Latest South Carolina news, sports, business and entertainment

ILLEGAL IRAN EXPORTS

Feds: SC businessman illegally traded with Iran

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Federal prosecutors say the president of a North Charleston company was illegally exporting goods to Iran and lying to agents about his trade practices.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says Markos Baghdasarian was arrested Saturday at an Atlanta airport before he could board a flight to the United Arab Emirates. That's where authorities say Baghdasarian had a business associate who acted as a conduit to get his South Carolina-made products into Iran.

Baghdasarian was president of Delfin Group USA, a Russian-owned producer of synthetic motor oils.

Baghdasarian is charged with breaking a federal ban on trade with Iran. He faces up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. It wasn't known if Baghdasarian has an attorney.

Delfin said Baghdasarian was placed on leave May 14.

MEMORIAL DAY TRAVEL

Low gas prices mean more holiday travel in SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Memorial Day weekend travel in South Carolina is expected to increase more than 3 percent this year in part because the state has the lowest-priced gas in the country.

AAA Carolinas estimates 437,000 South Carolinians are expected to take to the road for the long holiday weekend. Gas prices in the state averaged $3.34 a gallon on Tuesday down 28 cents from last year on May 22.

An estimated 500,000 South Carolinians are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home, with the number of people flying down more than 5 percent.

The average round trips are expected to be shorter about 570 miles compared to 730 round trip miles a year ago.

SC BUDGET-MITCHELVILLE

1st freedmen's community part of SC budget

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Money for America's first community of freed slaves is part of the South Carolina budget debate, 150 years after the community's founding.

The budget proposal on the Senate floor Tuesday includes $200,000 for the Michelville Preservation Project on Hilton Head Island.

Sen. Tom Davis asked for the money, calling the project on par with preserving the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg, Pa. The former community at the tip of Hilton Head Island came together even before the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

The money is in an amendment proposed by Sen. Shane Massey that would remove $4 million for private nonprofits and local public projects.

Davis opposes earmarks and says he agrees with Massey's premise. But the Beaufort Republican says Mitchelville is worthy in telling the story of citizens' shared heritage.

CUTTER TRANSFER

Coast Guard cutter heading to Philippines

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) In a ceremony full of maritime pomp, a decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard cutter based in Charleston has been turned over to the Philippine Navy.

About 100 military personnel and visitors gathered on a wind-swept pier at the old Charleston Navy base on Tuesday as the cutter Dallas was transferred.

American crewmen left the cutter as the U.S. flag was lowered. After the transfer papers were signed, personnel from the Philippine Navy boarded the vessel and raised their national flag.

The 378-foot cutter Dallas has patrolled off the Vietnam coast and in the Pacific to the Mediterranean during the 45 years since it was commissioned in 1967. It also was the command vessel for the Mariel Boat lift in 1980 in which 125,000 Cuban refugees set sail for Florida.

COLUMBIA CALL CENTER

Indian company bringing 300 jobs to Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) An Indian company is opening a 300-seat call center in Columbia.

WNS Limited said Tuesday it plans to open its first center in North America in July.

Officials say employees at the facility will handle calls related to a variety of industries, including finance, accounting, manufacturing and shipping.

WNS says it is hiring in several phases, beginning later this month. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a grant from the Governor's Closing Fund for $500,000 to help retrofit the building.

WNS employs more than 23,000 people in countries including India, Costa Rica and Sri Lanka.