News Archive - 24 December 2012

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>UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Monday to restart negotiations on a draft international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global trade in conventional arms, a pact the powerful U.S. National Rifle Association has been lobbying hard against. U.N. delegates and gun...

>* Plant was shut in damage limitation move in OctoberBy Asma AlsharifMANAMA, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Kuwait urged neighbouring Iran on Monday to cooperate more with the U.N. nuclear watchdog to allay Gulf Arab concerns about the safety of an Iranian nuclear power plant that lies just across the...

>* Foreign cash flows and central bank cushion pound's fall* Bankers say central bank reduces sales of dollars* Syrian pound has fallen less than Iranian rialBy Suleiman Al-KhalidiAMMAN, Dec 23 (Reuters) - In Syria's eastern town of Deir al-Zor, a rebel commander flush with cash was swapping his dollars for...

Thursday night, cool and starlit in Anson, the dust of the world — literally, in this drought, and figuratively — was left outside Pioneer Hall, like mud scraped from boots.

DUBAI, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Here are factors that may affectMiddle East stock markets on Tuesday. Reuters has not verifiedthe press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy. ...

TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday warning Canada against becoming a safe haven for terrorists.

We asked members of the Palm Beach community to tell us about the most unexpected or unusual gift they’ve received or given for Christmas. And, just like Santa, they delivered. Many of the stories emphasize warm emotions provoked by the careful choices made by gift-givers. Even for those who can...

All times are provisional and in GMT. Other major diaries; For all Top Economic events, Click on For all Top Economic Indicators, Click on For Emerging Market economic events, Click on For Reuters World Diary, Click on To see an index of all diaries, Click on Items marked ** denote...

ATLANTA -- A state judge has suspended a Georgia law banning abortions for women who are more than 20 weeks pregnant. The law bans doctors from performing abortions five months after an egg is fertilized, except when doctors decide a fetus has a defect so severe it is unlikely to...

Argo producer Grant Heslov admits the movie was 'tricky' film to market.

The 33rd annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) opened in Manama on Monday with a call for closer economic integration and unity.

The Finance Ministry is planning to ban Israeli institutional investors from investing in multinational companies that do business with Iran. A committee appointed by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz presented its preliminary recommendations to Steinitz yesterday morning.

With the event by video conference, congratulated the Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This project significantly expands the infrastructural capability far eastern regions of Russia, Putin said.

You can see this happening: stung into action by the massacre in Connecticut and with nothing to lose in the final term of his presidency, Barack Obama throws the power and prestige of his office into the reform of America's gun laws. A ban on semi-automatic assault rifles like the...

Seoul (The Korea Herald/ANN) - In the wake of North Korea's rocket launch, U.S. Congress has passed a defense law modified for next year calling for tougher measures such as the possible construction of a new missile defense base and defense capability assessments.

President Obama may nominate former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to be the next defense secretary. The Vietnam veteran could bring a bipartisan presence to Obama's Cabinet, but only if he survives opposition from some in his own party.

Malaysia's My Second Home (MM2H) program and similar retirement schemes in Thailand and the Philippines are attracting the silver market from Western countries as well as East Asian countries.

(CNN) – Ben Affleck won’t run to be the next U.S. senator from Massachusetts. The actor and director on Monday put an end to the rumors that he might throw his hat in the ring to replace Sen. John Kerry if he is confirmed as secretary of state, saying...

In 1955, The Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., fielded a series of phone calls from children wanting to know the whereabouts of Santa Claus after an ad in a local newspaper mistakenly gave the Center’s number; thus began a tradition continued by the North...

DUBLIN (Reuters) - The head of Ireland's Catholic Church urged followers in his Christmas Day message to lobby against government plans to legalise abortion. Related Stories Kuwait urges Iran to address worries on nuclear plant Ambushed NY firemen shot dead; two police killed elsewhere Russian prosecutors seek innocent verdict in...

No matter religious or scientific End Times, the world is said to end in fire. And of all the signs that get things rolling toward those days of end, a new world leader, or messiah, being born is the biggest.

Three critics, three opinions; AP's best movies of 2012

Tehran (UPI) Dec 24, 2012 Iran's space agency says it will unveil a domestically manufactured satellite named the Nahid in February on Iran's National Space Technology Day. "The project to complete the satellite is going well, and we hope that the satellite will be unveiled on National Space Technology Day"...

NEW YORK, Dec 25 — Oil prices largely recovered early losses but still closed a hair lower today as a late gasp of holiday-thinned buying failed to counter fears that the US “fiscal cliff” budget crisis could erode oil demand in the world’s top consumer.  With no apparent talks...

CAIRO,: A credit rating downgrade Monday and an opposition challenge to a constitutional referendum which the ruling Islamists say they won added to Egypt's political crisis and piled pressure on President Mohamed Morsi.

(MENAFN) Yemen's cabinet will face tough decision next week, as they are supposed to approve a fiscal budget that reflects a 21 percent year-on-year increase, reported Arabian Business. The ...

(MENAFN) Values of IPOs in the Middle East in the past year went up by 134 percent compared to 2011, thus hitting USD2 billion, said Arabian Business quoting Ernst & Young. Ernst & Young had ...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, leading the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas, on Monday urged people to find room for God in their fast-paced lives filled with the latest technological gadgets. Related Stories Two drone strikes kill five in Yemen - officials Kuwait urges Iran to address worries on...

YOU DON'T have to be Christian - or, a person of faith, for that matter - to make a joyful noise this Christmas.

(MENAFN) According to the recommendations of a report issued by the European Union and International Monetary Fund, debt-struck Greece should write off part of the USD70 billion of outstanding taxes ...

(MENAFN) Rostam Qasemi, Oil Minister of Iran stated that in case oil prices went below the USD100 mark, an extraordinary meeting would be set for OPEC members, reported Tehran Times. On the other ...

(MENAFN) Iranian Deputy Industry Minister, Vajihollah Jafari, said that the country eyes a fifteen percent increase in the mining of minerals by the end of next March, year-on-year, reported ...

Everything from the euro zone crisis to the slowing of the Chinese economy will impact the global economy in 2013.

The traders have asked Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is scheduled to visit Riyadh on invitation of Saudi Arabia government, to convince the Kingdom for withdrawal of the recently announced tax on Pakistani workers' income.

COMMENTARY | Michael Moore has a Christmas greeting for America. Entitled “Celebrating the Prince of Peace in the Land of Guns,”the Oscar winning activist posted his letter on Twitter today. It begins: “After watching the deranged, delusional National Rifle Association press conference on Friday, it was clear that the Mayan...

Sri Lanka and Iran discussed the possibility of exchanging information regarding legal and judicial matters.

CAIRO [MENL] -- Yemen has detailed accusations that Iran was sending weapons to rebels. Copyrights 2008, Middle East Newsline. All rights reserved.

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Western analysts remain uncertain over the success of Iran's ballistic missile programs. Congress has reported that U.S. and other analysts continued to disagree over progress in Iranian missile development.

On Monday, United Against Nuclear Iran applauded Spain’s Hispasat for ending its broadcasting of Iranian regime programming. Specifically, Hispasat has ordered the removal o

NEW YORK: Oil fell for a third day on Monday, threatening to erase this year's meager gains as a stalemate over the US "fiscal cliff" budget crisis threatened to erode oil demand in the world's top consumer.

Economy, Security in Spotlight at Gulf Summit

Grant Heslov admits 'Argo' was a ''tricky'' film to market.The producer says he wasn't sure how bosses could promote the film - which stars Ben...

Jailed Iranian pastor Behnam Irani, who was last month denied hospitalization despite his critical condition, wrote a letter from his prison cell days before Christmas, ministering to Christians in his country and thanking God for letting him share "very little of" Jesus' suffering on the cross.

(MENAFN - AFP) Iran has warned China it could cancel a much-delayed $5-billion offshore gas exploration contract in the Gulf, a news agency said on Monday."There is a possibility of cancelling the ...

MANAMA: The annual summit of Arab monarchs in the Gulf opened in Manama on Monday with a call for closer economic integration and unity in the face of the turmoil which has swept much of the Middle East.

WASHINGTON -- A U.S. Army brigade will begin sending small teams into as many as 35 African nations early next year, part of an intensifying Pentagon effort to train countries to battle extremists and give the U.S. a ready and trained force to dispatch to Africa if crises...

Iraq and Jordan agreed on Monday to extend an oil pipeline to the Red Sea city of Aqaba for the export of Iraqi crude, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said after a fleeting visit to Amman.

KABUL - KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) â An Afghan policewoman walked into a high-security compound in Kabul Monday and killed an American contractor with a single bullet to the chest, the first such shooting by a woman in a spate of insider attacks by Afghans against their foreign allies. Afghan...

>By Alexei AnishchukNEW DELHI Dec 24 (Reuters) - India agreed to buy dozens of Russian military helicopters and fighter jet assembly kits at a summit on Monday, underlining the resilience of ties between the long-time allies despite New Delhi's recent moves to diversify its arms suppliers.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan...

>* Media says Russian ships to call at Syria naval facility* Lavrov says NATO missiles in Turkey may be more about IranBy Steve GuttermanMOSCOW, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he doesn't believe Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government would use chemical weapons in the country's...

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (MNA) – Twelve researchers and 11 innovators, among whom an Iranian ophthalmologist, were awarded the most prestigious US federal medal in science, technology, and innovation.

The rocket launched earlier this month by North Korea had the capability to travel more than 6,000 miles, meaning this type of rocket could strike the United States, South Korean defense officials said.

The opposition is demanding the electoral commission investigate fraud and violations before issuing its official figures. -AFP

A range of intelligent blockbusters, inventive foreign films and beautifully crafted storytelling made 2012 a good year at the cinema... 1. Life...

Iran's official news agency says the president's press adviser has returned to prison after being on a four-day medical leave granted by judicial authorities.

An Iranian exile group representing residents of a refugee camp outside Baghdad is alleging that one of its members has died after Iraqi authorities prevented him from being hospitalized.

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (MNA) – Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics has denied that Iran cooperates with North Korea on missiles and expert exchange.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday to discuss a solution to a 21-month-old conflict, which has seen violence rise across the country and around its capital. Related Stories India and Russia seal new defence deals, trumpet partnership Egyptian judges review...

>* Gulf states accuse Iran of interfering in Bahrain* Tehran has denied allegations of meddlingMANAMA, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Monday told regional rival Iran to stop interfering in internal Gulf Arab affairs and spreading "sedition", activities Tehran denies.The comments, made by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud...

They say it's a small world. In Bill Rakow's case, that's true. The U.S. Marine Corps career man was first associated with his wife, Lani, when they were babies.

As the biggest violator of human rights, the US has no right to criticize other countries over the issue, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says.

The rocket launched earlier this month by North Korea had the capability to travel more than 6,000 miles, meaning this type of rocket could strike the United States, South Korean defense officials said.

* Some lawmakers voice concern U.S. may go over fiscal cliff * Asian shares steady, U.S. budget concerns weigh * Iran putting worst impact of sanctions behind it -oilminister * Brent to revisit low of ...

This has been "an exceptionally political year," starting with the problems of the euro zone and concluding with all eyes on Washington as the U.S. teetered atop the "fiscal cliff."

In his third extensive interview since Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Monday this time referred to NATO’s deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey: He said they are not just intended to counter crossfire from Syria but from Iran as well.

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (MNA) – Former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance told reporters that the first day of strike on Iran might bring heavy casualties for the US, killing 30,000 US soldiers.

Egypt's opposition said on Sunday it will appeal a referendum seen as voting in a new constitution backed by ruling Islamists, and vowed to keep up a struggle that has spawned weeks of protests and instability.