Iran will be hosting its second classic car show. The show will open April 28, in Tehran.
It’s not that big, only about 80 classic cars, but for the second effort by Iranian car collectors, it’s good enough. “Most of the cars are being displayed for the first time. Some have never even been used before.”-Fariborz Ensafi, Touring and Automobile Club
Private collectors will show off German, French and, of course, American automobiles. Motorcycles and bicycles will also be on display. The show will run until May 2.
“However, certain characteristics about the Stars worm have been identified, including that it is compatible with the (targeted) system and that the damage is very slight in the initial stage, and it is likely to be mistaken for executable files of the government.”-Gholam-Reza Jalali, Iran’s Passive Defense Organization
No other details were given. Iran’s nuclear plant was hit with a computer worm last year. Iranian officials are blaming the United States and Israel, along with Siemens, for that cyber attack. Siemens made the computer software for Iran’s nuclear plant, and Iranian officials say the cyber attack would have required knowledge of the computer software.
More than 8.1 million tons of goods was transported through Iran the past Iranian year (which ended on March 20). That’s a 42% increase.
86% of the goods were shipped over roads and rail networks. Bandar Abbas and Sarakhs border crossings, in south (Gulf coast) and northeast (Turkmenistan) of Iran, were the busiest.
Chinese officials are upset over statements by Japanese officials, regarding increased military ties to the United States.
Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said: “In order to maintain the right balance in our relationship with China, we need to also solidify the ties between Japan, the US and South Korea.”
The Chinese view this as a continuation of the Cold War, East vs West: “The Japan-US military alliance, shaped in the Cold War, should not be expanded or aimed at any third party. The expansion of the Japan-US military alliance in the sensitive area of East Asia is harmful to regional peace and stability.”-Zhou Yongsheng, China Foreign Affairs University
Confusing reports about a jail break at the Kandahar prison. Some say it was an attack, others say the prisoners dug their way out. Kandahar prison had at least 1,000 prisoners.
Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, says they helped more than 500 prisoners escape. It makes the third time that the Kandahar prison was attacked, and/or prisoners escaped. Afghan police say 476 prisoners escaped. The Taliban say they rescued 647 ‘brothers’.
Kandahar is also the location of the second largest U.S./NATO base in Afghanistan.
Studies of the effects of the March 11 tsunami, on the farm land that was flooded, shows there is too much salt in the soil. Not only is radiation a concern, but now salt.
Immediately after the tsunami Japanese officials were optimistic that the flooded farm land would not have too high a level of salt. The latest testing of the soil proved otherwise. 78% of the 2,300 hectares (5,683 acres) of farmland, in Miyagi Prefecture, cannot be planted this year. Farmers will try flushing their fields with fresh water.
Toyota announced that production at its factories will not return to pre-March 11 levels, until December. Toyota expects 2011 production levels to be lower than 2009.
Production in Japan will not pick up until July. Production at all other Toyota plants will remain low until August. And that’s a best guess: “We don’t know how the production recovery curve will shape up.”-Atsushi Niimi, Toyota Executive Vice President
Toyota officials pointed out that in today’s car factories it only takes one missing part to shut down production. Especially when it comes to electronic parts.
Toyota is now cutting production at its Thailand factory by 50%, starting April 25. Honda and Nissan have announced similar cuts at their Thailand factories.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota announced his country’s new President, Dilma Rousseff, will continue the policies of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in regards to Iran: “Rousseff will stay on the path of her predecessor and mentor Lula da Silva.”
Now Iran will open a trade center in Brazil. The move is meant to increase trade between the two countries. According to a 2009 IMF report, Brazil is Iran’s largest trade partner in South America. Iran also has trade deals with Venezuela, Ecuador, and Cuba.
“Americans occupied our country and started corruption in here and ruined whatever was left by Saddam, therefore after 7 years and based on the security agreement (between Iraq and the U.S.), all the U.S. forces should leave Iraq at the end of 2011. The extended mission of the infidel occupiers in Iraq even for one single day after the mentioned date (as cited in the security agreement) is haram (religiously forbidden).”-Senior Iraqi Shiite Grand Ayatollah Kazzem al-Hosseini al-Haeri