more images more images Iran opposition protesters return to streets TEHRAN, Iran — Opposition protesters returned to the streets of Tehran Wednesday for the first time in nearly two months, clashing with security forces just blocks from a government rally to mark the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover. The scenes of defiant chants, tear gas and baton-wielding
Read more:
Iran opposition holds first big protests in 2 months as government marks US Embassy takeover
Neutral Tandem 1Q profit jumps 80 percent CHICAGO — Neutral Tandem Inc., which provides services that connect phone networks between providers, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit jumped 80 percent, as the company expanded its reach and carried more minutes over its networks. The company also boosted its outlook for the year, sending shares up $1.61, or 7.4
Follow this link:
Neutral Tandem 1st-quarter profit jumps 80 percent as more phone data flows over its network
No more duck house: Britain cuts lawmaker expenses LONDON — Drain the moat, tear down the duck house, fire the housekeeper. British lawmakers face strict new allowance rules following a scandal over their outrageous expense claims. The rules published Wednesday will ban legislators from using expenses to fund swank second homes and outlaw the use of taxpayers’
More here:
No more duck house: Britain cuts lawmaker expenses after scandals over their exorbitant claims
2 CPS Energy execs on leave over project’s costs SAN ANTONIO — Two CPS Energy workers are on administrative leave over a recently disclosed jump in the projected cost for two more units at the South Texas Project. The board of the municipally owned CPS Energy has launched an investigation into how and when management because aware
Read the original:
Higher cost estimate allegedly kept secret for CPS nuclear expansion, 2 workers on admin leave
Report: Suspend Zimbabwe over diamond smuggling JOHANNESBURG — Investigators for the world’s diamond control body say Zimbabwe should be suspended because its security forces are raping women, killing illegal miners and smuggling gems out of a diamond field in the troubled country’s east. Human rights groups have made similar accusations, but the charges carry particular weight coming
More:
Kimberley investigators: Zimbabwe should be suspended because of diamond smuggling, violence
MGM CEO, author to keynote Vegas meeting in Jan. LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce says MGM Mirage Chief Executive Jim Murren and “Superfreakonomics” author Steven Levitt will speak to business leaders in southern Nevada at a conference in January. Chamber officials say Murren will give his outlook for Las Vegas and for his
See the original post:
MGM Mirage’s Murren, ‘Superfreakonomics’ author to keynote meeting for Vegas business leaders
NH company gets $136M financing plan for hospitals CONCORD, N.H. — A company that operates two hospitals and a medical office in New Hampshire is getting a $136.4 million federal loan for expansion and renovation projects. The mortgage loan was issued to LRGHealthcare in Laconia, a not-for-profit corporation that owns Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, Franklin
Read the original here:
Company that operates 2 NH hospitals, office gets $136.4M fed loan for expansion, renovation
more images more images Iranian police beat anti-government protesters TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian security forces beat anti-government protesters with batons Wednesday on the sidelines of state-sanctioned rallies to mark the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover, witnesses and state media reported
Here is the original post:
Iran police beat anti-government protesters on sidelines of rallies to mark US Embassy seizure
IRA veterans aid NIreland dissidents, report says DUBLIN — Irish Republican Army dissidents are posing their greatest security threat in Northern Ireland since the province’s peace accord 11 years ago — and are receiving help from a handful of IRA veterans in plotting gun and bomb attacks, an expert panel found Wednesday.
Read the original:
Small number of IRA veterans aiding dissidents in Northern Ireland attacks, report says
No bond for rapist who had 10 bodies at Ohio home CLEVELAND — A rapist who lived at a Cleveland house where 10 bodies were found has been ordered held without bond. Anthony Sowell appeared Wednesday before Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine (AY’-dreen) on five counts of aggravated murder. The 50-year-old Sowell looked straight at the judge as
Here is the original post:
No bond for rapist who had 10 bodies at Ohio home; prosecutor says he’s ‘incredibly dangerous’
Ancestry.com hopes to raise $100 million in IPO NEW YORK — Genealogy Web site Ancestry.com hopes to raise about $100 million when it goes public this week. With more than a million paying subscribers, little competition, a small debt load and a record of increasing revenues, it may fare better than other IPOs that have recently
Read the rest here:
Online genealogy company Ancestry.com plans IPO, boasts more than a million paying subscribers
Parents to see site where ND college students died DICKINSON, N.D. — Authorities say three North Dakota college students found dead in a Jeep submerged in a rural pond likely didn’t see the water while on a stargazing trip. Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy (TOO’-ee) said Wednesday that the Dickinson State University softball players may have driven
Read more here:
Sheriff: 3 ND college students found dead in Jeep in rural pond likely didn’t see water
Afghan policeman kills 5 British soldiers KABUL — An Afghan policeman opened fire on British soldiers in the volatile southern province of Helmand, killing five before fleeing, British and Afghan authorities said Wednesday, raising concerns about discipline within the Afghan forces and possible infiltration by insurgents. The attack Tuesday afternoon came a month after an Afghan policeman
Read this article:
Afghan policeman shoots British soldiers, killing 5, in southern Afghanistan
Report: IRA dissidents pose threat to N.Ireland DUBLIN — Irish Republican Army dissidents pose their greatest security threat in Northern Ireland since the province’s peace accord 11 years ago and are being helped by a handful of IRA veterans in plotting attacks, an expert panel said Wednesday. The Independent Monitoring Commission, which reports regularly on the underground
Follow this link:
Experts: IRA dissidents pose threat to N.Ireland, small number of IRA veterans aiding attacks
Farmland released from conservation program Here’s a look at the states where the most land is being released from the federal Conservation Reserve Program: — Texas, 3.85 million acres active; 644,025 acres expire in 2009; 698,313 expire in 2010; 683,991 expire in 2011 — Montana, 3.2 million acres active; 245,925 acres expire in 2009; 410,487 expire in 2010;
Read more from the original source:
A look at states where farmland is being released from federal conservation program
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 87 HANOI, Vietnam — The death toll from Tropical Storm Mirinae rose to 87 in Vietnam on Wednesday as authorities stepped up rescue and relief operations in affected areas of the central region. In the hardest-hit province of Phu Yen, 26 more deaths were reported as information trickled in from isolated
Read more from the original source:
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 87 as authorities step up rescue and relief operations
Dejection fills Maine ballroom after marriage vote PORTLAND, Maine — Cecelia Burnett and Ann Swanson had already set their wedding date. When they joined about 1,000 other gay marriage supporters for an election night party in a Holiday Inn ballroom, they hoped to celebrate the vote that would make it possible. Instead, they went home at midnight,
See the original post here:
Disappointment, not joy, fills Maine ballroom where gay marriage party was planned
NEW DELHI – India should not allow one individual, Hafiz Saeed, to hold the entire bilateral relationship hostage, says Pakistan’s envoy to India, making a strong pitch for the resumption of the composite dialogue, days ahead of a crucial meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders. Despite the growing exasperation in India over the tardy pace
See the rest here:
India should not allow Saeed to hijack bilateral ties: Pakistani envoy (Interview)
Military: Israel navy captures arms ship JERUSALEM — Israeli naval commandos seized an arms ship near Cyprus early Wednesday and towed it to an Israeli port, defense officials said — a rare interception that highlighted Israel’s fears that Iran is arming its enemies. Military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the boat
See the original post here:
Military: Israel navy captures arms ship 100 miles off Israel’s coast
more images more images STIMULUS WATCH: Salary raise counted as saved job WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s economic recovery program saved 935 jobs at the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, an impressive success story for the stimulus plan. Trouble is, only 508 people work there. The Georgia nonprofit’s inflated job count is among persisting errors in the government’s latest
Here is the original post:
STIMULUS WATCH: Salary raises counted as saved jobs; 2 out of 3 Head Start jobs overcounted
more images more images THE INFLUENCE GAME: Liberals targeting moderates WASHINGTON — Get on the health overhaul bandwagon, or don’t count on our help in your re-election. That’s the hardball message liberal groups are hurling at moderate Democratic senators in a battle that is dividing their party.
See the article here:
THE INFLUENCE GAME: Liberal groups intensify pressure on moderate Democrats in health debate
Karzai opponent: Gov’t cannot fight ‘corruption’ KABUL — Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s challenger in the recent presidential election said Wednesday that the current government cannot bring legitimacy to the troubled nation and will not be able to rein in corruption. Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said the Afghan Independent Election Commission’s decision not to have a runoff
See the original post here:
Karzai opponent says current government cannot bring ‘legitimacy’ to Afghanistan
Iraqi election head warns parliament of vote delay BAGHDAD — Iraq’s election commission chairman said Wednesday that he has warned lawmakers that if they do not have an agreement in place on an election law by the end of Thursday, the country’s nationwide vote in January will have to be delayed. Faraj al-Haidari told The Associated Press
Here is the original post:
Iraqi election head warns parliament of vote delay if election law not passed in 48 hours
Atlanta’s race for mayor heads to runoff ATLANTA — An Atlanta councilwoman could become the city’s first white mayor in a generation, facing off against a black state senator in a runoff next month. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting early Wednesday, Mary Norwood received 45 percent of the vote, compared to Sen. Kasim Reed at
Go here to read the rest:
Atlanta mayor race in runoff with candidate seeking to become 1st white mayor in generation
Maine voters repeal gay-marriage law PORTLAND, Maine — Maine voters have torpedoed a state law that would have allowed gay couples to marry. With 84 percent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the vote Tuesday. The outcome amounts to a heartbreaking defeat for the gay rights movement — particularly since it occurred in New
See the original post:
Maine voters repeal gay-marriage law in a heartbreaking defeat for gay-rights movement
more images more images Gay-marriage foes claim victory in Maine PORTLAND, Maine — Gay-marriage opponents are claiming victory in a closely watched referendum in Maine on a new state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. The law in question was passed by the Legislature in May but never took effect because of a petition drive by
Read this article:
Gay-marriage opponents claim victory in Maine; gay-rights side refuses to concede
Tokyo train stations use lights to stem suicides TOKYO — Alarmed by a rise in people jumping to their deaths in front of trains, some Japanese railway operators are installing special blue lights above station platforms they hope will have a soothing effect and reduce suicides. As of November, East Japan Railway Co. has put blue light-emitting
The rest is here:
Hoping to stem rise in suicide jumpers, Tokyo train stations install soothing blue lights
more images more images Gay marriage appears in danger of losing in Maine PORTLAND, Maine — Gay marriage appeared in danger in Maine in a closely watched referendum Tuesday that the nation’s gay rights movement had hoped would yield a breakthrough victory at the ballot box. Voters were asked to decide whether to repeal or affirm a state law
More:
Gay marriage appears in danger of losing in Maine; vote is closely watched on both sides
more images more images Democrat wins House seat in heavily GOP area in NY ALBANY, N.Y. — A Democrat running in a historically Republican stronghold won a closely watched special congressional election in northern New York on Tuesday, capitalizing on a split that emerged between moderates and conservatives for control of the GOP
Read the original post:
Democrat wins northern NY House seat in special election that’s highlighted GOP divisions
Mexican troops kill federal agent in gunbattle MEXICO CITY — Police and soldiers killed a federal agent driving one of three cars that ignored orders to stop in northern Mexico, triggering a chase and gunbattle Tuesday, authorities said. The police and troops were on a joint patrol in the city of Chihuahua when they tried to stop
Read the rest here:
Mexican soldiers, police kill federal agent in gunbattle after convoy ignores orders to stop