News Archive - 30 October 2013

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Obama administration officials have been pushing U.S. lawmakers hard to hold off on new sanctions over Iran's nuclear program, but some key lawmakers said on Wednesday they had not yet been convinced to support a delay. Senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate...

>* Maliki seeking attack helicopters to fight militants* To meet with Obama on FridayBy Patricia Zengerle and Lesley WroughtonWASHINGTON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers had tough criticism for Iraq's government after meeting with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday, saying they were open to meeting his request for...

>* Expert talks in Vienna may help shape outlines of any deal* Iran sets more conciliatory course but no breakthrough yet* Iran denies halt to higher-grade uranium enrichmentBy Fredrik DahlVIENNA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Iran and six big powers began expert-level talks on Wednesday, building on diplomatic momentum created by...

Etisalat calls at 1 fil per second to 135 nations, Du offers lowest call rates to Pakistan.

Tehran (AFP) Oct 30, 2013 Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Wednesday that four people accused of sabotaging one of the country's sensitive nuclear sites were only thieves, Mehr news agency reported. "These four people were not saboteurs. They cut the fences and entered the area to collect scrap...

* Asia's Jan-Sept Iran oil imports fall to 953,567 bpd

Labour leader could use video clips to confront sceptical comments, says former No 10 director of communications As one of Europe's poorest nations, Albania tends to turn to richer countries such as Britain for advice. But the time has now arrived for one of Europe's most closed former communist countries...

Let’s get this straight: The National Security Agency snooped on the cellphone conversations of German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Perhaps for as long as a decade? And President Obama didn’t know a thing about it?

I WAS rather surprised to read the letter (Dec 24) by Ambassador (r) Mansoor Alam on the above subject wherein he has hailed Saudi Arabia’s decision of not taking up the UN Security Council seat.

Egemen Bagis, Turkey's minister for European Union affairs, declared in mid-October: “Day by day, Europe is moving further away from Turkey.” But the reverse is equally true: with a mixture of disillusion and defiance, Turkey has been distancing itself from Europe in recent years.

In both the disastrous roll out of HealthCare.gov and allegations the NSA tapped the cell phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders, the White House has claimed President Obama had not been informed of the details as they were happening. Robert Siegel talks to David Gergen,...

The United States vowed to help Iraq combat terror groups as mounting attacks claimed more lives ahead of talks between Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Barack Obama. Maliki's visit to Washington comes as his country is wracked by the worst unrest since 2008, and just a few weeks...

* Tribes want more jobs, drinkable water * Lukoil hires thousands, can't take on huge infrastructure projects * Many locals poorly educated due to decades of wars, sanctions * Imara tribe supports Lukoil during local disputes By Peg Mackey and Aref Mohammed Al-Toraba, BASRA, Iraq, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Sheikh...

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared that the Government has succeeded in closing the "floodgates" to asylum seeker arrivals.

A company linked to the family of the Sarawak Chief Minister has been awarded a contract worth RM618.6 million by state-owned dam builder Sarawak Energy to develop transmission lines in the state, drawing criticism from a Swiss-based environmental group.

Experts say the cascade of disclosures on NSA surveillance has affected U.S.-Europe intelligence and diplomatic relations. WASHINGTON — The expanding transatlantic scandal over U.S. eavesdropping on Europe's leaders and spying on its citizens has begun to strain intelligence relationships and diplomatic ties between allies that call each...

Royce meets with Iraqi prime minister Rep. Ed Royce, R-Fullerton, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, met Wednesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Al-Maliki is in Washington this week in advance of a Friday meeting with...

To those who study or even practiced espionage, U.S. spying on allies is hardly new.

Refugee Appeals Tribunal must now reconsider application

Malaysia insisted yesterday that two Iranian women sentenced to death for drug trafficking must face "due process" despite a warning from Tehran that their executions would harm bilateral relations.

Malaysia insisted yesterday that two Iranian women sentenced to death for drug trafficking must face "due process" despite a warning from Tehran that their executions would harm bilateral relations. Shahrzad Mansour, 31, and Neda Mostafaei, 26, were sentenced to death in September for smuggling methamphetamine into Malaysia in December 2010....

LONGMONT -- Five years of studying and waiting ended Wednesday for 29 immigrants. At Twin Peaks Charter School, they took the Oath of Allegiance, said the Pledge of Allegiance and received certificates declaring them citizens of the United States.

Latest VideoOctober 31st, 2013     Minister of oil pessimistic about gaz deal with Pakistan and production of gaz from Pars Field Speaking with reporters on Wednesday 30 October , the minister of oil ,  Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said hat he do not think that any project will be finalized in...

A Belgian businessman accused of trying to smuggle aluminum tubes to Iran was set to be arraigned in Chicago Thursday on charges of violating US export restrictions, prosecutors said. Nicholas Kaiga, 36, has been in a federal prison since his June arrest in New York and faces up to 20...

The UN predicts that by 2050, there could be 9.6 billion people on the planet. Journalist Alan Weisman says unless we lower birth rates, life on earth will suffer

US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper attends a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Jason Reed / Reuters

Despite more than a decade of expensive international efforts aimed at reducing opium production in Afghanistan, the country still accounts for 75 percent of worldwide production, and the area of opium cultivation has grown and continues to expand, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The San Jose Earthquakes turn their attention to improving the offense, now that coach Mark Watson has been retained.

A Belgian businessman is accused of attempting to ship products that could be used in nuclear-related programs from a Chicago-area company to Malaysia, via Belgium.

NATIONAL coach Jamaluddin Hassan is banking on home crowd support to see Malaysia clinch a surprise win at the Malaysian leg of the ISTAF Super Series which starts in Kota Kinabalu today.

WUSHU is hardly a popular sport in Turkey but 'taolu' exponent Seyma Urhan hopes to put her country on the map at the World Championships, which start tomorrow, in Kuala Lumpur.

EXTRAORDINARY performances in athletics and swimming paved the way for Japan to wrest the overall title with a grand total of 39 gold medals in the third Asian Youth Para Games which concluded in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

On the latest NSA spying episode and other Obama administration absurdities.

Saudi Arabia’s declared intention to pivot away from the U.S. in foreign policy implies a shift toward Beijing, which predates both the Obama presidency and the Arab Awakening.

Get a glimpse of what is going on inside Iran today, and learn facts about Iran life and living in Iran. See pictures and videos of sights inside Iran.        

Delores Gilmore used to have a dream.

Business is about opportunity for profit, but opportunities in today's global economy depend on policies, perceptions and power.

Get a glimpse of what is going on inside Iran today, and learn facts about Iran life and living in Iran. See pictures and videos of sights inside Iran.        

Here are excerpts from Ken Cuccinelli II’s newsletter.

Exclusive: Some on the Right like to compare the Affordable Care Act to slavery, apparently to get under the skin of Barack Obama, the first African-American president.

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To...

Public figures make mistakes, as we all do. But when these world leaders screw up, they have to say sorry in a much grander fashion. And it usually becomes part of recorded history.

THE RP National Poomsae squad starts its campaign in the grandest world poomsae meet, the 8th World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, today in Bali, Indonesia. Three Cebuano jins are suiting up...

Congratulations to the proposed new ambassadors to New Zealand and Iceland who raised about $1.6 million in bundled contributions for President Obama. They could have gotten better countries for less.        

The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the recent deadly attack on Iranian border guards.

THEATER Maybe there's no better way to grasp your own time and place than by leaving it — in this case, trading San Francisco for Wroclaw, Poland, and Pacific Standard Time for a whiplashing case of jet lag.

How credible are the Republicans claims that they support the poor? Has the status of women in India kept pace with other recent improvements? How are the young reformers in Turkey and Iran united by their actions in June 2013? What does their future path look like?

>WASHINGTON Oct 30 (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was due to meet with members of Congress on Wednesday as he seeks increased military aid to fight sectarian violence amid criticism from U.S. lawmakers that his government has contributed to the divisions. As he traveled to Washington on...

Latest VideoOctober 30th, 2013     After closure of Bahar newspaper , head of Judiciary Sadegh Larijani warn reformists During a speech for officials of judiciary on Wednesday 30 October ,head of judiciary  Ayatollah Larijani claim that a conspiracy against Islam was behind  the closed newspaper Bahar , and warned reformists...

The dispute over the way in which the Rajasthan government is seeking to re-develop Jaipur's historic Mansagar lake and its environs, may come up before the Supreme Court today, report Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Patrick S L Ghose.

JERUSALEM - Israel announced plans Wednesday to build more than 1,500 homes in Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, dealing a setback to newly relaunched peace efforts hours after it had freed a group of long-serving Palestinian prisoners. The construction plans drew angry condemnations from Palestinian officials,...

The second in a series of a community programs meant to enlighten the public on the world of Muslim culture gets underway at Playhouse Smithville, 110 Main St.

Lindsey Graham and John McCain, the two-thirds of the Three Amigos who are still in the US Senate since the departure of Joe Lieberman, contributed to the opinion pages of the Washington Post this weekend a short reprise of their familiar positions on front-burner Middle Eastern issues: act forcefully to...

The neocons are rewriting more Iraq War history, arguing that if only President Obama had stayed the course on an open-ended U.S. military occupation, the regional situation would be a lot better.

The latest round of negotiations in Geneva between Iran and the P5+1 — the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany — has inspired cautious optimism. A window of opportunity to reach agreement on Iran's nuclear program appears to have opened.

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: The Flat Glass Market 2013-2023 - Opportunities in Construction, Automotive ...

Saudi Arabia is angry with Washington. In Riyadh’s view, the U.S. government isn’t doing enough to support tyranny and war in the Middle East. The Obama administration should tell America’s foreign “friends” that Washington acts in the interests of the American people, not corrupt dictators.

>Brahimi is in Damascus to met Syrian officials in an effort to shore up support for the faltering peace talks.State television quoted Assad as telling Brahimi, "the success of any political solution is tied to stopping support for terrorist groups and pressuring their patron states". Assad's government calls the...

(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Qatar Airways is now a part of Oneworld, adding one of the world's fastest growing and most highly rated airlines to the world's fastest growing and most hi...

* Fears fade over disruption of Libyan oil exports * Higher-than-expected American crude build weighs on futures * Investors await outcome of Fed policy meeting TOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Brent crude edged below $109 on Wednesday, as worries about disruption to petroleum exports by OPEC member Libya eased a...

This weekend, the orchestra premieres three newly commissioned works, each composed specifically for one of its principal players.

Also in Tattle: Iranian actress jailed, say yes to Yes, Jonas brothers split, Bob Barker returns and more

FOREST CITY INVITATIONAL Boys West Fork 39

Everyone has problems. The Baker Center hosted five prominent political science professors from universities around the country on Thursday to discuss some of the most pressing international issues facing the nation today. Speaking for 10 minutes each, the panelists shared their thoughts about terrorism, nuclear proliferation, U.S. intervention, territorial ...

Washington (AFP) Oct 30, 2013 Several US senators have accused Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of promoting "a sectarian and authoritarian agenda" just as the political leader pays a visit to Washington this week. In a letter sent Tuesday to President Barack Obama, six senators expressed alarm at the "deteriorating...

An expert-level meeting between Iran and six major world powers is set to begin in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on Wednesday.

What if the United States pulled all its troops out of Afghanistan? The general assumption is that as Washington and Kabul work to hammer out a long-term security agreement, a way will be found to maintain a US troop presence after 2014.

In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 photo provided by the United Nations, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla addresses the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters.