News Archive - 30 June 2012

Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari has announced that a new fleet of surface and submarine vessels will soon join the Iranian Navy. Saying that the naval forces of the Islamic Republic have escorted 1,500 commercial ships and oil tankers in recent years, Admiral Sayyari emphasized in an interview...

At least six people have been killed in the latest US assassination drone strike in the northwestern tribal belt of Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan. The unmanned aircraft fired two missiles at a house in North Waziristan on Sunday morning. The attack comes days after a US assassination drone...

A wave of violent thunderstorm swept through the eastern part of the United States, leaving more than 2 million people in the dark and killing a woman in northern Virginia. People across the states of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC lost power on Friday, as violent storms hit...

New video footage has been released showing US Marine vehicles destroying Afghan property in the residential areas in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province. The footage demonstrates Assault Breacher Vehicles back in 2011 demolishing Afghan property under the excuse of clearing the pathways for troops and vehicles through the minefields. The US...

The Leader of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill said Iran was the forerunner of constructive dialogues among religions in the world. The senior Orthodox official made the remark Friday during a meeting with an Iranian delegation headed by Secretary General of the World Organization of Proximity among Religions Ayatollah...

World powers meeting in Geneva to try to agree a peace plan for Syria said they had come up with a transition plan and that regime figures could join a new government of national unity.

>CAIRO (Reuters) - In a day full of memorable images, none on Saturday was more powerful than that of Egypt's first Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, flanked by generals at a military parade where he was formally handed authority to govern the nation. For six decades, Mursi's seat had been filled...

>"In 161st meeting of OPEC it was agreed if oil prices fall below $100 per barrel it means that prices are in crisis, so we have urged secretary general of OPEC...to make preparations for holding an emergency meeting," Qasemi told SHANA.International crude benchmarks Brent and U.S. oil...

>GENEVA (Reuters) - International talks on a way to resolve the increasingly bloody conflict in Syria opened in Geneva on Saturday with foreign powers in dispute over the fate of President Bashar al-Assad. Kofi Annan, the former U.N. chief who is special international envoy on Syria, has been hoping...

>UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. Security Council committee has published a report on Iranian sanctions violations, including shipments of weapons to Syria in breach of a U.N. ban on weapons exports by the Islamic Republic. The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran for...

(MENAFN - Arab News) Â AMID extremely charged atmosphere caused by the most recent developments in the Syrian crisis, Russia has told mediator Kofi Annan that it would support the idea of a Syrian ...

Kommentar zur Syrien-Konferenz, veranstaltet von der UN im Palais des Nations in Genf. Es gehört zum Wesen der Dip lomatie, viel zu reden und nichts zu sagen. Irgendwann stellen sich Resultate ein.

(MENAFN - Arab News) GENEVA/BEIRUT: World powers agreed a Syria transition plan yesterday with a unity government to include members of the present administration, although envoy Kofi Annan said he ...

Mit Weinen aus seinem Heimatkanton schuf der Schweizer Aussenminister an der Syrien-Konferenz eine möglichst entspannte Atmosphäre. Herr Bundesrat Burkhalter, Sie haben Ihren Gästen zwei Weine aus Ihrem Heimatkanton Neuenburg aufgetischt. Wie haben sie den Aussenministern gemundet?

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) DISTILLING THREE days of expert opinion on security issues related to South Asia and the Middle East is no easy task. But certain key themes emerged during the 'Securing ...

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) THE US presidential election, if it goes according to Mitt Romney's script, will not centre on foreign policy, although he is happy to suggest a tougher attitude to Iran, ...

French prez's secret agents forget to pack guns on Brazil trip London, June 28 : Elite secret agents, who were sent to protect France's new president Francois Hollande at a major overseas meeting, forgot to pack their guns, it has been revealed.

Coimbatore, June 12 : While women in India normally have a lifespan of 60-65 years, Sowmi Akka, the oldest grandmother in the country is 120 years old and still seems in pink of health.

Tehran, July 1 (IANS) Iran summoned the Afghan charge d'affaires in the country to protest recent Afghan media reports that said Tehran was showing ill treatment to illegal Afghan refugees, Press TV reported.

Twin bombs exploded outside the Palace of Justice in Damascus as deadly violence raged across Syria.

ROME (Reuters) - Fiat SpA has asked for the suspension of a court ruling ordering it to hire 145 workers who are members of Italy's largest metalworkers union and is launching an appeal against the decision, the auto maker said on Saturday. Related Stories ADB sees progress in resuming aid...

MOSCOW: Russia must stop providing military supplies to Syria, Arab League’s deputy secretary general Ahmed Bin Hilli said in an interview with the Interfax news agency on Thursday.

United Nations (AFP) June 30, 2012 UN member states on Monday will launch talks in New York on drafting the first comprehensive arms trade treaty, which activists say is all the more necessary given the mounting bloodshed in Syria. Historically, "all the big developments in the control of conventional arms...

Throughout America's history, there have been people who denied threats from our enemies. During the ...

Here is a list I composed for the worriers of the world. The list is endless, but I picked my top 10! You feel free to add your worries to the list. Money Iran Price of gas pit bulls election . . .

Bandar Seri Begawan - A mass aerobic workout event dubbed 'Saturday Night Fever', which incorporates Zumba Fitness, Bodyjam Dance, and Body Combat, attracted patrons to the Consumer Fair Part 10 (CF10) at sundown yesterday.

Russia and China joined the United States Saturday in calling for a transitional government to replace the Bashar al Assad dictatorship in Syria, a major shift after a bloody conflict… Click to Continue »

Utah, South Dakota fires sparked by parked vehicles By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — Showing just how bad the fire danger is right now, a couple of the most recent wildfires in the West — in Utah and South Dakota — were started by vehicles parking on dry grass at...

SINGING is truly magical because it lets you feel your thoughts. And singing sure did wonders for actor and singer, Ramin Karimloo, especially when he was a child.

Action from the Qatar-Uzbekistan match in the Asian JuniorHandball Championship yesterday. Qatar scored a thumping 55-26 win in their Group A clash. In Group B Iran defeated Iraq 29-24

It's good that Iran has people like Mohammad Reza Rahimi. Just when you think that the Iranian government's bloodcurdling rhetoric is meant for domestic consumption and not to be taken seriously, along comes Mr. Rahimi to announce at an anti-drug forum co-sponsored by the United Nations that Jews, acting in...

India has sought more crude oil and liquefied natural gas from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the U.S. and European Union sanctions against Tehran are posing significant challenges in sourcing oil from Iran.

KABUL (Reuters) - On a dimly lit stage the godfather of Afghan rock prepares for the next song, as images of the French movie La Haine (Hate) flicker above and his audience is asked what song would they sing if they were lying in the gutter dying.

European nations have pledged to cut off oil imports from Iran beginning Sunday, tightening the sanctions that target Iran's nuclear program. Iran is expected to feel the squeeze — but the move could also push up world oil prices.

European Union sanctions on Iran entered into full force today after exemptions on some contracts and insurance ended, boosting crude prices and pressure on the Persian Gulf nation to halt its nuclear-enrichment program.

MAJOR world powers have agreed on a watered down version of special envoy Kofi Annan’s plan to resolve the crisis in Syria – which leaves open whether president Bashar al-Assad can form part of a new transitional regime.

TURKMENISTAN intensified diplomatic attacks on Azerbaijan yesterday, furious that its neighbouring fellow former Soviet republic is disputing its claim to sections of the oil-rich Caspian Sea.

It's a nice-sounding goal but it makes little sense in a global economy.

BOSTON Harbour is black with unexpected Tea: behold a Pennsylvanian Congress gather; and ere long, on Bunker Hill, DEMOCRACY announcing, in rifle-volleys death-winged, under her Star Banner, to the tune of Yankee-doodle-doo, that she is born, and, whirlwind-like, will envelope the whole world!

For Robert and Eunice Menja, the path to U.S. citizenship and a home in Edmond was nearly 9,000 miles and three decades in the making.

After years of efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program, the United States and its allies are imposing sanctions meant to cut the country off from the global oil market.

GENEVA (Reuters) - World powers agreed on Saturday that a transitional government should be set up in Syria to end the conflict there but they remained at odds over what part President Bashar al-Assad might play in the process. Peace envoy Kofi Annan said after talks in Geneva the government...

Iran's weightlifting coach Kourosh Baqeri has introduced the list of athletes competing in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Sohrab Moradi and Kianoush Rostami will compete in the 85-kilogram category, and Saeed Mohammad-Pour in the 94-kilogram of the competitions.

Al-Assad interviewed on Iranian state television - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed that international, regional and internal factors influence the crisis in this country.

Hugo Chávez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidents of Venezuela and Iran, have strengthened their ties as an "axis of unity" against imperialism in the past years. They embarked on a number of initiatives together in the fields of agriculture, energy, housing, industry and trade.

International powers agree that a transitional government should be set up in Syria to end the bloodshed there but left open the question of what part President Bashar Assad might play in the process.

If Iran’s import ban on Korea happens, the move is expected to deal a devastating blow to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that rely heavily on exports to Iran.

Here are the most recent story comments. View All No comments yet!

“The pressing issue regarding Iran is neither confronting the regime’s nuclear program issue nor its terrorism.

TEHRAN, June 30 (MNA) -- Iran’s Qabus Tower and Isfahan Congregational Mosque were registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on Saturday.

This weekend is surely as shining an example as anything that the mainstream film landscape has somewhat self-corrected. We may like to say 'they don't make 'em like they used to.' That may have been true for a time, but it's not true anymore.

Two men found guilty for the third time of consuming alcohol - forbidden under Iran's Penal Code - must not be executed, Amnesty International said. The head of the judiciary in north-eastern Khorasan Razavi province, Seyed Hassan Shariati, announced that the authorities were preparing to carry out death sentences upheld...

Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Iran, summary executions and torture condemned the recent execution of four members of the Ahwazi Arab minority in Ahwaz's Karoun Prison in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following a reportedly unfair trial, they were sentenced to death and executed on or around 19 June...

The Jameh Mosquein Isfahan and Gonbad-e Qabus Tower in northeastern Iran have been approved as World Heritage sites in the 36th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is currently taking place in St. Petersburg.

A biennial conference that includes contributions in all fields of Iranian studies, especially new areas of investigation and novel approaches to traditional fields.

A European Union embargo on Iranian oil that takes effect Sunday is the latest move in an international effort to force Tehran to halt its disputed nuclear program. The EU and the United States want Iran to end development work that they say is intended to produce nuclear weapons. Iran...

Iranian environmental activists have demonstrated in protest against the construction of a road through Abr Forest. ISNA reports that the activists maintain that the road has no economic or social justification and is only being built to satisfy "the secret campaign promises of parliamentary candidates and to satisfy the interests...

Long-time peace and anti-nuclear activist Jerry Rubin began a 10-week liquid fast Tuesday to help save the sculpture “Chain Reaction” by symbolically chaining himself to the fence surrounding the art piece that has been in front of the Civic Center for more than 20 years. The Santa Monica City Council...

GENEVA (AP) — A conference called by special envoy Kofi Annan to end the Syria crisis appeared on the brink of failure as it opened Saturday, with the U.S. and Russia still divided over a role for President Bashar Assad in a transition government.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia and Western powers locked horns over a peace plan for Syria on Saturday as U.N. mediator Kofi Annan warned the conflict could spread across the Middle East and beyond.

International envoy Kofi Annan warned divided world powers Saturday that history "will judge us all harshly" if no deal was struck to end the bloodshed in Syria and chart a transition.

GENEVA, Switzerland - International envoy Kofi Annan warned divided world powers Saturday that history "will judge us all harshly" if no deal was struck to end the bloodshed in Syria and chart a transition. As the West pointed to persistent opposition from Beijing and Moscow to a transition deal, Annan ...

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran says it is having no trouble selling oil despite U.S. sanctions imposed over Tehran's disputed nuclear program. The Saturday report by the semiofficial Mehr news agency quotes Central Bank Governor Mahmoud Bahmani as saying that Iran is "easily" able to sell its oil thanks to...

Islamabad, June 30 : The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the killing of Shia pilgrims in Balochistan, and claimed that the incident proved terrorism still persists in the country.

World powers meet in Geneva on Saturday in the latest attempt to end bloodshed in Syria as international envoy Kofi Annan expressed optimism that the talks will yield "an appropriate outcome" despite a failed peace plan.

IN 1162, a boy named Timujin was born in the Khentii mountains of Mongolia. After he was able to unite the Mongol tribes in 1190, he became known as Genghis Khan (emperor) after he was proclaimed by his fellow tribesmen. He then began the Mongolian invasion that resulted in the...

“But how are we supposed to move forward if the United States refuses to curb its missile defenses?” Grigory Berdennikov said.

If we believe what has happened in Egypt will lead to democracy, we are fools.

GENEVA, June 30 – International talks on a way to resolve the increasingly bloody conflict in Syria opened in Geneva today with world powers still in dispute over whether President Bashar al-Assad can have any role in a political transition. Kofi Annan, the former UN chief and the special international...

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. mediator Kofi Annan warned on Saturday that the conflict in Syria would enflame the Middle East and beyond unless world powers agreed on a peace plan but the United States said foreign ministers meeting in Geneva might fail in that task.

Sanctions-hit Iran on Saturday called for OPEC to hold an extraordinary meeting to rein in output going over its agreed total quota because oil prices have dipped to a "critical level" under ...

Using a technique called 'spoofing' where a signal from hackers imitates the one sent to the drone's on-board GPS, the Researchers managed to take control of a small but powerful drone in mid-air.

The new invitees include Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius, Terrence Malick and Wong Kar Wai.

World powers are meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss ways to resolve the bloody crisis in Syria. But differences between US and Russia are likely to make it difficult to reach any unanimous agreement.

You can forget about gasoline's downward price trajectory. Speculators took the news Friday of Europe's latest effort to stave off economic collapse and jumped into world commodity markets, buying up future contracts like hot cakes -- and pushing up prices, including the price of oil and gasoline.

+ EU leaders agree to use the EFSF/ESM to conduct direct bank recapitalizations . They also consent to institute a Eurozone-wide banking regulator . These are the first steps toward fiscal union. Officials are also finally focusing on a more concerted growth agenda for the Eurozone.

The saga of Syed Zabiuddin, alias Abu Jundal, evokes memories of many battles that Indian ambassadors in the six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries waged, mostly unsuccessfully before 9/11, against Pakistan’s use of those countries for its anti-India terror network.

GENEVA—Russian s desire to keep its last remaining ally in the Middle East collided head-long with the United States desire to remove President Bashar Assad and replace him with a democracy at a pivotal United Nations-brokered conference Saturday seeking a political solution to the violence in Syria.

China has once again reiterated its strong opposition to the US-engineered unilateral oil embargoes against Iran, describing its oil imports from the Islamic Republic as “legitimate and justified.”

Iran Pro League Organization Secretary Ali Kazemi was here Wednesday reappointed by the Football Federation caretaker head Kiumars Hashemi.

Iran's national football team head coach believes that UK provision camp is vital for boosting physical and mental strength of the Iranian players.

The new Aviation Week reports: “Evidence is mounting that the US defense community and the Obama administration view 2013 as the likely window for a bombing attack on Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities.

Well, NBC, replace in haste, repent at leisure. You might have wanted to consider your options a little more carefully before you rushed ahead Friday and anointed Savannah Guthrie as Matt Lauer's new Today deskmate.

World powers are meeting in Geneva on Saturday in the latest attempt to end bloodshed in Syria, as international envoy Kofi Annan expressed optimism that the talks will yield "an appropriate outcome" despite a failed peace plan.

TEHRAN, June 30 (Bernama) -- The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Force said that the Iranian vessels which are protecting the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz will be equipped with radar-evading missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometres.