News Archive - 19 June 2012

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Brazil on Wednesday morning. President Ahmadinejad is to attend Earth Summit meeting called “ Rio+20” here in Brazil. Ahmadinejad visited Bolivia on Tuesday and is to pay a visit to Venezuela. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Vice-President in Executive Affairs Hamid Baqaei and Vice-President in...

It turns out that the massive Flame malware attack last month was a sophisticated computer virus developed by the US and Israel in an effort to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. Citing unnamed Western officials with knowledge of the effort, the Washington Post reported that the attack involved the National Security...

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili at the end of the Moscow talks said that Iran in this round of talks underlined its inalienable rights on uranium enrichment. He said, 'With legal documents, we proved that many of behaviors against Iran had been unlawful and must be stopped.

Islamic Republic of Iran and the G5+1 ended their third session of talks in Moscow Tuesday afternoon. After the afternoon session, Iran's Deputy Chief Negotiator Ali Baqeri described the Monday meetings as "serious and constructive", and said EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who leads the delegations of the G5+1,...

Spain's borrowing costs shot higher on Tuesday as the nation tapped debt markets for the first time since Greek elections and the eurozone crisis threatened to take a new victim. Deepening concern over Spanish banks, which have been thrown a eurozone lifeline of up to 100 billion euros ($125 billion),...

Two Palestinian teenagers have been killed in a fresh Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip, a day after four other Palestinians were killed in similar attacks. A Palestinian medical source said the attack targeted an area in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been disqualified by Pakistan's Supreme Court, which has also ordered the president to select a new prime minister. Gilani was given a symbolic sentence in April 2012 for defying court orders to reopen money laundering cases against the president. Despite the guilty verdict, the...

Zionist settlers have set fire to a mosque and sprayed graffiti on its walls in the occupied West Bank. A resident of the West Bank village of Jaba said that “somebody entered the mosque, broke the window and threw a match causing a fire” during the early hours of Tuesday.

Cairo prepared Tuesday for mass protests, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood whose candidate has won the presidential vote, against the ruling military junta's move to claim sweeping new powers. The demonstration, called for by several of the groups that participated in the February 2011 uprising, comes after the military reclaimed...

A 29th edition of Iran’s International Holy Quran Competition kicked off in Tehran Monday. Representatives of 65 Muslim and non-Muslim countries will take part in the International competition. The jury panel of the contest has 14 members, 5 of whom are Iranian and the rest are from other countries. A...

The Egyptian ruling junta’s addendum to the constitution is equivalent to a coup against the revolution, former Egyptian presidential candidate Abdul Moneim Abul Fotouh said. The statement follows the issuance of a new constitutional declaration by Egypt’s ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), allowing it to reassume control over...

>----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 0017 GMT -----------INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 .SPX 1357.98 0.98% 13.200 USD/JPY JPY= 79.08 0.1% 0.080 10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR 1.606 -- -0.014 SPOT GOLD XAU= 1619.39 0.17% 2.790 US CRUDE CLc1...

>MOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) - Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said on Tuesday he hoped a new round of diplomacy would soon be agreed with world powers after talks that failed to resolve their differences over Tehran's atomic programme in Moscow.Iran and the six powers agreed only to hold a...

MOSCOW (AP) — The EU's top foreign policy official says high-level nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers have been suspended, but experts from both sides will meet next month to see if there is enough common ground for new negotiations.

>* Follow-up meeting planned on technical matters* Delegation leader Ashton says "The choice is Iran's" (Adds quotes, analysts)By Justyna Pawlak and Yeganeh TorbatiMOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) - World powers and Iran failed to secure a breakthrough at talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Tuesday and set no date for more...

Esperanza Resort Los Cabos, Mexico 12:42 P.M. MDT PRESIDENT PUTIN:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, this has been our second meeting.  I remember our lengthy meeting we had in Moscow. Today we had a very meaningful and subject-oriented discussion.  We've been able to discuss issues pertaining to...

>* Sides far apart after first session* Markets nervous over oil price and fears of warBy Yeganeh Torbati and Thomas GroveMOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) - Russia said it expected a "reasonable outcome" on Tuesday from talks between world powers and Iran on Tehran's nuclear programme, after a first day of...

>* Sanctions to follow if concerns not addressed* Tehran urged to take concrete stepsBy Justyna PawlakMOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) - Negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme will not last indefinitely and Tehran should expect more sanctions if it fails to address international suspicions over the nature of its work, a senior...

>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent crude slipped under $96 a barrel on Wednesday, staying close to 17-month lows hit the previous session, as worries over Spain's deep borrowing costs lingered ahead of the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting. Oil hit multi-month lows this week on concern that...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (UPI) Jun 19, 2012 Saudi Arabia is reported to be seeking 600-800 Leopard 2A7+ main battle tanks made by Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann worth around $12.6 billion, rather than the 270 originally envisaged in 2011. The order, if confirmed, will be the biggest defense contract for Germany...

La Paz (AFP) June 19, 2012 Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stopped in Bolivia Tuesday en route to a summit in Brazil, to court support from another leftist Latin American nation which has tense ties with the United States. Ahmadinejad had a warm welcome at the airport high in the Andes...

DRAFFENVILLE – There’s ample evidence, from the industrial and technological renaissance and rise from the ashes of World War II, that Japan has its share of bright and intellectually gifted people.

In the face of the Moscow nuclear talks, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned against the enemies' "unreasonable demands" As diplomats from the world's major powers and Iran gathered in Moscow for the new round of talks over the Islamic republic's disputed nuclear programme , the Iranian man who has the...

>* LNG imports rise 16.8 pct in May from a year ago* Coal imports up 20.8 pct on year* Crude oil imports up 7.1 pct, although down on April* Fuel imports seen remaining robust with summer peak period approaching (Adds reactor restarts, details)TOKYO, June 20 (Reuters) -...

Moscow, June 20 (IANS/RIA Novosti) New talks over Iran's nuclear energy between Tehran and five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (Group 5+1) will be held in Istanbul July 3, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Tuesday.

It’s 2 a.m. and Cairo is gripped with uncertainty. Hosni Mubarak lies between life and death. And Egypt is suspended between democracy and authoritarian rule. Click here for the rest of the article...

Nation & World briefing NEW ORLEANS -- The Southern Baptist Convention voted Tuesday, June 19, to elect its first African-American president in

Mitt Romney told an audience of Christian conservatives that he would do the “opposite” of what President Obama has done when it comes to Israel.

RIYADH - By appointing Prince Ahmed as Saudi Arabia's new interior minister, 89-year-old King Abdullah has indicated the likely path of succession in the world's top oil exporter after Crown Prince Salman, his new heir.

As the battle continues between fragmented rebel forces and a weakening Syrian army, the West is realizing it can no longer stand idly by.

The Washington Post is reporting that the sophisticated 'Flame' malware was created by the United States and Israel in order to collect intelligence on Iranian computer networks. The intel was to be used in a cyber-sabotage campaign intended to slow Iran's development of nuclear weapons. This follows confirmation a few...

Iran international midfielder Andranik Teymourian has left Esteghlal to join Qatari club Al Kharaitiyat on a one-year deal for an undisclosed fee. The 29-year-old former Bolton and Fulham man joins the Doha-based club who finished eighth in the 2011-12 campaign.

Persepolis general manager Mohammad Ruyanian says star attacker Ali Karimi has decided to re-sign with the club despite stating last week he was leaving.

If geopolitics play any role in oil prices, and they most certainly do, then Russia's predicted inability to twist Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's arm on his nation's uranium enrichment program creates upside risk for crude.

> Financials Industrials...

>* Chief monitor says U.N. Syria team was targeted* Russian Syria-bound arms ship turns back-BritainBy Jeff Mason and Dominic EvansLOS CABOS, Mexico/BEIRUT, June 19 (Reuters) - Russia and China have not agreed to any plan for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power but do recognize the danger...

> Basic Materials Energy...

How 'teetotal' Iran is tackling growing alcohol abuse

June 8, 2012: German media are running stories revealing proof that German built Israeli submarines were equipped, in Germany, with a special hydraulic ejection (from torpedo tubes) systems for launching missiles with nuclear warheads. This is actually misleading, as well as being old news.

Watch Video HARI SREENIVASAN: The housing market is showing new signs of life. The number of new single-family homes being built grew in May for the third straight month. And builders asked for the most construction permits since 2008. On Wall Street today, stocks rallied on hopes that the Federal...

OPEC’s pledge to maintain production quotas will sustain a record supply of oil cargoes in the Persian Gulf, giving ship owners the confidence to demand more money after charter rates plunged 76 percent in 11 weeks.

CAIRO: Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was moved from prison to a military hospital on Tuesday after a health crisis, officials said.

LOS CABOS, Mexico/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Britain's prime minister said on Tuesday Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear at the G20 summit in Mexico he wants President Bashar al-Assad out of power in Syria, but Putin indicated that Syrians should decide if Assad stays and Assad's forces bombarded the...

>Chicago Board Of Trade December corn fell 0.71 percent after firming 5.52 percent in the previous session. Front-month July corn dipped 0.45 percent after a climbing 2.17 percent on Tuesday.November soybeans opened flat after firming 3.38 percent in the previous session.July wheat was...

>* Motiva says no timeline for CDU's returnBy Erwin SebaHOUSTON, June 19 (Reuters) - Motiva faces deepening woes at its Texas refinery with sources saying on Tuesday that a new crude unit at the heart of its $10 billion expansion project may be shut for up to a year because...

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday lobbied President Hu Jintao of China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, on efforts to end the bloodshed in Syria. China and Russia ...

Despite a veto threat, President Obama will sign the contentious Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), according to the bill's lead co-sponsor, Rep. Mike Rogers. That is, if it even makes it to his desk.

WASHINGTON, June 19 (UPI) -- New U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate monthly child support payments in the United States averaged $430 per month, the Bureau said Tuesday.

HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR negotiations between Iran and six world powers were suspended last night after talks in Moscow failed to bridge differences between the two sides over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.

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The United States and the West should take the lead in launching a military strike against Iran, and only as a matter of last resort, said Shaul Mofaz, Israel’s deputy prime minister.

Rio+20, the largest conference in United Nations history, is putting the spotlight on sustainable development

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., June 19 (UPI) -- Indiana farmers and livestock producers still can recover from one of the worst droughts in more than two decades, but time is growing short, researchers say.

Oil above $84 as Greece concerns ease after vote Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 01:30 a.m., Monday, June 18, 2012 SINGAPORE (AP) — Oil hovered above $84 a barrel Monday in Asia after Greek...

Washington (dpa) - The US and Israel jointly developed the Flame virus in an effort to slow down Iran‘s nuclear program, the Washington Post reported late Tuesday, citing Western officials with knowledge of the matter.The report confirmed widespread speculation about the mystery organizations behind the sophisticated cyberattack discovered recently...

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Apple to change its policy following reports of Farsi-speaking customers being denied service. [NOTE: CAIR is consulting with the National Iranian American Council (NIAC)...

Agricultural commodities jumped Tuesday as traders worried that hot, dry weather in the Midwest will shrink this summer's crops. That followed price increases on Monday after a dry weekend and forecasts for more of the same.

The Independent/London The British army is to undergo drastic structural reforms in the face of budget cuts and the changing face of conflict.

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- I would like to start by thanking the Russian government for hosting the talks and, especially Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for his personal involvement in this process. As in Istanbul and Baghdad, the E3+3 remain absolutely unified...

There are too many people in Ottawa who are too lazy to separate their waste

Henry Kissinger, upon receiving Israel’s presidential award from Israeli President Shimon Peres, said the moment of truth on the Iran question will be in the months ahead. Click here for the rest of the article...

Western a ttempts at the G20 in Los Cabos, Mexico, to convey an impression of accord among the US, European, Russian and Chinese leaders on Syria and Iran, gave way to the admission early Wednesday that no understandings had been achieved.

Focus of protests by human rights groups, Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz became a vital ally of the West after 9/11.

US adds Syria to human trafficking blacklist, recognizes efforts of Myanmar, Venezuela, others

President Barack Obama's not-so-secret counterterrorism fight against al-Qaida in Yemen and Somalia, the killing of Osama bin Laden and strong hints of a cyber war against Iran give Republicans few openings to challenge the commander in chief.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Brazil’s Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro Hotel (Royal Tulip) to reverse its decision to host Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Sitting at a horseshoe-shaped table in a conference room at the State Defense Building in Topeka, members of the Kansas National Guard helped shape the future of Armenia's military Tuesday.

The Secretary-General has been participating in the G-20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, on Tuesday. On Monday, on the margins of the summit, he met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

DUBAI — Any possible impact of tremors or aftershocks in the region on the skyscrapers and vital buildings in Dubai can now be assessed within seconds, thanks to five new seismic stations set up by the Dubai Municipality.

Some 2,000 Brazilian Jews and non-Jews protested Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presence at Rio + 20, the United Nations summit on sustainable development.

A new round of talks on Iran's nuclear programme in the Russian capital, Moscow, has ended without a clear breakthrough.

For as long as she can remember, Mary Hamid has flitted between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now in India, and registered as a “refugee” from Afghanistan, she says she feels far from settled and is a...

A slobbering slideshow on a sexist sports site forgets that female athletes are also, you know, athletes

>* Brent recovers after fall below $95/bbl* U.S. Fed two-day meeting, China PMI data eyed* Coming up: API oil data 4:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday (Recasts, updates prices, market activity)By Robert GibbonsNEW YORK, June 19 (Reuters) - Brent crude edged higher in choppy trade on Tuesday, recovering from a...

Valley of Poppies is located at the foot of Mount Damavand in northern Iran. During spring and summer seasons, this valley is covered with poppy flowers creating magnificent scenery for the visitors to enjoy. -Mojtaba Heydari

Human rights groups report that a number of Iranian-Arab political prisoners have been secretly hanged en masse in Khuzestan. The report indicated that the families of the prisoners were contacted and informed about the fate of their kin.

Russia's deputy foreign minister has said that the positions of Iran and world powers in Moscow talks over Tehran's nuclear drive are "hard to reconcile." The two-day Moscow talks come after two fruitless rounds in Istanbul and Baghdad.

Supporters of a revived Israel Policy Forum say it fills a niche for nonpartisan nuance in Washington's Arab-Israeli policy community.

MOSCOW: Iran and world powers on Tuesday dug in for a second day of attritional talks in Moscow aimed at breaking an increasingly risky deadlock in the decade-long crisis over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The Charest Liberals and Harper Conservatives formed a united front Monday in condemning a United Nations agency for its criticism of Quebec’s controversial Bill 78

Revelations by The New York Times that President Barack Obama in his role as commander in chief ordered the Stuxnet cyberattack against Iran's uranium-enrichment facility two years ago in cahoots with Israel is generating controversy, with Washington in an uproar over national-security leaks. But the important question is whether this...

An informed diplomat says the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) seek expert-level meetings with the Iranian delegation after Moscow talks, Press TV reports.

>An Iranian news agency, Fars, reported that 90,000 troops and hundreds of ships, tanks and warplanes from the four countries would take part in the war games on land and sea in Syria soon."There will be nothing like that. This is one of those (pieces of) false information that...

WASHINGTON — The United States is planning a significant military presence of 13,500 troops in Kuwait to give it the flexibility to respond to sudden conflicts in the region as Iraq adjusts to the withdrawal of American combat forces and the world nervously eyes Iran, according to a congressional report.

In this week's episode of Motley Fool's Money Talk podcast, David Kuo chats with author Pete Comley, who believes that most private investors can't even outperform a monkey with a pin when it comes to ...

Russia supplies Syria with arms and protects it from military intervention by UN forces. But the French ambassador to US, François Delattre, says Russia may be more flexible than it seems. 

Barnes & Noble says its fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed as the company continues to invest in its Nook e-reader business.

MOSCOW — Russian diplomats have offered “ideas” that may breathe life into the sputtering international talks over Iran’s nuclear program, an Iranian official said Tuesday. The official, a member of the Iranian delegation to the international discussions underway here, said the Russian ideas might be able to narrow differences between...

Saudi Arabia has a new Crown Prince. Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz has been named, putting him next in line to the throne of the oil-rich kingdom. He is 76 and keeps his post as Defense Minister and also becomes deputy Prime Minister. The death of Salman's brother – previous Crown...

A top Russian official made a last-ditch effort to save talks over Iran’s nuclear program from collapse Tuesday, holding a meeting with Iran’s chief envoy. But diplomats said the negotiation...

>The deal could raise up to $200 million, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported, with China International Capital Corp (CICC) and Guangfa Securities as its bookrunners.China Aluminum International Engineering, or Chalieco, had planned to raise up to $500 million in March, when concerns over its business contracts in Iran prompted...

>* Payment, equivalent to $482.19 mln, in settlement of last year's imports* Other Indian refiners expected to follow suit this week or the nextBy Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI, June 19 (Reuters) - India's Bharat Petroleum Corp has made its first payment for Iranian oil in rupees, two industry sources said...