qatar vs. Saudi Arabia Ch. Taipei vs. China Lebanon vs. Korea Philippines vs. Indonesia India vs. Malaysia...

Tehran (AFP) Oct 18, 2011 Iran on Tuesday lashed out at "politically motivated" Western accusations against Tehran over US plot claims, its human rights record and nuclear activities. Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said fresh UN accusations of rights abuses in Iran were part of a Western campaign against the...

A subdued Israeli homecoming ceremony for Israeli soldier Galid Schalit stood in stark contrast with the mood in the Gaza Strip, where buses carrying the first of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners freed as part of the exchange were escorted by heavily armed Hamas fighters.

Increase in intra-region trade can potentially lead to enhanced stability, long-term prosperity

Deputy Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Air Force (IRIAF), Brigadier General Aziz Nasir-Zadeh (file photo)

As you may have heard, some greedy low-life punks inhabit Wall Street right now. No, not the executives and bankers who torpedoed the American economy and caused a global financial crisis. Those people are honest hardworking folks. It’s the Occupy Wall Street protesters. According to many in Republican circles, these...

Washington (AFP) Oct 18, 2011 The US State Department said in a letter made public Tuesday it would weigh the results of a probe into Bahrain's protest crackdown before pursuing a planned arms sale to the kingdom. Assistant Secretary of State David Adams assured Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, a leading...

In the decade since September 11, 2001, U.S. Special Operations Command personnel numbers have doubled, its budget tripled and deployments quadrupled.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- The number of people seeking asylum in developed nations spiked 17 percent in the first half of this year, the United Nations said Tuesday in New York.

Mark C. Toner Deputy Spokesperson Daily Press Briefing Washington, DC October 17, 2011 MR. TONER: Sorry, I had to shed my Blackberry. I don’t want it to go off. Welcome to the State Department. I don’t have anything for the top, so I’ll take your questions.

A Hamas cameraman stands behind released Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, Monday, Oct. 18, 2011. Looking dazed, a thin and pale, Gilad Schalit emerged from a pickup truck Tuesday under the escort of his Hamas captors and the Egyptian mediators who helped...

At Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz, output has slowed dramatically, according to two new reports, and for the first time, Iran's centrifuges have seen their average output decrease

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan on Tuesday inaugurated construction of a giant dam that would help plug its crippling electricity shortfall, but without a hoped-for infusion of cash for the project from the United States and other international funders.

World leaders voiced hope Tuesday that the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would boost the Middle East peace process and ease regional tensions.

Britain has frozen the assets of five men, including two key suspects in an alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in the United States, matching sanctions taken by U.S. authorities.

Deliberations on framework are ongoing.

They say exchange might boost Hamas, damage Palestinian President and pose security challenges for Israel

A powerful virus dubbed the "son of Stuxnet" has been discovered, raising concerns about its potential for attacking critical computer infrastructure around the world. The new worm, called Duqu, shares so much code with the original Stuxnet that researchers at Symantec Corp. say it must either have been created by the...

Iran watchers say the revelation of an alleged plot to hire Mexican contract killers to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Washington signals the Iranian regime's deepening radicalization and underscores the urgency of the threat posed by Tehran's nuclear plans.

The Fifth Annual International Festival was held on Oct. 6.

U.S. Rep. Robert Dold, R-10th, swung through Lake County on Tuesday, calling for more progress on small business jobs creation, eliminating fraud in Medicare, and pushing for parts of President Barack Obama’s jobs bill. He announced a $50,000 study for North Chicago, continued support for aid to North Chicago,...

There are more evidence of New Delhi's attempts to engage Tehran as Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will travel to Iran on a five-day visit in the first week of November.

Following similar moves by Britain and the U.S., Canada is imposing new sanctions on Iranians suspected of involvement in a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in the United States.

Someone in Iran's nuclear negotiating team seems to have quite the sense of humor. At the big International Atomic Energy Agency powwow last month--which The Envoy previously noted here --Iran's envoy to the atomic watchdog body was photographed sitting in the seats assigned to the delegation of Iran's arch-foe Israel.

NEW YORK, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Wall Street lobbyists are telling Democrats they can't have it both ways: They can't support Occupy Wall Street protests and then ask for Wall Street cash.

OTTAWA - Canada is slapping sanctions on five Iranian nationals accused of plotting to kill the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Religious persecution around the world threatens many minority groups -- Egyptian Copts, Pakistani Ahmadiyas, Saudi Ismaili Shiites, Baha'is in Iran, and Chinese Sunni Uighurs, Catholics, and Tibetan Buddhists.

The U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately decide if victims and their families can sue corporations or political organizations in America for human rights abuses in other countries.

A retired Pakistani civil servant nearing 80 may not sound like the most obvious debut author to take the international publishing world by storm, but Jamil Ahmad has done precisely that.

The GOP debate Tuesday is in Las Vegas, but Herman Cain is likely going to need to do more than have the slot machine come up 9-9-9.

Iran is undoubtedly embarrassed at being caught in an amateurish assassination attempt against the Saudi ambassador, but the idea that the U.S. would respond to a botched assassination attempt with military force is ludicrous.

President Jacob Zuma will release the report of the Donen Commission of Inquiry into the involvement of South Africans in the Iraq oil-for-food programme, his office said on Tuesday.

Iran's latest rejection of the U.S. allegations that two of its agents plotted to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador with a bomb attack in Washington, D.C. claims one of the men is actually a member of an exiled opposition group. That suggests the men concocted the "bogus scheme...

A little more than one year after the infrastructure-destroying Stuxnet worm was discovered on computer systems in Iran, a new piece of malware using some of the same techniques has been found infecting systems in Europe, according to researchers.

Symantec today warned that a new Stuxnet-like attack dubbed Duqu may be on the horizon, based on file samples the security company received from an undisclosed research lab with "strong international connections." Parts of Duqu are nearly identical to Stuxnet, which infamously wreaked havoc on Iran's nuclear program, though...

Memphis Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi joined Melli Haffari basketball team on Tuesday. The Ahvaz-based basketball team signed Haddadi on a short-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Duqu trojan in the wild since December Organizations involved in the making of systems that control oil pipelines and other critical infrastructure have been infected with malware directly derived from the Stuxnet worm that targeted Iran's nuclear program, security researchers said.…

PARIS : World leaders voiced hope Tuesday that the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after more than five years in Hamas captivity would boost the Middle East peace process and ease regional tensions.

The United States seized Tuesday on a UN report detailing fresh rights abuses in Iran to call for increased global condemnation of Tehran and to continue to demand change in the country.

A powerful new computer virus that some are calling the "Son of Stuxnet" has been discovered, and researchers are openly fretting about its potential for attacking critical infrastructure computers around the world.

Iran injected a new twist Tuesday into the week-old U.S. accusation of an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, asserting that one of the defendants really belongs to an outlawed and exiled opposition group.

Since joining the Republican field of presidential hopefuls, the Huntsman campaign has remained fairly stagnant, having little impact on the national political landscape.

Obama can't risk a big nuclear test by North Korea during the 2012 election campaign. Hints of talks with Pyongyang suggest the US is ready for a deal.

Clandestine operations achieve military's desired effects without massive publicity

Iran's major liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects have not been abandoned and foreign partners are not willing to cancel their contracts, an Iranian energy official says.

American President Barack Obama held an emergency meeting of his national security team Thursday, as tensions soared in Egypt after President Hosni Mubarak defied mass demands for his resignation.

Israel’s decision to release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit will only lead to more terrorism and the deaths of innocent Israelis.

Mir Najibullah Sadat Sahou was an economist and the governor of the Afghan Central Bank before he fled Afghanistan in 1992. Like many refugees and asylees, Mr. Sahou could not find work in his field.

OAKLAND -- The Occupy Oakland tent city on the lawn outside City Hall is attracting rats, alcohol and illegal drug use and public fistfights, making it difficult for the city's accommodation of the protest to continue much longer, officials said Tuesday morning.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan and NATO forces have stepped up their fight against a militant network considered the most dangerous threat facing coalition forces in Afghanistan, the nation's defense officials said Tuesday.

"Privatisation" in England's universal healthcare system gives an alarming prognosis, warn medics. Iran's supposed 'threat' could simply be the US government's way of distracting Americans from problems at home.

Symantec warns of a new high-end Trojan that's "nearly identical to Stuxnet" but notes that the malware has a completely different goal.