News Archive - 10 December 2013

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration's appeal to Congress to hold off on imposing more sanctions on Iran won key support on Tuesday when the chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee said he would not back new legislation at this time. Any such legislation could jeopardize delicate negotiations...

>But Iranian Ambassador Reza Najafi added that the meeting, which began on Monday at the Vienna headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog, would continue for a third day on Wednesday.The goal is to work out nitty gritty details of implementing the November...

>President Barack Obama's administration is pushing lawmakers to hold off on passing any new legislation to impose more sanctions on Iran while delicate negotiations continue on curbing Tehran's nuclear program.Kerry appeared at a public House of Representatives hearing on Iran on Tuesday.(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Christopher...

>Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives raised questions about a Nov. 24 deal between Iran and six major powers under which Tehran would restrict its nuclear program in exchange for limited relief from U.S. economic sanctions.The Obama administration hopes that the interim agreement, slated to last...

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first winter snowfall of the season slowed U.S. government operations on Tuesday but did not bring them to a standstill, with Congress, the Supreme Court and financial regulators meeting for business as usual. Commutes were lighter as snow that started around the morning rush hour...

>* President, foreign minister have Khamenei's backing so farBy Isabel ColesDUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister defended himself on Tuesday against what he called "slander, profanity and insults" by conservative hardliners at home who have accused him of undermining the state and are pushing for his position to...

>* Jan-Nov demand 9.76 mln bpd, up 2.3 pct on yr* Nov crude runs 9.77 mln bpd, -0.6% on yr, +1% on mthBy Judy Hua and Chen AizhuBEIJING, Dec 10 (Reuters) - China's implied oil demand rose 1.5 percent in November from the preceding month...

>The United States opposes the $7.5-billion project because it could violate sanctions imposed on Iran over nuclear activities Washington suspects are aimed at developing an atom bomb, although Tehran denies this.In an announcement following a breakthrough pact between Iran and global powers, Pakistan said both sides would speed...

By Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - - Afghanistan is pressing India to supply military helicopters, tanks and artillery as it tries to shore up security through regional alliances before the withdrawal of most NATO-led foreign troops by the end of 2014. President Hamid Karzai will use a...

Vienna (AFP) Dec 10, 2013 Experts from Iran, world powers and the UN atomic watchdog discussing how to implement November's nuclear deal are set to fall short of agreeing a start date for Tehran's six-month nuclear freeze, diplomats said. The meeting between Iran and the United States, China, Russia, Britain,...

An empowered group of Ministers would take the final decision on divesting shares of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. “We have given our comments (to the Department of Disinvestment). eGoM would take the final decision,” the Petroleum Secretary, Vivek Rae, told mediapersons on Wednesday.

Baghdad (UPI) Dec 10, 2013 As al-Qaida in Iraq and Syria gain in strength and firepower, they're shifting from hit-and-run tactics to seizing and holding adjoining territory in western Iraq and northeastern Syria that analysts say could be proclaimed a jihadist emirate, establishing an al-Qaida state in the heart of...

Tehran (AFP) Dec 10, 2013 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was due in Tehran Tuesday evening for talks that officials said would focus on bilateral ties, a landmark nuclear deal and plans for a Syria peace conference. The two-day visit comes after Iran agreed in Geneva on November 24 to...

Tel Aviv, Israel (UPI) Dec 10, 2013 U.S. lawmakers have approved boosting funding for Israel's missile defense program by $173 million in fiscal 2014 as the Jewish state's military establishment draws up a new defense doctrine to protect cities from Hezbollah's growing missile arsenal. The Jerusalem Post reported that...

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>* U.S. crude stockpiles fall 7.5 mln bbls last week - API* Shell nears Ho-Ho pipeline flow reversal* Coming up: EIA weekly oil inventories data; 1530 GMTBy Florence TanSINGAPORE, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Brent drifted above $109 a barrel on Wednesday as traders focused on the narrowing of...

Rep. Louie Gohmert Claims Obama is Allowing Evil People to Take Over World (Audio) Nation Politics Religion Rep. Louie Gohmert Evil People Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) recently claimed that President Obama is trying to “achieve peace by allowing evil people to take over the world.” According to RightWingWatch.org...

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar The U.S. air operations center in Qatar has long been a hub where combat sorties into Iraq and Afghanistan were tracked and international forces kept watch over hotspots in the Persian Gulf and western Mediterranean Sea. But for years it's kept a low profile...

Iran recently opened a factory to produce the Sayyad-2 anti-aircraft missile.

Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah opened the GCC summit here on Tuesday with a call for an end to the “human catastrophe” in Syria. He issued the plea in the presence of Ahmad Jarba, leader of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition. “The human catastrophe continues to unfold in...

Latest VideoDecember 11th, 2013     Ayatollah Khamenei : Universities must not be scene for parade of political movements ! In a part of speech on Tuesday December 10  addressed to  Council for Cultural Revolution presided by Hassan Rohani , the leader of Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khamenei rejected Western culture such as...

There is a “significant possibility” of major terrorist attacks here and abroad, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly warned a group of law enforcement and private security experts Tuesday.

The Malaysian Human Rights Commission, or Suhakam, has called for a dialogue between the country's predominant Sunni Muslims and the tiny number of Shia Muslims. Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, saying the Federal Constitution provided for freedom of different communities to practise their faith, called for such a freedom...

Republicans were left steaming yesterday after President Barack Obama shook the hand of Cuban leader Raul Castro, with one senior lawmaker likening the act to appeasement of the Nazis. The gesture between Obama and the brother who took over the duties of longtime Cuban dictator Fidel Castro occurred in South...

The U.S. expects to conclude a bilateral security agreement with Afghanistan and overcome Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s refusal so far to sign the pact, according to an Obama administration official.

Cynics say that Democrats want more immigration only because the immigrants will vote Democratic. But are they cynics, or perceptive observers?

UNIVE UISVILLE A car ran into the “University of Louisville” sign at the corner of Arthur St. and Brandeis Ave. the night of Thanksgiving. While the accident did not result in life-threatening injuries, the damage to the sign was “extensive” according to the U of L police report filed on...

U.S. oil futures traded at their highest in six weeks above $98 a barrel on Wednesday.

The P5+1's First Step Agreement With Iran on its Nuclear Program Testimony John Kerry Secretary of State Opening Remarks Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Washington, DC December 10, 2013 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, Mr. Chairman, thank you very, very much. Ranking Member Engel, Members of the Committee, thanks very much...

Christopher de Bellaigue Another nightmare may be emerging in Turkey, the Middle East’s most prominent proponent of what might be called Islamic democracy. The stability and prosperity that Turkey has enjoyed over the past ten years had associated the country with a type of political arrangement known flatteringly as the...

Lawmakers scurried Tuesday to avoid failing to pass a defense authorization bill for the first time in more than a half-century, as the nation’s top military commander warned that further… Click to Continue »

Beyond the lure of unrivalled shopping, and for far fewer dirhams, an alternative Dubai exists. James Lane lists three experiences worth searching out.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for December 10, 2013 | 5 p.m. - n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle BREAKING … BUDGET DEAL REACHED. CNN’s Lisa Desjardins reports that bipartisan budget negotiators have reached a deal that would set government spending...

U.S. officials admit to Israeli colleagues that they greatly underestimated the economic benefits Tehran would reap from Geneva accord.

DALLAS, Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Maguire Energy Institute at SMU Cox School of Business honored Scott Sheffield, chairman and chief executive officer of Pioneer Natural Resources Company, with the 2013 L. Frank Pitts Energy Leadership Award at a luncheon ceremony on...

Secretary of State John Kerry defended an international deal to restrict Iran’s nuclear program to skeptical lawmakers Tuesday, arguing that more sanctions and less dialogue would backfire and make Tehran… Click to Continue »

Latest VideoDecember 10th, 2013     Red Ribbon : Iranian TV documentary about HIV Aids in the country A documentary of  Iranian TV documentary about aids in the country  .

The political class has ruined this country. The middle class and below will never be the same. We are burdened with the brunt of the grief, taxes and the debt. We are more divided now than any time during the years of segregation being changed to integration. Racial issues were...

Britain should act to stop Russia replacing the US in the affections of the Arab world, says Con Coughlin        

The United States expressed hope Tuesday that India would persuade Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign a deal allowing US troops to stay, as lawmakers voiced outrage at the delay. Testifying before a Senate committee, a senior US official voiced confidence that Afghanistan would eventually complete an agreement for some...

President Hasan Rouhani has presented a draft budget for the coming Iranian fiscal year, which begins in March. It stands in stark contrast to the rosy revenue estimates and big-spending budgets of his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Economists say in real terms, accounting for Iran's still-high inflation rate, the Rouhani budget...

Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, laid down a marker on a comprehensive Iran accord during a hearing that included testimony by Secretary of State John Kerry.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili has appointed new ambassadors to seven countries, including Bulgaria, China, Germany, Iran, Japan, Jordan and Uzbekistan, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

An ambassador from India, on a visit Nov. 18 to a local prep school, defended his country’s support for Iran having a nuclear program despite strong reservations from one India’s top trading partners.

Jerry Seib examines the expansionary roles Russia and China are taking on and what that means for the U.S. Plus, recommended reading from around the web.

Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday raised doubts if Iran was truly prepared to conclude a final deal with western powers on dismantling its nuclear program, but urged US lawmakers not to impose new sanctions. "Has Iran changed its nuclear calculus? The top US diplomat, who helped hammer out an...

By David Alexander AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel briefed Qatari leaders on Tuesday about the effort to destroy Syria's chemical weapons, and he underscored U.S. support for Syria's moderate opposition. Hagel met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and Defense...

Secretary of State John Kerry urged Congress on Tuesday to put off more sanctions against Iran at this time, saying "this is a very delicate diplomatic moment" to seek a peaceful solution to the issue of preventing Tehran from gaining nuclear weapons...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry says Congress must hold off on imposing new sanctions against Iran or risk endangering a "delicate" diplomatic effort to roll back Tehran's nuclear program.        

VANCOUVER, BC - The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency goalkeeper Marco Carducci has been named the 2013 Canadian U-17 Player of the Year.

>* March milling wheat on Paris Euronext was down 2.50 euros, or 1.2 percent, at 203.00 euros a tonne at 1546 GMT after bouncing off key support of 202 euros.* The contract has lost around 4 percent since the 7-month high of 211.25 euros hit...

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel renewed a defense agreement with Qatar on Tuesday during a visit aimed at showing U.S. commitment to Persian Gulf allies despite disagreements over policies on Iran and Syria. A day earlier, Mr. Hagel visited Saudi Arabia, which had threatened in October to turn away from...

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrapped up his five-country trip to the Middle East on Tuesday in a meeting with troops at a critical U.S. air hub that once dared not speak its name.

Oil companies are securing licences to export U.S. crude at the fastest rate since records began, the FT reports.

Israel has urged Australia to use its new found influence to force a much tougher deal on Iran over its nuclear program.

It is hard to imagine putting Pope Francis and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the same race for the same honor.

A bit early for all the doomsaying.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement on the occasion of Human Rights Day: "This year's Human Rights Day comes at a time of global remembrance for Nelson Mandela, one of the last century's greatest champions of human rights. His unrelenting commitment to the cause was an...

Latest VideoDecember 10th, 2013     Historic video of Ayatollah Khomeini ordering shut down of communist Toodeh party Speaking for his inner circle in 1982 , Ayatollah Khomeini founder of Islamic Republic announce his decision for shut down of communist  “Toodeh/Toudeh” party and publication  .

MABALACAT CITY -- Vice President Jejomar Binay appealed to Filipinos to help in raising the blood money to save overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joselito Zapanta from the death row. Zapanta, a native of Cabalantian, Bacolor town, may be executed in January if the blood money being demanded by the...

President Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro at Tuesday's memorial service for Nelson Mandela, in a brief but rare gesture between the leaders of the two rival nations.

Qatar's support for Syria rebels is expected to top agenda, amid concerns in Washington over growing role of hardline Islamists in opposition.

Armenia climbed 11 points to be ranked 79th in the 2013 World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.

(MENAFN) Iranian deputy head of Fars Industries, Mines and Trade Organization said that grey cement production reached more than 3.2 million tons in eight months to November 21 thi...

Speaking at a think-tank dialogue just a stone’s throw away from Bahrain’s restive Shiite neighbourhoods, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel made this move on his first visit to the Gulf since last month’s agreement between the United Nations Security Council permanent members – the US, China, Russia, Britain and France –...

>By Manoj Kumar and Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI Dec 10 (Reuters) - Indian and Iranian officials are meeting this week to discuss how to unlock the first oil payments to Iran since the United States and other world powers eased sanctions last month in exchange for curbs to Tehran's nuclear programme.

The life of Nelson Mandela is being celebrated at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, where the former South African president made his last public appearance at the stadium at the closing ceremony of the 2010 football World Cup. More than 60 heads of state are attending the day of speeches,...

E.L. "Bud" Ruff, Naples: First of all, I believe in the State of Israel; no other people ever deserved peace and their own homeland more than the good Jewish people.

Speaker Nabih Berri warns that failure to elect a new president will destroy Lebanon given the already dangerous situation in light of a crippled government and Parliament.

Members of the Iranian parliament have launched a fresh push to improve ties with the US and European states by building direct links between lawmakers from each country.

Five years after his detention, the United States is calling for the release of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo and an end to his wife's undeclared house arrest.

Washington, Dec 10 (PTI) US Secretary of State John Kerry has tried to quell Israeli fears regarding the nuclear deal with Iran, saying the Jewish state is more safe and secure today than it was before the P5+1 countries reached an agreement with Tehran on its controversial atomic programme.