Yahoo! News: World News

---

• Obama makes case for punishing Syria over gas attack
• Bombs kill 86 in Baghdad as sectarian violence spreads
• Taliban attack Polish base in Afghanistan, seven killed
• Egyptian soldiers will no longer swear loyalty to president
• U.S. rejects link between North Korea nuclear diplomacy, jailed American
• French prosecutor investigates U.S. Prism spying scheme
• Lloyds of London probed in US over Iran dealings
• Panama says Cuban weapons shipment 'without doubt' violated U.N. sanctions
• Obama: Syrian gov't carried out chemical attack
• Obama lays out case for 'tailored' strike against Syria: PBS
• Swedish boarding school shut after boys burned with irons
• UK's Cameron forced to delay strike against Syria
• Angry teachers paralyze Mexico City with protests
• Acupuncture helps ailing alligator in Brazil
• Obama: no decision yet on Syria strike
• On Syria, Obama says eyeing ‘shot across the bow’
• France's de Villepin warns against 'conscience-clearing' Syria strikes
• Thousands flee to Central African Republic airport to escape ex-rebels
• Factbox: If U.S. strikes Syria, destroyers likely to deliver the blow
• Survivors describe horrors of suspected gas attack
• Justin Bieber stopped for traffic offense, again
• Panama says N.Korea ship's arms violated UN sanctions
• US willing to go it alone against Syria if needed
• UN peacekeeper killed in fresh DR Congo fighting
• UN peacekeeper killed in eastern Congo fighting
• Obama names Africa expert envoy to Sudan, South Sudan
• Boehner to Obama: You must ‘personally’ explain Syria policy
• Britain pushes back Syria chemical attack response timetable
• Egypt police arrest Brotherhood members' relatives
• Syrian envoy alleges rebel gas attack, demands U.N. investigate
• Obama hails King but says 'dream' requires vigilance
• Colombian peace talks recess with scant progress, election looms
• British government approach on Syria 'consistent': UK foreign secretary
• Asylum seekers threaten to sink Australian government in election
• Bolivia demands return of senator who fled to Brazil
• Key lawmakers to get Syria chemical weapons briefing Thursday
• Nigerian court grants US extradition request
• Syrian gas attack must draw reaction, Merkel and Cameron agree

Obama makes case for punishing Syria over gas attack Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:38 PM PDT By Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday that the Syrian government would face "international consequences" for last week's deadly chemical attack, but made clear any military response would be limited to avoid dragging the United States into another war in the Middle East. Casting the need for action based on U.S. national security interests instead of humanitarian grounds, Obama made his case to a war-weary American public for what is looking like an all-but-certain use of force in Syria, where he has long been reluctant to intervene. ...

Bombs kill 86 in Baghdad as sectarian violence spreads Posted: 28 Aug 2013 12:44 PM PDT By Kareem Raheem BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A series of car bombings and other attacks across Baghdad on Wednesday killed 86 people and wounded 263, police and medical sources said, extending the worst wave of sectarian bloodshed in Iraq for at least five years. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attacks, which appeared coordinated, but Sunni Muslim insurgents including the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq have significantly stepped up bombings this year. ...

Taliban attack Polish base in Afghanistan, seven killed Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:13 PM PDT By Mustafa Andalib GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Seven people were killed in an attack claimed by the Taliban on a base operated by Polish and Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, officials and a Reuters witness said. Ghanzi province's deputy governor said the attackers detonated an explosive-laden truck at the rear of the base and a car bomb at the main gate, before a six hour gunbattle inside involving up to 10 of the 15 assailants. ...

Egyptian soldiers will no longer swear loyalty to president Posted: 28 Aug 2013 12:37 PM PDT CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian soldiers will no longer swear loyalty directly to the president of the republic, according to a published decree, a symbolic change analysts said underlined the military's independence from any civilian control. Officers will vow to "execute the orders of my leadership", according to the amended oath of allegiance, that removes the phrase: "I will be loyal to the president of the republic". ...

U.S. rejects link between North Korea nuclear diplomacy, jailed American Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT By Paul Eckert WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The case of a U.S. citizen jailed in North Korea is a human rights issue that has no connection to long-stalled talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons, the State Department said on Wednesday. Robert King, U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, is slated to travel to Pyongyang on Friday. The State Department on Tuesday described his trip as a "humanitarian mission" aimed at winning the release of ailing Kenneth Bae, a Christian missionary and tour operator. ...

French prosecutor investigates U.S. Prism spying scheme Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:20 PM PDT PARIS (Reuters) - The Paris prosecutor's office said on Wednesday it had launched a preliminary investigation into the U.S. National Security Agency's Prism surveillance program after French rights groups complained it was snooping on citizens' emails and phone calls. The probe, which was opened in mid-July, followed a legal complaint earlier that month by two human rights groups denouncing U.S. spying methods revealed by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. ...

Lloyds of London probed in US over Iran dealings Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:25 PM PDT New York's financial regulator is investigating insurer Lloyds of London for suspected violations of US sanctions forbidding dealings with Iran, a source told AFP Wednesday.

Panama says Cuban weapons shipment 'without doubt' violated U.N. sanctions Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:23 PM PDT By Lomi Kriel PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Cuban weapons seized aboard a North Korean ship in Panamanian waters last month are "without doubt" a violation of United Nations sanctions against arms transfers to Pyongyang, Panama said Wednesday, citing a U.N. report. Panamanian authorities say they were given a preliminary report, presented by a panel of experts to the Sanctions Committee at the U.N. Security Council, according to a statement by Panama's Ministry of Security. "According to the first report presented by the panel of experts from the U.N. ...

Obama: Syrian gov't carried out chemical attack Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:20 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday declared unequivocally that the United States has "concluded" that the Syrian government carried out a deadly chemical weapons attack on civilians. But new hurdles emerged that appeared to slow the formation of an international coalition that could use military force to punish Syria.

Obama lays out case for 'tailored' strike against Syria: PBS Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:10 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama made the case on Wednesday for a limited military strike against Syria to deter the future use of chemical weapons, but added he had not made a decision yet on whether to take action. Obama's administration has spent the past week discussing how to respond to an attack in the suburbs of Damascus that killed hundreds of people, an attack that the president said could only have been made by the Syrian government. A senior U.S. official has said strikes could last several days and would involve other country's armed forces. ...

Swedish boarding school shut after boys burned with irons Posted: 28 Aug 2013 04:04 PM PDT STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's school inspectorate ordered the temporary closure of a prestigious boarding school on Wednesday after two new boys were burned with electric irons in the latest bullying scandal at the elite establishment. The move came after several students of the Lundsberg school in central Sweden, whose alumni include Prince Carl Philip, the youngest child of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, were reported to the police for the hazing ritual over the weekend. The school inspectorate said the school would be closed from Thursday for up to six months. ...

UK's Cameron forced to delay strike against Syria Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:49 PM PDT By Andrew Osborn LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron was forced on Wednesday to push back his plans for an imminent military strike against Syria in a humiliating climb-down for Britain's leader after coming under fierce domestic and international pressure. Just a day after recalling Britain's parliament to vote on how to respond to Syria's suspected use of chemical weapons, Cameron was ambushed when the opposition Labour party said it wanted greater parliamentary scrutiny and rebel lawmakers in his own ruling Conservative party said they would oppose him. Earlier on Wednesday, ...

Angry teachers paralyze Mexico City with protests Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:40 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — This sprawling metropolis of honking cars and 22 million harried people has been brought to its knees, not by an earthquake or its ominous smoking volcanoes, but rather a small contingent of angry school teachers.

Acupuncture helps ailing alligator in Brazil Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:34 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — Bino's back was killing him. He was suffering from scoliosis. He couldn't move his legs, two of them anyway, and his tail just wouldn't swish.

Obama: no decision yet on Syria strike Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:30 PM PDT President Barack Obama said Wednesday he had not yet decided whether to attack Syria, but that any US action would be a warning that "it better not" use chemical arms again.

On Syria, Obama says eyeing ‘shot across the bow’ Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:21 PM PDT President Obama discussed Syria, Russia and more during an interview with PBS.

France's de Villepin warns against 'conscience-clearing' Syria strikes Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:20 PM PDT France's former foreign minister Dominique de Villepin, famed for his passionate 2003 speech at the UN opposing the invasion of Iraq, warned Wednesday against military action in Syria.

Thousands flee to Central African Republic airport to escape ex-rebels Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:17 PM PDT By Paul-Marin Ngoupana BANGUI (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians fled to the Central African Republic's main international airport to escape marauding former rebel fighters and occupied the tarmac for around 18 hours, blocking some flights from landing, witnesses and officials said. The Central African Republic has descended into chaos since the Seleka rebels swept into Bangui in March, toppling President Francois Bozize and unleashing a wave of violence that new leader Michel Djotodia has failed to control. ...

Factbox: If U.S. strikes Syria, destroyers likely to deliver the blow Posted: 28 Aug 2013 03:16 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If U.S. President Barack Obama decides to take military action against Syria for using chemical weapons in its two-year-old civil war, the initial blows likely would be delivered by four U.S. guided missile destroyers currently in the Mediterranean. Beyond that, the president has a number of other ships and aircraft, both in the region and elsewhere, that he could use to carry out limited strikes to send a message aimed at deterring further chemical weapons use. ...

Survivors describe horrors of suspected gas attack Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:57 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — The early-morning barrage against rebel-held areas around the Syrian capital immediately seemed different this time: The rockets made a strange, whistling noise.

Justin Bieber stopped for traffic offense, again Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:55 PM PDT Justin Bieber was stopped for running a stop sign and driving without a license Wednesday, in the Canadian teen sensation's latest run-in with traffic police, a spokesman said.

Panama says N.Korea ship's arms violated UN sanctions Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:53 PM PDT The undeclared shipment of Cuban weapons found on a North Korean ship are a violation of UN sanctions against arms transfers to Pyongyang, Panama said Wednesday, citing a UN report.

US willing to go it alone against Syria if needed Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:52 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Wednesday it would take action against the Syrian government even without the backing of allies or the United Nations because diplomatic paralysis must not prevent a response to the alleged chemical weapons attack outside the Syrian capital last week.

UN peacekeeper killed in fresh DR Congo fighting Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:48 PM PDT Fresh clashes between rebels and government troops backed by UN forces and attack helicopters in eastern Congo left one peacekeeper dead Wednesday and three wounded.

UN peacekeeper killed in eastern Congo fighting Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:45 PM PDT KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — United Nations forces and the Congolese army attacked rebel positions with helicopter gunships, armored personnel carriers and a phalanx of ground troops Wednesday, ramping up the U.N.'s engagement in the latest rebellion to roil this country's tormented east.

Obama names Africa expert envoy to Sudan, South Sudan Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:43 PM PDT President Barack Obama named his special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan on Wednesday, appointing experienced Africa hand Donald Booth to oversee peace-building efforts in the insurgency-plagued region.

Boehner to Obama: You must ‘personally’ explain Syria policy Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:39 PM PDT But Republican House speaker does not say Congress must vote on military action.

Britain pushes back Syria chemical attack response timetable Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:36 PM PDT LONDON (Reuters) - Britain changed its stance on Syria on Wednesday, saying that the U.N. Security Council should see findings from chemical weapons inspectors before it responded militarily and that the British parliament should vote on the matter twice. Britain had previously declined to say it would wait for a U.N. report before launching military action and had suggested that the British parliament would only get one vote on military action - on Thursday. But U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sought more time for inspectors to complete their work, Russia said it was premature to table a ...

Egypt police arrest Brotherhood members' relatives Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:29 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities detained more than 60 people associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in less than 24 hours, including relatives of the group's leaders, officials said Wednesday.

Syrian envoy alleges rebel gas attack, demands U.N. investigate Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:19 PM PDT By Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria asked the United Nations on Wednesday to order chemical experts in Damascus to investigate three rebel attacks in which he said Syrian troops "inhaled poisonous gas," while Britain pushed for the Security Council to act on the crisis. The United States dismissed the appeal by Syria's U.N. envoy, saying it had refused chemical experts access to Syria to investigate allegations poisonous gas had been used repeatedly in the country's 2-1/2-year-old civil war. ...

Obama hails King but says 'dream' requires vigilance Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:07 PM PDT President Barack Obama hailed Martin Luther King Jr Wednesday for saving America from oppression but said "constant vigilance" was needed to keep the civil rights icon's dream of equality alive.

Colombian peace talks recess with scant progress, election looms Posted: 28 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT By Marc Frank HAVANA (Reuters) - The Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels wound up a 13th round of peace negotiations on Wednesday, bickering over how to end the conflict and making little visible progress over key issues despite nine months of talks. While the discussion was supposed to focus on the political participation of Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), it was overshadowed by a proposed referendum on any deal that was submitted by President Juan Manuel Santos to congress last week and scheduled to occur during national elections next year. ...

British government approach on Syria 'consistent': UK foreign secretary Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:52 PM PDT LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Wednesday the motion on how to respond to an alleged chemical attack in Syria to be considered by parliament on Thursday was consistent with the approach adopted by the government so far. "This motion, that we're putting to the House of Commons tomorrow, endorses the government's consistent approach that we must be prepared to take action against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, to deter the future use of chemical weapons," Hague told the BBC. (Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Asylum seekers threaten to sink Australian government in election Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:48 PM PDT By Rob Taylor BLACKTOWN, Australia (Reuters) - Australian Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare crouches uncomfortably in a suit on the canvas of a youth boxing ring in Sydney's hardscrabble Western Suburbs, shaping up for the election fight of his life. Clare, in charge of a border circling 12 million square kilometers of ocean, has the unenviable job of stopping thousands of asylum seekers arriving by boat in Australia, an issue threatening to bring down Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Labor government at elections just two weeks away. "People are drowning to get here. It opens up old scars. ...

Bolivia demands return of senator who fled to Brazil Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:39 PM PDT Bolivia's President Evo Morales demanded Wednesday the return of an opposition senator who escaped to Brazil after 15 months holed up in its embassy in La Paz.

Key lawmakers to get Syria chemical weapons briefing Thursday Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:34 PM PDT Move seen as a prelude to making some evidence public.

Nigerian court grants US extradition request Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:30 PM PDT ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian court on Wednesday ordered the extradition of one of its citizens wanted in the U.S. for terrorism.

Syrian gas attack must draw reaction, Merkel and Cameron agree Posted: 28 Aug 2013 01:25 PM PDT BERLIN (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany and Britain believe that Syria's government should not to go unpunished for an apparent poison gas attack on its own people, Berlin said on Wednesday. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister David Cameron agreed in a telephone discussion that the use of poison gas in last week's attack near Damascus was now sufficiently proven, the German government said in a statement. "The Syrian regime must not hope to be able to continue this warfare that violates international law ... ...

You are subscribed to email updates from World News Headlines - Yahoo! News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610