News Archive - 21 August 2012

Female students in Iran have been barred from more than 70 university degree courses in an officially-approved act of sex-discrimination.

>BOSTON Aug 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government is looking into claims by a cyber security researcher that flaws in software for specialized networking equipment from Siemens could enable hackers to attack power plants and other critical systems. Justin W. Clarke, an expert in securing industrial control systems, disclosed...

>The United States has an array of sanctions in place against its foe Iran, which U.S. officials accuse of seeking to build nuclear weapons.Iran was hit by two powerful earthquakes on August 11 that flattened villages in the northwest of the country and killed more than 300 people.

>VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog will try to persuade Iran to address questions about its suspected nuclear weapons research at a meeting on Friday, more than two months after previous talks ended in failure. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a brief statement confirming the talks,...

>U.S. crude rose 9 cents to $96.93 per barrel by 0016 GMT. It rose above $97 on Tuesday to reach a fresh three-month high. Brent rose 21 cents to $114.85 per barrel.FUNDAMENTALS* Iran's biggest oil buyers, China and India, sharply cut their imports in July as...

If there is one Obama foreign policy marked by disappointing diplomatic zigzags, hesitation, and potential danger to U.S strategic interests in the Middle East, it is what has passed as U.S. policy toward the Syrian civil uprising. As the death toll and human suffering reach epic proportions...

>DUBAI Aug 21 (Reuters) - Iran unveiled upgrades to six weapons on Tuesday, including a more accurate short-range missile, a more powerful naval engine and an airborne testing laboratory, Iranian media reported. The hardware was presented at a ceremony marking Defence Industry Day and attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and...

Washington, Aug 22 (PTI) The United States has urged Iran to protect women rights as it expressed concern over news reports that 36 Iranian universities have banned women from 77 fields of study.

Ghana and Ivory Coast will be encouraged and Morocco and Togo dejected after midweek warm-up games ahead of 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has condemned the recent terrorist bombings in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.

SUVA, 17 August 2012 – It’s no secret that children will feel more comfortable and lead healthier lives if they had clean and safe water as well as proper sanitary facilities in school.

The Afghan conflict generates barely a whisper on the U.S. presidential campaign trail. It's not a hot topic at the office water cooler or in the halls of Congress — even though more than 80,000 American troops are still fighting here and dying at a rate of one a...

A Japanese journalist has been shot dead at close range in a northern city of war-torn Syria, the Japanese Embassy in Turkey said recently. Mika Yamamoto, 45, of The Japan Press , an independent news agency, was killed in a gun battle at about 9 p.m. Monday in Aleppo,...

Pyongyang, August 21 (KCNA) -- China-U.S. conflict over Africa is surfacing. For several years the U.S. has been the second largest trading partner with Africa after China.

Maker of China's most popular Web browser in process of replacing Google with its own newly launched search engine as default choice, citing drop in Google's customer service declined since its exit from China in 2010.

Iran unveiled upgrades to six weapons yesterday, including a more accurate short-range missile and a more powerful naval engine, in what seemed to be its latest response to international pressure over its nuclear programme.

Vienna, Aug 22 (IANS) Senior International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials will meet an Iranian delegation in Vienna Friday, the UN nuclear watchdog has said.

I am a senior on Medicare. I love my family and my country. Kudos to the Wall Street Journal and USA Today for publishing a simple, side-by-side blueprint comparing Paul Ryan's, Mitt Romney's and President Obama's proposed budget/campaign promise.

For most of us, the subject of sharks start and end with Discovery Channel’s popular show ‘Shark Week’ or 1980s’ hit ction thriller ‘Jaws’.

Has Facebook become such a critical and integral part of so many lives that it should be taken out of the control of the private and corporate worlds and become ‘nationalized’?

Twenty writers, including attorney Eldad Yaniv, TV writer and director Rani Blair, actor and director Doron Tsabari and authors Yoram Kaniuk and Sami Michael will send a letter to Yehuda Weinstein on Wednesday.

Against the backdrop of the US threatening unilateral action against Syria and Russia warning against it, India and the US are set to appraise the situation in the violence-torn Middle East country when the US's envoy to the UN Susan Rice holds talks here Wednesday.

TAIPEI – Smart Gilas Pilipinas, upended rival South Korea for the first time in a long, long while and provided some balm to a nation grieving over the death of a public official.

Letters from Daily News readers.

Paul Okon has included Reading midfielder Ryan Edwards in his 20-man Australia under-20s squad set to take part in the AFF U19 tournament.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un prepares to travel to Tehran next week -- signaling through his first foreign visit that he does not intend to thaw foreign relations.

Paul Okon has included Reading midfielder Ryan Edwards in his 20-man Young Socceroos squad set to take part in the AFF U19 tournament.

Stay up to date with the Money and Politics blog. John Batchelor, The John Batchelor Show host, weighs in on the reports Israel could possibly attack Iran before the November elections.

>HeadlinesGLENCORE CHALLENGES QATARIS ON STAND-OFF -RALLY TAKES S&P TO HIGHEST IN FOUR YEARS -LONMIN WITHDRAWS THREAT TO FIRE STRIKERS -FED PROBES RBS OVER DEALINGS WITH IRAN -RONGSHENG SUFFERS AFTER CHINA SLOWDOWN -NOOK E-READERS AND EROTIC FICTION HELP B&N -DATA UNDERMINE UK DEBT REDUCTION PLAN -AKIN'S RAPE COMMENTS GODSEND TO OBAMA...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The United States is working with a "much tighter international coalition" in its effort to thwart Iran's nuclear program, a White House spokesman said Tuesday.

(Aug 22): U.S. authorities are investigating Royal Bank of Scotland for possible violations of sanctions with Iran, the Financial Times...

Iranian MP Avaz Heidarpour says Israel would be committing suicide if it launched a military strike against Iran in an attempt to stop the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program.

TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran is on track to reach full capacity by the end of the month, a Russian subcontractor says.

The UN atomic agency is renewing efforts to access a site in Iran where it suspects nuclear arms.

The secretary general of the United Nations Organization (UN), Ban Ki-moon, will attend the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to be held in Tehran, the Iranian capital.

Infamous islamophob and longtime KGB journalist agent Latynina spoke on KGB Gazprom radio "Ekho Moskvy" in defense of KGB agent Kaspersky who takes part in continuous DDoS attacks on the Kavkaz Center using zombie computers infected with his "Kaspersky antivirus".

Royal Bank of Scotland is under investigation by US authorities for potential breaches of sanctions against Iran.

The RSVPs have arrived. And the Toronto International Film Festival guest list is just about full.

Israel and Iran on the brink, Opinion Aug. 19

VIENNA (AP) — Iran is in the final stages of sanitizing a military site it is suspected of using for secret nuclear weapons-related experiments, two senior diplomats said Tuesday, as the U.N. atomic agency intensified efforts to gain access to the area before the alleged clean-up succeeds in erasing...

On August 11, strong earthquakes in northwest Iran destroyed and damaged hundreds of villages, causing the loss of many lives, leaving thousands without electricity, water, health care and other essential services. The United States immediately sent the Iranian people our condolences  and offered direct earthquake relief to the government of...

COLOGNE, Germany – The fourth year of Gamescom in Cologne, Germany (it first launched in Leipzig) has seen continued growth and support from game developers and publishers around the globe. More than 275,000 visitors, including around 24,500 trade visitors (+14%) from 83 countries (2011: 71), took in the sights and...

The Foreign Office is investigating reports that a five-year-old British girl has drowned off a Portuguese beach alongside her 66-year-old grandfather. Related Stories US eases Iran sanctions over quakes Crocodile bites off man's hand US warned over Syria intervention British girl 'drowns in Portugal' Cruise-Holmes divorce concluded

BEIRUT—Its forces stretched thin on multiple fronts, President Bashar Assad's regime has significantly increased its use of air power against Syrian rebels in recent weeks, causing a spike in civilian casualties.

The UN nuclear watchdog will try to persuade Iran to address questions about its suspected nuclear weapons research at a meeting on Friday, more than two months after previous talks ended in failure.

At a recent candidate forum in Fruita, Democrat Dan Robinson attacked Rep. Ray Scott in ways to which I take exception. First, Robinson demonstrated a complete lack of understanding for the duties of a state representative. He seems to think that after 120 days in session, the job is finished.

The Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce case is closed, court records show. Related Stories Honda's robot lawnmower set to roll US eases Iran sanctions over quakes Crocodile bites off man's hand US warned over Syria intervention British girl 'drowns in Portugal'

“I have always been against this idea of the ‘clash of cultures,’” Marjane Satrapi says. “It’s the biggest piece of bullshit I’ve ever heard." That's apparent from her films and graphic novels, which bridge worlds. Born in Iran, Satrapi emigrated ...

This week's reviews of what's new on Blu-ray and DVD by Matt Brunson (View From The Couch is a weekly column that reviews what's new on Blu-ray and DVD.) ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING (1987).… [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Two civilians were killed and 11 others injured including three children when a car bomb targeted a paramilitary convoy yesterday in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, officials said.

An index of global stocks rose

Western aid to Afghanistan hasn't created any U.S.-style malls. But it has helped keep markets well stocked, like the Bush Bazaar, which specializes in selling stolen U.S. goods.

Iraq has once again returned to prominence as a dominant oil-producing country. Producing more than 3 million barrels of oil per day, the country has now overtaken Iran as the second largest OPEC producing nation.

The Syrian Druze communities of the occupied Golan Heights have traditionally supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But they are increasingly divided over the conflict in their homeland. And now, some Arab residents of the Golan feel that a change in Syria's government could put the Golan's status back on the...

WASHINGTON - The United States has urged foreign leaders, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, not to attend the international summit of Non aligned nations to be held in Iran because Tehran was using such conferences "to advance its own agenda".

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even as President Barack Obama considers using U.S. oil stockpiles to halt rising gasoline costs in an election year, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday shows economic pain at the pump is not a big concern for voters.

Iran has unveiled plans to build a new airbase to defend its nuclear sites, as Israel hints it is edging closer to launching strikes to end or curtail its weapons programme.

On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran refuted Swatch CEO Nick Hayek’s justification of Swatch and Omega’s business in Iran. On August 17th Mr. Hayek sent UANI a letter implausibly defending Omega’s business activities with the Iranian regime.

The 1983 movie "Wargames" depicted a dystopian vision of a computer-controlled armageddon. Today, cyberwar is very much a reality. United Artists Sept. 29, 2011: A cyber security analyst works in the "watch and warning center" during the first tour of the government’s secretive cyber defense lab.

It was once President Barack Obama's "war of necessity". Now, it's America's forgotten war.The Afghan conflict generates barely a whisper on the US presidential campaign trail. It's not a hot topic at the office water cooler or...

The national average price of gas currently sits at $3.71, almost 15 cents higher than this time last year. Already there is concern that prices could reach the all-time high of $4.11in July 2008.

Istanbul (dpa) - Turkey‘s banned Kurdish Workers‘ Party (PKK) Tuesday denied responsibility for a bombing in its border region with Syria that killed nine people."We had nothing to do with the explosion in Gaziantep," the PKK was quoted as saying by the party-affiliated news agency Firat.The dead included...

HAVANA (Reuters) - Three former vice ministers in Cuba's Basic Industry Ministry and nine nickel industry executives have been sentenced to long prison terms for corruption, Cuban state media said on Tuesday. Related Stories South Sudan sees oil output resuming in December U.N. atom watchdog makes new bid to...

El Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos declinó este lunes escuchar la apelación de un grupo de profesores de la Florida para echar abajo una ley que impide a las universidades estatales el uso de fondos públicos y privados destinados a viajes académicos a Cuba.

Ahmadinejad unveils short-range missile upgrade.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' is moving into the thick of the late-night fight against Jay Leno and David Letterman, ABC said Tuesday, bumping 'Nightline' from its longtime perch.

The Obama administration is temporarily easing sanctions on Iran to allow Americans to donate money to US-based charities providing direct assistance to victims of deadly twin earthquakes that hit the country earlier this month.

An insurgent rocket attack on a US air base in Afghanistan has damaged the plane of America’s top military officer while he was on a visit there, the BBC reports. Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was not near the plane at the time but...

Her goal of swimming from Cuba to Florida appearing elusive, Diana Nyad was out of the water Tuesday morning, being checked by doctors on a boat and discussing whether she could return to a fourth day of swimming.

Top US military officer General Martin Dempsey insisted on Tuesday that Washington still has an important role to play in Iraq, as he landed in the country eight months after the last American troops withdrew.

A United Nations report says that nearly nine out of 10 Latin Americans will live in cities by the year 2050.

In a high stakes election that could help determine the presidency and control of the U.S. Senate, attention in Nevada is turning this week to one option on the ballot with no shot of winning: None of these candidates.

>LONDON/HAMBURG (Reuters) - Iran's state grains agency GTC has in the past week discreetly purchased around 400,000 metric tons of milling wheat, largely from the European Union, Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions, European traders said on Tuesday. Some traders thought up to 500,000 metric tons could be involved.Iranian...

Gazprom never fails to surprise with its shortcomings. For the last two decades, Gazprom's gas production has been stagnant, but this year its output is collapsing. In May, it plummeted by 15 percent in annual terms, while the leading independent company, Novatek, increased its gas output by 19 percent.

Such an intervention, the sources explained, would all but guarantee Obama a second term in office. If he chose not to act, the president would likely be handing the office over to the Republicans, they said.

Concerns emerged after the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohamed Morsi prevailed in Egypt’s presidential election – about rigid Islamist ways, rejection of the peace treaty with Israel, distance with the US, inadequate leadership in general.

Some thoughts from Daniel Seidemann, who knows more about the demographics, politics and sociology…

Israeli official says national security adviser meets with prominent rabbi about Iran strike

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has acknowledged a dispute with Israel regarding intelligence on Iran's nuclear program. The Joint Chiefs of Staff has reported differences with Israel in the interpretation of intelligence on Iran's nuclear program.

Such an intervention, the sources explained, would all but guarantee Obama a second term in office. If he chose not to act, the president would likely be handing the office over to the Republicans, they said.

Successive Israeli governments have consistently inhibited in the past any public discussion about Iran's nuclear program and what Israel might do to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. In recent weeks however, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak have been openly discussing the issue while intimating their readiness...

The Obama administration is urging countries attending the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran next week to press Iran to comply with demands to make its nuclear program more transparent.

David Hale, the special envoy for Middle East peace, continues to press Israel and the Palestinians to return to the peace table.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global stocks rallied to 3-1/2-month highs on Tuesday and the euro hit a seven-week peak against the U.S. dollar on hopes the European Central Bank will soon start buying Spanish and Italian bonds to contain the debt crisis. Spanish borrowing costs fell and Portuguese government...

Will Israel, in fact, attack Iran? That question, a perennial one in the debate over Iran’s nuclear program, has gained far greater urgency of late, as it is becoming increasingly clear that Western sanctions have failed to alter the Islamic Republic’s strategic trajectory. Yet no one knows the answer with...

(Released Aug. 16, 2012) KYIV, Ukraine | Ukrainian company Antonov together with Russian United Aircraft Corporation will participate in manufacturing Antonov An-70 transport airplanes. Russian...

ISTANBUL: A 12-year-old girl became the ninth victim yesterday of a bomb blast in Turkey’s southeast, which has highlighted fears that Kurdish rebels seeking self-rule are becoming emboldened by moves toward autonomy by the Kurdish minority in war-torn Syria.

This week on DVD/Blu-ray: One of the most acclaimed gay love stories ever put to film; Asghar Farhadi's critically beloved Oscar-winner; a comedy that reunites Richard Linklater with Jack Black; Dustin Lance Black's directorial debut; and an indie drama starring Josh Lucas. #1. "Weekend" Making it onto the Criterion Collection's...

The Republican Party turned on Todd Akin because he made plain their creeping extremism and political strategy

In the four days since the members of Pussy Riot were convicted of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” and sentenced two years in a penal colony by a Moscow court, signs of controversy over the band’s fate show little signs of abating – specifically in Russia, where the verdict matters...

  James S. Brady Press Briefing Room   1:13 P.M. EDT   MR. CARNEY: Welcome to the White House. It is always wonderful to be here and to have you here. I have no announcements to make, so I will go straight to questions.   Jim.   Q Thanks,...

Might large groups be better predictors of wars and terrorism than analysts in government spy services? WASHINGTON — Nine years ago, Congress blocked a Pentagon agency from setting up a website that would have allowed anyone with a credit card to bet on the likelihood of foreign assassinations, coups and...

Have you noticed how often the president’s supporters talk about the “likeability” factor in politics these days? No longer do we hear that presidential candidates must convey “the vision thing” or “gravitas” or credibility as commander in chief. Not that those criteria were precisely calibrated. Four years ago, many commentators...

British actor Stephen Fry has written an open letter to the imprisoned members of punk band Pussy Riot, offering his sympathy for their plight and calling for their release.

Article Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi dies aged 57 after illness 21/08/2012 8:29 Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi has died at the age of 57 from a sudden infection while recovering from an undisclosed illness.

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Top US military officer General Martin Dempsey insisted during a quick trip to Iraq that Washington was still playing an important role there, eight months after the last American troops departed.