16 October 2012 Last updated at 11:40 ET

More than 30 islands and regions are being represented at a summit on the Isle of Wight to discuss self-sufficiency and sustainability.

The two-day Global Ecoislands Summit 2012 involves community leaders, government ministers and technology giants.

The aim is for those communities involved to achieve self-sufficiency in energy, water and fuel by 2020.

Minister of State for Energy, John Hayes, will give the keynote address.

The islands and regions represented include the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Isle of Eigg, Jersey, Eastleigh, Fareham, Winchester, Frome, Brighton and Hove, 15 Scottish islands, Bornholm in Denmark and Tobago.

Ecoisland was formed on the Isle of Wight in 2008 and its aim is for the island to become the first sustainable region in Britain.

Some of its work includes creating a "food hub" to collect and distribute locally produced food and achieving zero waste to landfill.

It has more than 65 national partners, including IBM and Scottish and Southern Energy.

Ecoisland founder and chief executive, David Green, said the aim of the summit was to make the world "a cleaner, greener place".

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Eco-summit for islands is held

TEAM NEWS

The Faroes will seek to close down space in the midfield area. Joan Simun Edmundsson is set to lead the attack. Captain Frodi Benjaminsen and Christian Holst will also be handed key roles.

Stephen Kelly is set to start on the bench despite being unhappy, but Robbie Keane returns after missing the Germany match due to an achilles injury. Stoke City full-back Marc Wilson and Manchester United winger Robbie Brady both start as Stephen Ward, Keith Fahey and Simon Cox drop out from the 6-1 loss to Germany.

Republic of Ireland (4-4-2): Westwood (Sunderland); Coleman (Everton), OShea (Sunderland), ODea (Toronto FC), Wilson (Stoke); Brady (Manchester United), Andrews (Bolton), McCarthy (Wigan), McGeady (Spartak Moscow); Keane (LA Galaxy), Walters (Stoke).

MANAGER QUOTES

Lars Olsen (Faroe Islands): "When you lose 6-1 at home in a country like Ireland, of course you will be under pressure. We know Ireland are the favourites tomorrow, as Sweden were, but we will try to do our best. The Faroe Islands are a small team and almost every team we are playing against will be the favourites against us. It's a new team, the coach from Ireland, Trapattoni, is a very old guy in the game and I am sure he has told the players, 'Okay, now we start a new game, you have to do your best''."

Giovanni Trapattoni (Republic of Ireland): "Every manager has moments when he loses. After the Euros, we have lost only one game to Germany, the second team in the world. Its no problem.

MATCH FACTS

Republic of Ireland and Faroe Islands have only been drawn together once before. Ireland won both meetings in 2006 World Cup qualification, scoring four and conceding none.

Ireland are unbeaten in 18 away games (excluding games played on neutral venues),

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Matchpack: Faroe Islands v Republic of Ireland

Part of the Mediterranean climate, the islands in the Aegean Sea reach temperatures in the dry summer in the high 80s to 90s, cooling down to the 40s and 50s in the wet winter. The surface temperature of the Aegean in the summer ranges from 70 degrees in the north to 80 degrees in the south, making it comfortable for summertime swimming.

As for those thousands of islands, what differentiates them? The vast majority of the Aegean islands belong to Greece while a small number belong to Turkey. They range in size from the largest, Crete, at over 3,000 sq. mi. down through Delos at only 1.5 sq. mi. to even tinier islets, mostly uninhabited. Below, and in the referenced lists, are snippets about each of the larger and more frequently visited islands in the Aegean.

The two largest islands in the Aegean Sea are the Greek islands of Crete and Euboea. The other Aegean islands are generally divided into 5 geographic areas as described below.

Crete 3,224 sq. mi.; population 624,000

Forming the southern border of the Aegean Sea, Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek Islands. Filled with ancient ruins and historical sites, Crete also offers excellent hiking opportunities, especially in the Samaria Gorge, as well as stunning beaches and coves.

Euboea (or Evia) 1,411 sq. mi.; population 220,000

A long, narrow island separated by the Euripus Strait from the eastern shore of mainland Greece, Euboea is often thought of as part of the mainland itself. From a tourism perspective, it is best known for the thermal hot springs at Edipsos, for the beachside resort at the modern town of Eretria on the site of the ancient city of the same name, still being excavated, and as a weekend seaside getaway for Athenians.

The Sporades

A tight group of islands off the north coast of Euboea, the Sporades incorporate about 30 islands including the main islands of Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros, and Alonnisus.

Saronic Islands

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Islands in the Aegean Sea

Image courtesy of Weather Underground.

Published: Oct. 14, 2012 at 6:32 PM

MIAMI, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Rafael menaced the Caribbean Sunday evening while Tropical Storm Paul swirled far from land out in the Pacific, U.S. forecasters said.

Both were forecast to become hurricanes sometime Monday.

Rafael was producing sustained winds near 60 mph with higher gusts and was expected to become a hurricane by Monday night, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory.

Rafael, heading to the north-northwest at 10 mph, was centered about 185 miles north-northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico and about 800 miles south of Bermuda, where a tropical storm watch was in effect.

The storm was generating tropical storm-force winds up to 175 miles from its center.

It was expected to stay on its current track through Sunday night, then turn to the north Monday, staying well to the east of the Bahamas, the forecasters said. It could approach Bermuda late Tuesday.

Rafael was expected to drop 4-8 inches of rain on the Leeward Islands, with isolated pockets getting 12 inches. Forecasters said the heavy rains could produced life-threatening flash floods and mud slides in mountainous areas.

The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Natural Resources were battling the conditions to search for three people who were aboard a small aircraft that crashed Saturday about 7 miles south of St. Thomas, CNN said.

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Storm Rafael drenches Virgin Islands

MIAMI - Tropical Storm Rafael lashed the Leeward Islands with heavy rains Sunday, threatening to strengthen into a hurricane within a day, U.S.-based forecasters said.

The storm was centred at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday about 100 miles (165 kilometres) north-northwest of St. Martin and was gradually moving away from the Virgin Islands, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Rafael had top sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).

Forecasters said Rafael could become a hurricane by Monday, adding interests in Bermuda should monitor Rafael's progress. The centre's advisory said a tropical storm or hurricane watch may be required for Bermuda sometime Sunday.

A tropical storm warning has been discontinued for Anguilla. Earlier Sunday, a tropical storm watch was discontinued for Puerto Rico.

Rafael could dump rainfall totalling between 3 and 5 inches on some islands and possibly up to 10 inches in isolated spots over the lesser Antilles and the Virgin Islands, raising the threat of flooding, forecasters said. Potentially heavy rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, particularly in mountainous terrain, the hurricane centre said.

Forecasters also warned of possibly dangerous surf churned up by Rafael.

Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 175 miles (280 kms) from the centre of Rafael, mainly to the northeast and east of the system, forecasters said.

Read more:

Tropical Storm Rafael heads north of Virgin Islands, dumping heavy rain over eastern Caribbean

By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 9:42 PM EDT, Sun October 14, 2012

On Bay Road in Basseterre, St. Kitts, two taxis were washed down to the shoreline when they tried to cross the flooded road.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Rafael unleashed heavy rain and powerful gusts on the Leeward Islands on Sunday and could turn into a hurricane by Monday, forecasters said.

With sustained winds of 60 mph, Rafael could get even stronger as it bears down on several islands popular with tourists.

As of 5 p.m. ET, Rafael was centered about 185 miles (298 kilometers) northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was moving north-northwest at 10 mph (16 kph) and was expected to turn northward by Monday.

A projection map shows Rafael headed toward Bermuda later this week.

Officials there issued a tropical storm watch Sunday and told residents that they expected the storm to affect the British territory on Tuesday.

While the National Hurricane Center predicted Rafael will stay well to the east of the Bahamas through Monday, it did warn of life-threatening surf conditions and rip currents on the eastward-facing beaches of the Bahamas over the next few days.

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Tropical Storm Rafael pummels Virgin Islands, heads toward Bermuda

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) Tropical Storm Rafael has moved north of the Virgin Islands while dumping heavy rains around the eastern Caribbean.

The storm was centered about 105 miles (170 kilometers) northeast of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands at 2 a.m. EDT Sunday. Rafael had top sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north at 14 mph (22 kph).

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Rafael could become a hurricane in coming days. Forecasters said the storm was expected to turn toward the north-northwest on Sunday, moving away from the Virgin Islands.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat and St. Maartin, among other places.

Puerto Rico was under a tropical storm watch.

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Tropical Storm Rafael dumps rain in east Caribbean

There are many inhabited Orkney islands which are easy to visit by boat, or even plane from the Mainland. They include Eday, Hoy, North Ronaldsay, Papa Wrestray, Rousay, Sanday, Shapinsay and Westray. Many of these islands have prehistoric monuments, some of which are open to the public.

The location of the Orkney Islands meant that they became a key player in defence of the British realm in the first and second world wars. The harbour Scapa Flow hosted British fleets in both wars. The loss of the lives of hundreds of men when the HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by the Germans in 1939 resulted in the building of the Churchill Barriers, linking Mainland and some of the nearby islands, thus blocking enemy access to the harbour at Scapa Flow. Italian prisoners of war helped build the Churchill Barriers; their legacy, the Italian Chapel, has become one of the premiere tourist attractions in Orkney.

The prime reason many people visit the Orkney Islands is to explore prehistoric sites. Orkney has an abundance of historical sites, from the Neolithic village of Skara Brae to the Ring of Brodgar a huge stone circle in Stenness. Other iconic landmarks include the Old Man Of Hoy a towering sea stack first conquered by the climber Chris Bonington in 1966 and the Broch of Gurness. Brochs often defensive structures - proliferated in northern Scotland round buildings with one entrance and staircases sandwiched between inner and outer walls, leaving space for people and animals at the centre.

Orkneys proximity to the Gulf Stream means that the islands have a relatively temperate climate, though the wind can be fierce. Many of the inhabited islands are relatively flat with fertile soil for farming, a major industry in the Orkneys.

Orkney has a rich cultural heritage and hosts festivals such as the Orkney Folk Festival that draw visitors from all over the world. Poets Edwin Muir and George Mackay Brown were born in Orkney.

Read this article:

The Orkney Islands

By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 12:16 AM EDT, Sun October 14, 2012

On Bay Road in Basseterre, St. Kitts, two taxis were washed down to the shoreline when they tried to cross the flooded road.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Rafael unleashed heavy rain and powerful gusts to the Virgin Islands and threatened more areas in the Caribbean Sea late Saturday night.

With sustained winds of 50 mph, Rafael could get even stronger as it bears down on several islands popular with tourists.

"Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Rafael could become a hurricane by late Monday," the National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 11 p.m. Saturday.

At that time, the tropical storm was centered about 40 miles west-northwest of St. Marten and 95 miles east of St. Croix. Rafael was moving north at 14 mph.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for a number of Caribbean isles, including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Marten, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Guadeloupe. Dousing rains and steady winds in excess of 39 mph are expected in 12 to 24 hours in these places, according to the hurricane center. Puerto Rico is under a tropical storm watch, meaning such conditions are possible.

College Street, which runs through the middle of Basseterre, is filled with floodwaters.

Continued here:

Tropical Storm Rafael threatens Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

Oct 12 (Reuters) - Faroe Island 1 Sweden 2 - World Cup qualifying Group C result.

In Torshavn

Scorers:

Faroe Islands: Rogvi Baldvinsson 57

Sweden: Alexander Kacaniklic 65, Zlatan Ibrahimovic 75

Halftime: 0-0

Teams:

Faroe Islands: 1-Gunnar Nielsen, 2-Jonas Naes, 3-Pol Justinussen, 4-Odmar Faero, 5-Rogvi Baldvinsson, 6-Hallur Hansson (18-Suni Olsen 83), 7-Frodi Benjaminsen, 8-Simun Samuelsen, 9-Daniel Udsen (12-Hjalgrim Elttor 85), 10-Christian Holst (17- Arnbiorn Hansen 71), 11-Joan Edmundsson

Sweden: 1-Andreas Isaksson, 2-Mikael Lustig, 3-Jonas Olsson, 4-Andreas Granqvist, 5-Martin Olsson, 7-Sebastian Larsson, 9-Kim Kallstrom (8-Anders Svensson 62), 16-Pontus Wernbloom, 21-Christian Wilhelmsson (19- Alexander Kacaniklic 62), 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 22-Matthias Ranegie (20-Marcus Berg 77)

Referee: Anastasios Sidiropoulos (Greece) (Editing by Phil O'Connor)

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Soccer-Faroe Islands 1 Sweden 2 - World Cup qualifier result

Published: Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 7:02 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 7:02 p.m.

It will be more difficult for Santa Rosa to avoid annexing small islands of unincorporated county land inside its borders under a policy adopted Wednesday by the agency responsible for setting the local government boundaries.

The city no longer will be allowed to annex only a portion of small islands, defined as those with fewer than 12 registered voters, according to rules adopted Wednesday by the Sonoma County Local Agency Formation Commission.

Instead, new annexation requests will be approved by the commission only if the entire island is brought under city jurisdiction.

The new policy will likely apply to only about a quarter of the 52 such islands in the county, 51 of which are in Santa Rosa. It will not affect the future annexation of the largest island, the 3,500 acres of Roseland that remain outside citys southwest boundary.

I think itll provide more clarity and certainty that we can eliminate of some of the smaller islands and provide better police and fire service to those areas, said Richard Bottarini, executive director of the commission.

The 11 members of the commission are representatives of the public, the county, and its nine cities and 54 special districts. Its role is to regulate the formation and expansion of government agencies to promote efficient government.

It views county islands as an unfortunate consequence of rapid city growth that need to be eliminated to limit confusion and inefficient delivery of services, such as sewer, water and public safety.

The policy shift is a compromise between the status quo, which encourages annexations of entire islands whenever possible but doesnt require it, and a tougher stance some favored to require annexations of entire islands up to 150 acres.

Supervisor Efren Carrillo said he favored the tougher option because he saw it as the commissions role to push as hard as we could for a policy that eliminates all the islands.

Excerpt from:

Santa Rosa nudged to eliminate unincorporated 'islands'

Stinky the dolphin is lonely, and he's getting way too frisky with humans.

The lone male bottlenose dolphin has been cavorting for months in waters off the Cayman Islands, a rare case of a solo dolphin far from a pod of his fellows.

The sight of the dolphin has delighted many boaters, swimmers and divers, but his antics dismay scientists who traveled to the archipelago to study him. They say Stinky is a danger to humans, and they also worry the dolphin could hurt himself.

"He spent a fair amount of time engaging in very high-risk behavior," said Laura Engleby, a marine mammal branch chief with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "There is concern for his safety."

She noted the dolphin has a fondness for boat propellers in motion, and that he also likes to rub against anchors, channel markers and mooring buoys, cutting himself in the process.

Scientists estimate he is roughly 20 years old given his worn-down teeth and aging scars.

"He's certainly been around the block," said Trevor Spradlin, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA who also traveled to the Cayman Islands.

It is unusual for bottlenose dolphins to separate from their pods, with only about 30 such cases reported worldwide, scientists said. Also puzzling is how Stinky arrived in the Cayman Islands, given that the nearest pods of bottlenose dolphins are in Cuba and the Bahamas, said Dr. Chris Dold, vice president of veterinary services for SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, who also studied the dolphin.

Dold said the absence of female dolphins might help explain Stinky's behavior.

"What's unusual about this, of course, is not necessarily the behavior that this male dolphin is demonstrating, but that those behaviors appear to be directed toward people," he said.

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Experts Puzzled by Lone Dolphin in Cayman Islands

October 11, 2012

Image Caption: This is the newly described Perraults predatory ground beetle, Mont Tohiea, Moorea; actual body size is 6 mm. Credit: James Liebherr, Cornell University Insect Collection

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

If exploring remote mountaintops and naming new beetle species has always been a dream of yours, you might want to jump on that now that there are two fewer such mountains left.

James Liebherr, curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection, has described 14 species of predatory carabid beetles, also called ground beetles, found on Mont Tohiea and Mont Mauru in the Society Islands. Liebherr was part of a U.S. National Science Foundation survey team examining the insects and spiders of French Polynesia.

Two papers published in the online journal Zookeys (see links below) describe the species. Leibherr took advantage of recent changes to the rules that allows for the electronic publication of names for newly described species.

The Society Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, supposedly named by Captain James Cook, and include Tahiti and Bora Bora.

Part of the genus Mecyclothorax, the new beetles are part of a group that seem to have found a home in the remote Pacific Islands. There are about 100 species on the Society Islands, and another 200 in the Hawaiian Islands. On the Australian continent, where the evolution presumably started, there are only 25 species. Other differences exist as well; all of the Pacific Island beetles are flightless, whereas many of the Australian species can fly.

The discovery of seven new species on the island of Moorea expands the known territory of the genus from Tahiti to Moorea. This mirrors the distribution of related species in the Hawaiian Islands, where members of the genus stretch from Hawaii to Oahu. In the Society Islands, the beetles are rarely found below 1000 meters elevation, severely limiting the geographic distribution of the new species.

When we travel to a new mountain we find only new species. Its like moving to a different continent as far as these beetles are concerned says Liebherr.

The rest is here:

Society Islands Are Home To 14 Newly Described Beetle Species

TOKYO (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday that China's central bank governor will not lead the Chinese delegation at the IMF's semi-annual meeting this week, in what appeared to be a snub to host Japan.

Zhou Xiaochuan's failure to attend the meeting comes after relations between China and Japan have slumped to their worst in years over their competing claims to sovereignty of some islands in the East China Sea.

The row has been marked by violent protests and calls for boycotts of Japanese products in China. Japanese car makers, including Toyota Motor, later reported a tumble in auto sales in the world's biggest car market.

"We were informed two days ago that Governor Zhou's schedule might require him to cancel his lecture in Tokyo," an IMF spokeswoman said. "It has now been confirmed that his deputy Yi Gang will represent him."

Zhou had been set to deliver what amounted to a closing keynote lecture on Sunday.

"The Tokyo meeting is an extremely important international summit," Japanese Finance Minister Koriki Jojima said at a press conference. "It is deeply regrettable that the representatives of the (Chinese) authorities are not participating."

The IMF comments confirm a report on Tuesday by Chinese state news agency Xinhua that China's delegation will not be led by its most senior finance officials.

According to Chinese protocol, only the most senior officials usually lead such trips. China's delegation will be led by Yi Gang, vice head of the People's Bank of China, and Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao, Xinhua said.

The disputed group of islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are located near rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil-and-gas reserves. Taiwan also asserts its sovereignty over the uninhabited islets.

Japan is scheduled to host the IMF and World Bank annual meetings for the first time in nearly half a century. About 20,000 people are expected to attend the events, which end on Sunday, making it one of the world's largest international conferences.

Link:

Top China delegate pulls out of IMF meet amid islands row

GRAND TURK, Turks & Caicos Islands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Aqua-Chem, Inc., the leader in global water solutions, proudly announced today it has been awarded a contract for the supply and installation of a 300,000 USGPD (1,136 M3/day) seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in the British West Indies. This will be the fourth SWRO plant provided by Aqua-Chem, Inc., to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. Previous agreements were signed in 1994, 1997, and 2001 for facilities producing 20,000, 75,000, and 150,000 USGPD respectively.

This state of the art plant features Aqua-Chem, Inc.s, process design and energy recovery technology, which provides low lifecycle cost and ease of maintenance. The plant is expected to be operational in the 1st quarter of 2013. The project is Aqua-Chem, Inc.s, first joint venture with micro utilities developer Matrix Enviro, Ltd., which is based in the Bahamas. Aqua-Chem, Inc., has been a leader in Caribbean SWRO projects for more than 25 years, with operations in countries like the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Haiti, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Jamaica, Mexico, Columbia and Aruba.

David J. Gensterblum, President and CEO, said, We are gratified by the confidence shown by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in awarding this contract to Aqua-Chem, Inc. The nearly 20-year-duration of our involvement in supporting the Turks and Caicos vital SWRO infrastructure is a testament to the Governments willingness to address the water needs of residents and visitors alike.

Governor Damian Roderic (Ric) Todd of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government said, Aqua-Chem, Inc.s, technology and service has proven itself well over nearly two decades of operation. We are confident that the relationship will continue to provide value for many years to come.

About Aqua-Chem, Inc.

Headquartered in Knoxville, TN, Aqua-Chem, Inc. specializes in providing water treatment solutions to a multitude of industries with a full range of thermal and membrane water treatment technologies. These include vapor compression distillation, flash evaporation, reverse osmosis, membrane filtration and ion exchange. The company has been working with the U.S. government since 1943 ensuring deployed troops have drinking water that is safe. Aqua-Chem, Inc. conducts business around the world in the following industrial sectors including offshore oil and gas, pharmaceutical, commercial marine, micro utility, beverage and industrial.

Aqua-Chem, Inc. is a portfolio company of Altus Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in investing in middle market manufacturing companies domiciled in the U.S.

Originally posted here:

Aqua-Chem, Inc. Awarded 4th Contract for Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the ...

The outgoing Japanese ambassador, Hideto Mitamura, has said Japan acquired a group of disputed islands legitimately under international law 127 years ago.Arguments of sovereignty over the islands - called the Senkaku by Japan and...

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Japan: Islands legally ours

Iran on Tuesday warned the United Arab Emirates it could cut diplomatic relations between the two countries if the Arab nation keeps repeating claims to three Gulf islands that are controlled by Tehran.

Later, Iranian officials appeared to be trying to walk back the threat.

Iran took control of the Gulf islands in 1971, after British forces left the region. The islands the tiny Abu Musa and the nearby Greater and Lesser Tunb dominate the approach to the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which about one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the U.S. Navy patrol the narrow waterway, which Iran has threatened to choke off in retaliation for tougher Western sanctions over its suspect nuclear program.

Since 1992, the UAE has repeatedly claimed the islands and last month at the U.N. General Assembly, it said Iran's "occupation" violates international law.

The news website of Iran's parliament, ICANA.ir, quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying that Iran will either cut or reduce ties with the UAE if it repeats its charges

"If baseless anti-Iranian claims become too much, and downgrading or cutting diplomatic ties becomes the only option to secure national interests, this will be done," Mehmanparast was quoted as saying. "The continuous and repeated Emirati claims will have a negative impact on various parts of the relationship" with Iran.

The comments marked the first time that Iran has threatened to cut ties with the UAE. In the past, Tehran has said it was willing to discuss the case on the bilateral level though it never said relinquishing the islands was an option.

In an apparent attempt to water down the threat to cut ties, an unnamed Foreign Ministry official claimed Mehmanparast was misquoted, blaming media outlets though the quote was carried on official Iranian state news media.

Iran is a top trading partner of Dubai, with the Islamic Republic importing annually $10 billion worth of goods on average in recent years. Visiting Dubai, deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Hasan Qashqavi added reassurance, saying, "Iran's relations with the Emirates are expanding," adding "warm greetings" to the Emirates, the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported.

Link:

Iran May Cut Ties With UAE Over Disputed Islands

Sales of Toyota and Honda vehicles nosedived in China during September as anti-Japanese sentiment flared over a territorial dispute that threatens to hobble what was a booming business relationship between Japan and its biggest export market.

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday that sales of new vehicles in China dropped 48.9 percent in September from a year earlier to 44,100 vehicles. Honda Motor Co. said September sales plunged 40.5 percent to 33,931 vehicles. China sales for Nissan Motor Co. slid 35.3 percent last month to 76,100 vehicles.

The stunning plunge in sales comes after Japan last month nationalized tiny islands in the East China Sea, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, which had already been controlled by Tokyo but also claimed by Beijing.

The move set off violent protests in China, and a widespread call to boycott Japanese goods. Toyota and Honda dealerships were burned down in one city, and crowds shouting anti-Japanese slogans have gathered and smashed Japanese cars.

Although the flare-ups have calmed in recent weeks, it would still require courage to be seen in a Japanese car in some Chinese cities.

Japanese automakers temporarily closed some of their China factories. Production is back up this week but reduced to lower levels as demand has collapsed.

Last week, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. reported that China sales dived 63 percent to 2,340 vehicles in September. Mazda Motor Corp. said its sales in China sank 36 percent to 13,258 vehicles for the month.

A study by J.P. Morgan, released Tuesday, projected Japanese auto exports to China to crash 70 percent during the October-December period. It said that the export of auto parts will slip by 40 percent about the same drop estimated for exports of other consumer products such as electronics.

Combined, the aftermath of the territorial spat with China will shave 0.8 percentage point off Japan gross domestic product growth for the fourth quarter, sending Japan's overall economy slightly downward, instead of the initial forecast for flat growth, according to J.P. Morgan.

China, with its growing middle class, had been one of the emerging markets that Japanese automakers were counting on to boost sales amid a long stagnation in the domestic auto market.

See original here:

Toyota, Honda Sales Plunge in China on Islands Row

By Fang Yan and Yoko Kubota

BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese car makers reported tumbling sales in China for September - with Toyota's almost halving - confirming the impact of a territorial row between the two countries and raising concerns about their future in the world's biggest auto market.

Violent protests and calls for boycotts of Japanese products broke out across China in mid-September after Japan nationalized two of the East China Sea islands, known as the Diaoyu in Chinese and the Senkaku in Japanese, by purchasing then from their private owners.

Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> said on Tuesday that sales in China fell 48.9 percent in September from a year earlier, while Honda Motor Co <7267.T> reported a 40.5 percent slide in its sales there.

Nissan Motor Co's <7201.T> China auto sales, including imports, fell 35.3 percent in September from a year earlier, according to its China venture partner Dongfeng Motor Group Co <0489.HK>. Suzuki Motor Corp <7269.T> said shipments to dealerships in China fell 42.5 percent last month from a year earlier.

"Inventories are growing, factories are operating less, and retail is not going well at all," said Koji Endo, a senior analyst at Advanced Research Japan.

"It'll be the German and South Korean makers that will take over share from the Japanese brands when Japanese cars sell less. I don't see a single factor that is positive (for the Japanese brands)."

While the street protests have eased, China has sent its patrol ships into what Japan considers its territorial waters near the islands in recent weeks, prompting Tokyo to lodge protests against Beijing.

Analysts say that sales for Japanese car makers, which together had just over a fifth of the Chinese auto market before the protests, could continue to weaken as long as the diplomatic tension remains.

"We had cut our 2012 sales forecast of Japanese cars by 100,000, but it seems to be way too conservative now," said John Zeng, Asia Pacific director for industry consultancy LMC Automotive. "We had previously expected them to sell 3.04 million, but it will be great if they could move 3 million."

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Japan car sales in China tumble, hit by islands row

SAINT CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Seaborne Airlines, the regional carrier based in St. Croix, USVI, and the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board in collaboration with the BVI Airport Authority today announced daily round-trip flights between San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport and Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, serving the British Virgin Islands. The new service will operate with 17-seat Dehavilland Twin Otters with twenty four (24) flight segments per week starting December 8, 2012. Starting in February, the market will be operated with 34-seat Saab turboprop equipment with two pilots, flight attendant, in-flight service and a lavatory. By April 2013 Seaborne plans to operate 49 weekly round-trip flights with over 3,300 weekly seats into and out of the market. Service is scheduled to begin December 8.

Additionally, on December 8, Seaborne plans to operate new service from San Juan non-stop to Virgin Gorda, with twelve (12) flight segments weekly with 17-seat Twin Otter service. Seaborne also plans to introduce special promotional fares for BVI residents traveling to San Juan and beyond.

"We're pleased to introduce the first scheduled Saab service to The British Virgin Islands from our connecting complex in San Juan, Puerto Rico," said Gary Foss, president, Seaborne Airlines. "This schedule will allow customers from throughout the United States and Canada easy connections to the beautiful and upscale British Virgin Islands, renowned for their powdery white-sand beaches, lush green mountains and sheltered yacht filled harbors. We are especially eager to provide nonstop service directly from San Juan to Virgin Gorda, home of Little Dix Bay, the Bitter End Yacht Club, Biras Creek, other upscale resorts, villas and small locally owned properties. And of course, there are The Baths, a national park where granite boulders create mysterious grottos in the sea".

BVI travelers will also have access to Seaborne's premium lounge at San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. The lounge offers comfortable seating, work areas, charging stations, light refreshments, WIFI access, and Direct TV. Additionally, Seaborne customers have access to FasTrak SJU security access, which allows travelers to go to the head of the TSA line.

Here is the schedule December 8 February 1 (all times local):

San Juan to Tortola

Flight

Departs

Arrives

Frequency

See more here:

New Service from San Juan to the British Virgin Islands