News Archive - 28 November 2011

>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent fell below $109 on Tuesday after posting its largest gains in a month in the previous session as investors took profits and watched keenly to see how Europe would tackle its debt crisis at a meeting later in the day. The euro zone's debt crisis has...

>BANGKOK (Reuters) - International drug gangs from Africa and Iran are muscling in on Southeast Asia's booming methamphetamine business which has shown a staggering increase and is spreading through the region, the United Nations said in a report on Tuesday. Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), including amphetamine and methamphetamine, have become the...

>Two buildings in the western Galilee area were damaged, Israeli media said, but there were no reported casualties. Residents said they heard two explosions and that houses shook.An Israeli military spokesman said the rockets were the first fired since 2009 across a border where a 34-day war was fought...

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>MANAMA (Reuters) - Arab media coverage of Egypt's first democratic elections reflected nervousness over a historic vote that could raise pressure for more reforms and bring to power Islamists who could change traditional foreign policies. Arab rulers watched in dismay as popular uprisings seemed to come from nowhere this year...

>* Euro zone crisis to dominate meeting at White House* Iran, Syria, violence in Balkans also on agendaBy Laura MacInnisWASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama pressed European Union officials on Monday to act quickly and decisively to resolve their sovereign debt crisis, which the White House...

>"In the afternoon, there was a noise like an explosion, but we don't have any information from security forces on the source of the noise," Gholamreza Ansari was quoted as saying.A major Iranian nuclear research center is located near Isfahan city, although none of the Iranian reports of the...

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Iran's constitutional watchdog has ratified a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

>TEHRAN Nov 28 (Reuters) - A bill to downgrade Iran's relations with Britain got final approval on Monday, state broadcaster IRIB reported, a day after parliament approved the measure compelling the government to expel the British ambassador."The members of the Guardian Council, after examination of the plan, have approved...

>LONDON (Reuters) - Oil rose sharply on Monday with U.S. crude futures climbing toward $100 per barrel as concerns of a supply disruption from the Middle East overshadowed worries over oil demand growth and a worsening economic outlook for the euro zone. Markets got an early boost from a...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will press European Union officials on Monday to reach a definitive solution to their sovereign debt crisis which is emerging as a major 2012 U.S. election worry. As Germany and France scramble to tighten budget controls across the euro zone, European Council President...

The year 2011 can be called "the year of Qatar." The events in Syria and Libya are particularly clear demonstration of the emergence of new regional powers, whose names until recently were not familiar to ordinary people.

President Hamid Karzai’s government offered India a new strategic role in Afghanistan by awarding mining rights for the country’s biggest iron deposit to a group of Indian state-run and private companies.

BANGKOK, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Tokyo rubber futures crepthigher on Tuesday on the back of firmer oil prices, but theupside was capped by profit-taking after a recent price jump toone-week highs, dealers said. The benchmark rubber contract on the Tokyo CommodityExchange for May delivery rose 2.6 yen to settle...

Men who sewed their lips together in protest at Darwin's immigration detention centre are refusing food.

Australian authorities have found $30 million worth of drugs hidden in boxes of raisins in a shipping container intercepted in Sydney.

By: Evan Bianchi Although official U.S . combat operations ended in Iraq in August 2010, up to 50,000 U.S . troops continue to occupy the country. As the end...

(MENAFN - Qatar News Agency) Iran will display the capabilities of its nuclear industries in an exhibition here in central country, Iran's News Agency (IRNA) reported. The nuclear fuel cycle, ...

Arzu Geybullayeva, a 28-year-old Azerbaijani citizen, knew her blog was taking off when the Israeli ambassador to Azerbaijan came up to her, introduced himself and offered a bit of advice.

Persepolis players Sheys Rezaei and Mohammad Nosrati have copped heavy punishments from the Iranian Football Federation (IFF), after appearing to violate the 'Iranian social values' with an 'immoral celebration' in late October.

The chief prosecutor investigating a $2.6 billion bank embezzlement scandal said that more than 50 suspects had been indicted and that 40 companies had been found to harbor unreported debts and irregularities in connection with the fraud, the biggest in the history of the Islamic republic. The prosecutor, Gholam...

Australian authorities said they had seized drugs worth Aus$30 million ($29.87 mln) concealed in a shipment of red raisins from Afghanistan, the second major drug bust this month.

More than 200 kilograms of heroin and ice valued at $30 million found hidden in raisin boxes in Sydney.

CAIRO -- Tethering Cairo's toiling and privileged, its Islamists and less pious, its worldly and street-smart, July 26th Street was named for the era of a long-ago revolution. Another one played out Monday along this rollicking thoroughfare, where Egypt's divides were bridged, for a moment, by the simplest of ideas:...

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CONCORD ? For a second time this month, the state Ballot Law Commission on Monday rejected a complaint that challenges whether President Obama?s name should appear on the Democratic Party primary ballot.

Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, is leading an international delegation that includes bipartisan members of Congress to observe the launch of Egypt's first parliamentary elections since dictator Hosni Mubarak's ouster nine months ago.

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 29, the 333rd day of 2011. There are 32 days left in the year. On Nov. 29, 1961, Enos the chimp was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited earth twice before returning.

Below is an excerpt from a commentary originally posted at www.speculative-investor.com on 27 th November 2011. Of all the risks facing the global economy, the euro-zone's sovereign debt crisis has recently had the highest profile and the biggest effect on the financial markets.

Bangchak Petroleum expects oil prices to reach 102 to 107 US dollars per barrel, causing retail prices in the domestic market to remain high. The company is asking the government to delay the tax hike on diesel for another three months.

Tehran, November 27 (KCNA) -- Iran is paying deep attention to the work to increase the national defense capacity.

Tehran, November 27 (KCNA) -- Iran is paying deep attention to the work to increase the national defense capacity.

TORONTO - Tethyan Copper Company, a joint venture between Canadian gold miner Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX) and a Chilean company, says it has filed for international arbitration after the Pakistani government rejected its mining lease application. The company said earlier this month that the Balochi

Pyongyang, November 28 (KCNA) -- Abdelaziz Belkhadem, Special Representative of Algerian President in an interview with Iran's news agency on Wednesday clarified the stand of the country rejecting the U.S. and Western countries threatening Iran.

Tehran, November 27 (KCNA) -- Commander of the IRGC Ground Force Brigadier-General Mohammad Pakpour in an interview with a news agency on Nov. 24 denounced the enemies for their propaganda campaign against Iran.

Asian Markets Mostly Trade Higher On Eurozone Recovery Hopes

NEW BRITAIN — Emil and Diana Yousefzadeh were married October 22, 2011, at St. Thomas Assyrian Church of East in New Britain by Core Bishop Aaron George, Rev. Namrood Pouls and Father James Crowley.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is neither the establishment choice or best-financed contender but presents himself as the one with the most consistent record as a fiscal and social conservative. Whether it’s tax cuts; fights against illegal immigration, legal abortions and same-sex marriage; and advocacy for a federal balanced budget,...

A tall, elegant man with a goatee and an Eastern European accent ushered a guest into an office where meat pies, apple strudel and red wine were spread out on a table. “We are having a party now,” Zorz Crmaric said, “celebrating our own demise.” It was a funerary...

Democrats in New Hampshire and nationally on Monday launched a multi-pronged attack on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, attempting to show that he has flip-flopped on a variety of issues.

Considering the emphasis religious-right groups put on same-sex marriage, I thought it useful to check birth rates in nations at the time they instituted marriage equality and compare them to today. Has there been a difference in trends already in place?

Douthat is out of his league. His piece "evaluating" the presidency of John F. Kennedy is so thoughtless and partisan it doesn't deserve its high perch in the nation's "paper of record."

THE TV screen is rapidly politicising the public. The 24/7 news channels show the actual faces of politicians, judges, criminals as well as men in uniform, including police and Rangers, on the screen.

The U.S. military wants to have the ability to carry out strikes on insurgents after 2014, but President Hamid Karzai says Afghanistan will protect its sovereignty. The wartime alliance between Afghanistan and the United States in the last decade has been fraught with suspicions over sharply differing goals and...

Japanese Market Trades Higher

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has deployed hundreds of its militants in southeastern Turkey, preparing to launch new attacks, Press TV reports.

Two bills aim to lock down the internet with a host of new government censorship powers. Two bills are moving through the Senate and the House at the moment, aimed at creating a host of new controls and regulations over the internet, and threatening to change the way everybody does...

US and EU leaders announce steps towards launching bilateral trade talks, as they wrap up a White House summit addressing the eurozone debt crisis.

SYDNEY, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- More than 200 kilograms of illicit drugs worth A$30 million (US$29.66 million) has been seized in Sydney during a joint operation between the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), authorities said on Tuesday.

Part of the draw for games like Battlefield 3 is the ripped from the headlines drama. We may not be on the precipice of World War III and no terrorist plots as massive as the one in BF3 have been uncovered, but the fear those plots take advantage of is...

Letters from Daily News readers.

Australian Market Pares Early Gains

Release Time:  For Immediate Release Location:  Via Teleconference 3:03 P.M. EST         MS. BARKOFF:  Thank you, and thanks for joining the call today.  Our hope is to provide you all with a more detailed sense of the Vice President’s schedule and his goals on his trip to Greece...

White House officials believe the International Monetary Fund has enough money to deal with the crisis.

With the commissioning of a semi-industrial gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility in Tehran on Sunday, Iran is now one of the three countries worldwide which has acquired GTL technology , the IRNA news agency reported. GTL is a refinery process which converts natural gas into gasoline or diesel fuel.

Irans technical defence is that India cannot object to a ship in its EEZ

Mark C. Toner Deputy Department Spokesman Daily Press Briefing Washington, DC November 28, 2011 Index for Today's Briefing IRAN Explosion / No Information but Looking into it PAKISTAN Secretaries Clinton and Panetta Reached Out to Pakistani Counterparts / Expressed Condolences / Investigation Underway / Relationship Vital to Mutual Interests Bonn...

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A California man who admitted trying to sell a fighter jet and other items to Iran was sentenced to almost four years in prison Monday.

A large explosion was reported on Monday night in the Iranian city of Isfahan as the regime issued conflicting reports, apparently designed to deny suggestions of a sabotage on its nuclear facilities.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey have signed a cooperation agreement to increase the level of consular interactions.

President Barack Obama, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, left, and José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, right, deliver statements to the media following the EU Summit in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Nov. 28, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Today...

"What you see is all there is. We don't react to things we don't know about."

Leaders discuss growth, trade, regulation and Iran. Barack Obama, the US president, told leaders of the EU's institutions today that the US was prepared to help the eurozone tackle its debt crisis.

We respect and value the social media editors who share the links that make our jobs easier. But sometimes we have no idea what they're talking about. So after a day of staring at Twitter, we're sharing our favorites.Related: Nobel Rules, Calendars, and Clearance Sales

President Barack Obama said resolving the European debt crisis is of “huge importance” to the U.S. and his administration is “ready to do our part” in stabilizing the global economy.

LONDON (Reuters) - The top U.S. military officer said on Monday the United States was vulnerable to cyber attacks, and called for more aggressive action to bolster America's online defences. The comments by General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were the latest by U.S.

Conflicting reports have emerged from Iran over an explosion heard in the central city of Isfahan, close to the country's sensitive nuclear facilities.

COMMENTARY | What happens in Vegas, happens in Tel Aviv. Some time ago, I hosted former Israeli President Moshe Katsav's son for his post-IDF duty vacation at his destination of choice -- Las Vegas.

It seems clear that the Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood will emerge from the current elections in Egypt with significant power. But what does the group intend to do with it? Brotherhood leaders are keeping their cards close to their chests -- but many of their supporters are hoping for the...

The first women bishops in the Church of England could be "fast-tracked" into the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury has suggested.

New York, Nov 28 2011 12:10PM The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today praised counter-narcotics ministers from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran on a new agreement that will increase the exchange of information to tackle ...

New Zealand cities retain top spots in Mercer’s 2011 worldwide Quality of Living rankings

President Barack Obama hosts European Union leaders at a White House summit, amid fears of a new recession in Europe and possible effects on the US.

Diesel prices across the United States dropped 4.5 cents in the week ending Nov. 28, dipping below the $4 a gallon mark and falling for the first time in four weeks.

Skip this if you're one of those people who doesn't want to read about the latest outrageous comments on right-wing talk radio, because... they're just the latest outrageous comments on right-wing talk radio.

The administration said the trip to Turkey and Greece is to ensure Washington’s relationships with those nations remain strong. Read more...

The US, France, Israel and Britain are so blinded by their anti-Iran passion, they are ready to destroy Syria to get at Great Satan Iranian. That's like burning down your house to get rid of mice.

The sound of an apparent explosion has been heard from Iran's Isfahan city, the head of the judiciary in the province said, but the province's deputy governor denies there had been a big blast.

President Obama should take a moment to congratulate Morocco on a successful election and urge the Islamists to stick to their platform of economic hope and change.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- While much has changed since the 2010 U.S.-EU summit in Portugal, the fundamental bond between America and the bloc remains the same, President Obama said.

NEW YORK: Oil prices rose on Monday as the euro rebounded slightly against the dollar on swirling speculation over a bailout of Italy and a new overall eurozone crisis deal.

BEIRUT (AP) - A U.N. investigation concluded Monday that Syrian forces committed crimes against humanity by killing and torturing hundreds of children, including a 2-year-old girl reportedly shot to death so she wouldn't grow up to be a demonstrator.

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The debt crisis in Europe is a European issue and Europe has the resources and capacity to address it, a White House official said Monday.

The White House said U.S. taxpayers should not bear the burden of helping stabilize Europe's economy as President Obama and European leaders met Monday afternoon amid deepening concerns over the future of the euro. With the euro in a particularly perilous state with experts worried that it could collapse...

US Stocks Off Highs As Rally Loses Some Steam

Thanks to a loophole intended for human rights activists, political leaders are making big bucks advocating for Iran's Mujahedeen Khalqa.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States and the European Union threatened 'additional measures' against Iran on Monday over its suspect nuclear activities and reiterated that it must address international concerns.

January Crude Oil closed lower for the second consecutive week but losses could have been worse if not for a strong comeback on Friday. The primary reason for the weakness throughout the week was concern that the European debt crisis would trigger the start of a global recession.

WASHINGTON — Wary of Europe’s deepening debt crisis, President Barack Obama said Monday the United States stands ready to do its part to help the continent, even as the White House ruled out any financial contributions from U.S. taxpayers. Meantime, a top European official offered his assurances to Obama...

Release Time:  For Immediate Release Roosevelt Room 2:01 P.M. EST PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I am very pleased to welcome Presidents Van Rompuy and Barroso to the White House.  We have had several occasions to meet over the last year, but this is the first formal...

Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha yesterday stated that the government is seeking alternative funding for the expansion project of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery due to the critical political situation in the Middle East.

BAGHDAD — Two bombs and a rocket attack struck the Iraqi capital on Monday, just weeks before the final pullout of American forces from the country.

US Stocks Set To Snap Losing Streak, As Europe, Retail Boost Sentiment

Actress Anne Hathaway set to marry fledgling actor Adam Shulman

Release Time:  For Immediate Release 1.  We, the leaders of the United States and the European Union, met today at the White House to affirm our close partnership.  Drawing upon our shared values and experience, and recognizing our deep interdependence, we are committed to ensuring that our partnership...