Yahoo! News: World News

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• U.N. says Syria civil war "imminent," West urges sanctions
• Yemeni army clashes with al Qaeda fighters, 25 killed
• Senior Saddam aide executed in Iraq
• U.S. losing patience with Pakistan, says Panetta
• More U.S. waivers to Iran sanctions likely next week
• Palestinian corruption court convicts Arafat aide
• Sudan, South Sudan break off talks, no deal in sight
• Australia lifts sanctions against Myanmar, doubles aid
• Philippines president visits U.S. as allies eye China
• U.S. freezes assets of Mexican drug lord's family
• UN monitors shot at near site of Syrian killings
• Annan blames Syria for peace plan failure
• Helicopter missing in Peru with 13 foreigners
• Yemen: 23 al-Qaida militants killed in south
• Panetta: Patience with Pakistan 'reaching limits'
• Germany: Magnotta extradition decision within days
• Merkel urges gradual political union in Europe
• China rate cut, Fed stimulus hopes boost markets
• Greek extremist party member in TV assault
• Spain's hurting banks at heart of eurozone chaos

U.N. says Syria civil war "imminent," West urges sanctions Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:06 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the Security Council on Thursday that a full-blown civil war in Syria was "imminent," while international mediator Kofi Annan said it was time to step up the pressure on Damascus to halt the violence. The Syrian opposition and Western and Gulf nations seeking President Bashar al-Assad's ouster increasingly see Annan's six-point peace plan as doomed because of Syria's consistent use of military force to crush an increasingly militarized opposition. ...

Yemeni army clashes with al Qaeda fighters, 25 killed Posted: 07 Jun 2012 11:16 AM PDT SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's army engaged on Thursday in heavy gun battles with Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda on the edge of the southern town of Jaar, part of a month-long offensive to retake several towns seized by rebels, local officials said. At least 20 Islamist fighters from Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), an offshoot of al Qaeda, were killed, residents said. Five tribesmen fighting alongside government forces also died, the residents said. ...

Senior Saddam aide executed in Iraq Posted: 07 Jun 2012 08:36 AM PDT BAGHDAD (Reuters) - One of Saddam Hussein's closest aides who handed down many of the dictator's repressive orders was executed in Iraq on Thursday, the justice ministry said. Abed Hamoud, Saddam's private secretary, was regarded by many Iraqis as more influential than most ministers. He was number four on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqi officials following the 2003 invasion, after the Sunni dictator and his sons. ...

U.S. losing patience with Pakistan, says Panetta Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:58 PM PDT KABUL (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Thursday the United States was reaching the limits of its patience with Pakistan because of the safe havens the country offered to insurgents in neighboring Afghanistan. It was some of the strongest language by a senior U.S. official to describe the strained ties between Washington and Islamabad. "It is difficult to achieve peace in Afghanistan as long as there is safe haven for terrorists in Pakistan," said Panetta. "It is very important for Pakistan to take steps. ...

More U.S. waivers to Iran sanctions likely next week Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:16 PM PDT SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will announce a new list of countries that will receive exceptions to financial sanctions on oil trade with Iran as soon as early next week, a government official said on Thursday. Not all of Iran's oil buyers are likely to get the waivers, said the source, who declined to elaborate. Around two thirds of Iran's crude exports flow to Asia, where the biggest buyers are China, Japan, India and South Korea. The United States granted Japan an exception in March and has signaled it has had good talks with South Korea about reducing oil purchases. ...

Palestinian corruption court convicts Arafat aide Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:18 PM PDT RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A special anti-graft court on Thursday convicted an aide of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat of embezzling millions of dollars, in the biggest corruption case in the Palestinian Authority's 20-year history. Mohammed Rashid and two other businessmen were sentenced in absentia to 15 years in jail and ordered to return $33.5 million in funds stolen during Arafat's rule. ...

Sudan, South Sudan break off talks, no deal in sight Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:50 PM PDT ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Sudan and South Sudan broke off security talks on Thursday after failing to agree on a demilitarized zone along their disputed border to help prevent them slipping into outright warfare. The African neighbors came close to war when a border dispute in April saw the worst violence since South Sudan split from Sudan in July under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war. Both countries, which accuse each other of supporting rebels in the other's territory, returned to African Union-mediated negotiations last week, the first direct talks since the border clashes. ...

Australia lifts sanctions against Myanmar, doubles aid Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:08 PM PDT CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia will lift its remaining financial and travel sanctions against Myanmar and double its aid in a move to encourage further democratic reform as the country tentatively emerges from decades of military rule, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said. The lifting of economic sanctions, which follows a U.S. suspension of sanctions, will come into effect in coming weeks but Australia's arms embargo against Myanmar will remain in place, Carr said in a statement. "Myanmar has made great strides over the past year, though there is more to be done," Carr said. ...

Philippines president visits U.S. as allies eye China Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:57 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Philippines President Benigno Aquino is in the United States for a visit that will highlight the Southeast Asian archipelago's growing importance in U.S. strategic thinking, as the White House "pivots" to Asia and both countries worry about China's intentions. Aquino, well-regarded by the U.S. government, not least for fighting corruption, arrived on Wednesday and will be accorded a White House meeting on Friday with President Barack Obama. ...

U.S. freezes assets of Mexican drug lord's family Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:16 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday said it is taking steps to freeze the assets of the wife and son of Mexico's most wanted man, drug lord Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, as U.S. and Mexican authorities try to close in on his cartel's massive trafficking operations. The U.S. Treasury said U.S. citizens are now banned from doing any business with Alfredo Guzman and Maria Alejandrina Salazar, who are identified as operatives of the Sinaloa cartel. ...

UN monitors shot at near site of Syrian killings Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:59 PM PDT U.N. observers came under fire Thursday as they tried to reach the site of the latest reported mass killing in Syria — about 80 people, including women and children who were shot or stabbed. The deaths added urgency to diplomatic efforts to end the escalating bloodshed.

Annan blames Syria for peace plan failure Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:31 PM PDT International envoy Kofi Annan blamed the failure of his peace plan primarily on the Syrian government Thursday and told the divided U.N. Security Council there must be "consequences" for those obstructing efforts to end the conflict.

Helicopter missing in Peru with 13 foreigners Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:44 PM PDT A helicopter carrying 14 passengers, most of them from South Korea, was missing in Peru's highland and snowfall was impeding efforts to reach the rugged terrain where the aircraft's emergency beacon indicated it was located, authorities said Thursday.

Yemen: 23 al-Qaida militants killed in south Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:22 PM PDT Yemeni officials say at least 23 al-Qaida-linked militants have been killed in fighting in the country's south.

Panetta: Patience with Pakistan 'reaching limits' Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:57 PM PDT The United States stepped up pressure on Pakistan Thursday as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said "we are reaching the limits of our patience" with a nominal ally that continues to provide a safe haven to al-Qaida-linked militants.

Germany: Magnotta extradition decision within days Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:48 PM PDT German prosecutors said Thursday a decision on the extradition of the Canadian porn actor suspected of the grisly killing and dismemberment of a Chinese student could be made within days.

Merkel urges gradual political union in Europe Posted: 07 Jun 2012 10:04 AM PDT German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for Europe to take a gradual path towards political union, frustrating the appeals of many of her colleagues for quick, bold moves to fight the continent's raging financial crisis.

China rate cut, Fed stimulus hopes boost markets Posted: 07 Jun 2012 09:18 AM PDT Global markets rose on Thursday, boosted by China's decision to cut interest rates, hopes that the Federal Reserve will consider new support for the U.S. economy and speculation Europe is preparing to give Spain financial aid.

Greek extremist party member in TV assault Posted: 07 Jun 2012 11:33 AM PDT Greece's election campaign turned ugly Thursday on live TV: The spokesman of the extreme-right Golden Dawn party, after trading insults of "commie" and "fascist," lunged at two female left-wing politicians on a mainstream morning talk show, throwing water at one and smacking the other three times across the face.

Spain's hurting banks at heart of eurozone chaos Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:19 PM PDT Spain is under rising pressure to find a lifeline for its deeply troubled banks.

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