Yahoo! News: World News

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• New pope urges Church to return to its Gospel roots
• Blasts, clashes kill at least 25 in central Baghdad
• West tiptoes into Syrian war hoping to boost more secular rebels
• Argentina's pope stood up to power, but has his critics
• Protesters, policemen injured in Bahrain clashes
• Constitution changes no threat to democracy, says Hungary PM
• Italy parliament convenes to seek way out of election gridlock
• Israel's Netanyahu clinches coalition deals
• Obama congratulates China's Xi on election as president
• U.S. imposes sanctions on covert Iran oil-shipping network
• New style of papacy: Pope Francis pays hotel bill
• Inside the conclave: extra omnes to habemus papam
• New bill intended to curb Jamaica lottery scams
• Carnival flying stranded cruise passengers home
• New pope's views bind simplicity with 'complexity'
• Pope's partial lung shouldn't affect duties
• Physicists say they have found a Higgs boson
• Bad weather postpones return of 3 astronauts
• Attack on Iraqi Justice Ministry kills 24
• Argentina's pope goes for the Saints in soccer
• Will unlikely coalition partners force new path for Israel?
• Argentine pope: A reflection of Catholicism 'south of the equator'
• Trouble at the tribunal: Khmer Rouge leader Ieng Sary dies before conviction
• African Catholics see hope in choice of non-European pope
• Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says UN proposal on women will destroy the world
• Obama's Israel agenda: negotiate, visit sites – and dine with beauty queen
• Pope Francis: representative of God - and Latin America?
• Egypt's reviled police plead for understanding, support
• With Steven Seagal in tow, Putin pushes for Soviet-era phys-ed revival
• Election of Pope Francis fuels hopes for Catholic reform
• India bars Italian envoy from leaving, escalating tensions over marines shooting incident
• China's pig dumping scandal puts spotlight on illegal pork trade
• Pope Francis: A prelate who has preached against 'huge inequities'
• Why Pope Francis is something of a surprise
• Pope Francis I emerges to cheers of 'Viva il Papa'
• Syria's children: even their first words are now shaped by war
• Tunisians invoke Macbeth to warn against a return of toil and trouble
• Immigrants to Spain push back on evictions
• After years of nonviolent protest, could Kashmiris return to the gun?

New pope urges Church to return to its Gospel roots Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:40 AM PDT By Crispian Balmer and Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In his first public Mass, Pope Francis urged the Catholic Church on Thursday to stick to its Gospel roots and shun modern temptations, warning that it would become just another charitable group if it forgot its true mission. In a heartfelt, simple homily, the Argentinian pope laid out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church, which is beset by scandals, intrigue and strife. ...

Blasts, clashes kill at least 25 in central Baghdad Posted: 14 Mar 2013 07:09 AM PDT BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Coordinated blasts killed at least 25 people in the heart of Baghdad on Thursday near the heavily fortified Green Zone, where several Western embassies are located, police and medics said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosions, but Sunni Muslim insurgents have been redoubling their efforts to undermine Iraq's Shi'ite-led government and foment inter-communal conflict this year. ...

West tiptoes into Syrian war hoping to boost more secular rebels Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:27 PM PDT By Peter Apps LONDON (Reuters) - France, Britain and the United States are inching towards providing military aid to Syria's rebels, hoping to beef up more secular forces at the expense of radical Islamists who are gaining ever more prominence in the uprising. The bitter experience of Afghanistan, where the American arming of anti-Soviet mujahideen forces in the 1980s helped to give rise to the Taliban and al Qaeda, hangs heavy in the air. And as in Libya, the leaders of Britain and France seem keener than U.S. President Barack Obama to get more involved. ...

Argentina's pope stood up to power, but has his critics Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:40 PM PDT By Helen Popper and Karina Grazina BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is a fearless critic of the powerful and a bold advocate of the poor, but some say he let down his country by staying silent during a "dirty war" dictatorship. Links between some high-ranking Roman Catholic clergymen and the military regime that kidnapped and killed up to 30,000 leftists between 1976 and 1983 tarnished the Church's reputation in Argentina and the wounds have yet to heal. ...

Protesters, policemen injured in Bahrain clashes Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:27 PM PDT By Sami Aboudi DUBAI (Reuters) - At least 10 civilians and several policemen were injured in Bahrain on Thursday, an opposition group and the government said, during protests to mark the second anniversary of the arrival of Saudi forces which helped crush a pro-democracy uprising. Home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, the tiny state has been hit by unrest since the revolt in early 2011, becoming a front line in a region-wide tussle for influence between Shi'ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Arab states such as Saudi Arabia. ...

Constitution changes no threat to democracy, says Hungary PM Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:19 PM PDT By Justyna Pawlak and Luke Baker BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A defiant Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban dismissed criticism that changes his government has made to the constitution are anti-democratic, saying there was no evidence of any breach of European Union rules. The EU, the United States and human rights organizations have accused Orban of using constitutional amendments to limit the powers of Hungary's top court and undermine democracy in the former Soviet satellite. The move follows steps last year to change Hungary's media laws and the retirement ages of judges. ...

Italy parliament convenes to seek way out of election gridlock Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:46 PM PDT By Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - Italy's parliament convenes on Friday almost three weeks after last month's inconclusive election, with the parties still deadlocked over how to form a government in the euro zone's third largest economy. The first task of the 630 lower house deputies and 315 senators will be to elect the speakers of the two houses. The outcome of the votes for these influential roles could give an indication of the prospects for a stable administration. ...

Israel's Netanyahu clinches coalition deals Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:56 PM PDT By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clinched deals on Thursday for a coalition government set to curb benefits for ultra-Orthodox Jews, a hot-button issue that has pushed peacemaking with Palestinians to the sidelines. In control of 68 of parliament's 120 seats, the new administration - the first in a decade without ultra-Orthodox parties - is expected to take office next week, just days before a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama. ...

Obama congratulates China's Xi on election as president Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:54 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday offered his congratulations to new Chinese President Xi Jinping after he was formally elected to the post and told him that Washington looked forward to working with the leadership team in Beijing, the White House said. "This is a very important relationship and an important series of issues that we deal with on a regular basis," White House spokesman Jay Carney said when asked whether Obama used the phone call to discuss U.S. cyber security concerns. Carney declined to cite specifics. ...

U.S. imposes sanctions on covert Iran oil-shipping network Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:49 PM PDT By Alister Bull WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States slapped financial sanctions on Thursday on a Greek businessman it says secretly operated a shipping network on behalf of the Iranian government to get around international sanctions on the country's sale of oil. "Today, we are lifting the veil on an intricate Iranian scheme that was designed to evade international oil sanctions," U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen said in a statement. The U.S. ...

New style of papacy: Pope Francis pays hotel bill Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:31 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — On his first day as shepherd of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis picked up his luggage at a Vatican hotel, personally thanked each member of the staff and even paid his own bill. Then, at his first Mass, he delivered a short, unscripted homily — in Italian, not the Latin of his predecessor — holding the cardinals who elected him responsible for keeping the church strong.

Inside the conclave: extra omnes to habemus papam Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:18 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — Three rounds of ballots had been cast with no winner, but it was becoming clear which way this conclave was headed.

New bill intended to curb Jamaica lottery scams Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:46 PM PDT KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Jamaican officials said Thursday that they are hopeful new legislation will finally result in a stream of convictions and lengthy sentences for fraudsters behind a multimillion-dollar lottery scam that has swindled mostly elderly Americans out of their retirement savings for years.

Carnival flying stranded cruise passengers home Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (AP) — Passengers from the cruise ship Carnival Dream headed to the airport Thursday instead of sailing home after an on-board generator problem halted their trip in the latest maintenance headache for the world's largest cruise line.

New pope's views bind simplicity with 'complexity' Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:13 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — At gatherings of Latin American bishops, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was often a star speaker about economic inequities in a profit-driven world. He also has used the forums to warn fellow church leaders about drifting from core Catholic values and teachings.

Pope's partial lung shouldn't affect duties Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:15 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — The new pope has daunting challenges ahead ranging from the church sex abuse scandal to reinvigorating the flock.

Physicists say they have found a Higgs boson Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:30 PM PDT GENEVA (AP) — It helps solve one of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago.

Bad weather postpones return of 3 astronauts Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:52 PM PDT MOSCOW (AP) — Bad weather is delaying the return of three astronauts from the International Space Station.

Attack on Iraqi Justice Ministry kills 24 Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:21 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Attackers unleashed a carefully planned assault with car bombs and gunmen disguised as police on the Iraqi Justice Ministry on Thursday, killing at least 24 people as hundreds of others crouched terrified in their offices.

Argentina's pope goes for the Saints in soccer Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:30 PM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — He could have chosen the Devils. Instead he turned to the Saints.

Will unlikely coalition partners force new path for Israel? Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:18 PM PDT Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emerged from coalition negotiations politically bruised, but with a third administration in hand after being forced into concessions by an unlikely alliance between a dovish party new to the political scene and a party populated by settlement hawks.

Argentine pope: A reflection of Catholicism 'south of the equator' Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:11 PM PDT As news spread that the Catholic Church's most powerful position had gone to a non-European for the first time in more than 1,000 years residents of Argentina's capital were scrambling to double check their smartphones – and asking each other if the news was really true.

Trouble at the tribunal: Khmer Rouge leader Ieng Sary dies before conviction Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:38 AM PDT Ieng Sary, the former Khmer Rouge minister of foreign affairs, died this morning at the age of 87 in Phnom Penh, before he was convicted for his role in the communist regime's mass atrocities between 1975 and 1979.

African Catholics see hope in choice of non-European pope Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:28 AM PDT Catholics in Africa have greeted the election of the first Latin American pope with hope, saying his experience as a Christian leader in the Southern Hemisphere will help deal with the continent's many challenges, including poverty, governance, and underdevelopment.

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says UN proposal on women will destroy the world Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:02 AM PDT Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the power behind President Mohamed Morsi, usually makes its more incendiary statements in Arabic only. But such was the movement's horror at a United Nations proposal to reduce violence against women that it issued a statement in English today complaining that "the complete disintegration of society" would result if the UN adopts a set of recommendations from its Commission on the Status of Women.

Obama's Israel agenda: negotiate, visit sites – and dine with beauty queen Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:27 AM PDT In a 48-hour trip to Israel next week, President Obama will tick off the usual diplomatic visit boxes: meeting diplomats and visiting the country's historic sites.

Pope Francis: representative of God - and Latin America? Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:00 AM PDT The first-ever Latin American pope has prompted mixed reactions in the region, from sheer jubilation and tongue-in-cheek comments to serious questions about his relations with a former Argentine dictatorship and his position on same-sex unions that have gained approval in several Latin American nations in recent years.

Egypt's reviled police plead for understanding, support Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:52 AM PDT The police have withdrawn from the streets of the Suez Canal city of Port Said, and in the el-Sharq police station, officers in civilian clothes huddle around their weapons, waiting for an attack.

With Steven Seagal in tow, Putin pushes for Soviet-era phys-ed revival Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:14 AM PDT As he often likes to do, Vladimir Putin hobnobbed with a Hollywood celebrity – macho actor Steven Seagal – Wednesday.

Election of Pope Francis fuels hopes for Catholic reform Posted: 14 Mar 2013 07:00 AM PDT Less than 24 hours after his highly unexpected election as pope, there are high hopes that Francis will bring radical changes to the Catholic Church, which has had its standing battered by scandal and controversy in recent years.

India bars Italian envoy from leaving, escalating tensions over marines shooting incident Posted: 14 Mar 2013 06:41 AM PDT • A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

China's pig dumping scandal puts spotlight on illegal pork trade Posted: 14 Mar 2013 06:08 AM PDT The 6,000 rotting pigs floating toward Shanghai may pose a public health problem, but at least they are not part of a much greater threat. If they had not been thrown into the Huangpu River, it is emerging, they might well have ended up on dinner plates.

Pope Francis: A prelate who has preached against 'huge inequities' Posted: 13 Mar 2013 02:21 PM PDT The next leader of the Roman Catholic church combines a Jesuit intellectual mind with a life spent advocating for social justice and the poor, and in 2009 he made headlines for criticizing the government of Argentina for allowing "huge inequities" between the rich and the poor to develop.

Why Pope Francis is something of a surprise Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:12 PM PDT Habemas Papam, "We have a pope." And the name of the man to emerge on the balcony in Vatican City is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina.

Pope Francis I emerges to cheers of 'Viva il Papa' Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:42 PM PDT Jorge Bergoglio, a Jesuit from Argentina, was named as the new pope this evening, becoming the first pope from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. He took the name Francis I.

Syria's children: even their first words are now shaped by war Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:36 PM PDT When Sham, born during Syria's civil war, uttered her first word recently, it conveyed a great deal about how devastated her country is.

Tunisians invoke Macbeth to warn against a return of toil and trouble Posted: 13 Mar 2013 12:54 PM PDT In a Tunis theater last week, four actors representing four ordinary Tunisians not so long ago sat on stage clutching lifesize dolls of Tunisia's former dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Immigrants to Spain push back on evictions Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT Spain is gearing up for profound reforms to its eviction laws driven by deafening public pressure in which immigrants – particularly from Ecuador – stand out as quiet protagonists, both as victims and as advocates.

After years of nonviolent protest, could Kashmiris return to the gun? Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:19 AM PDT Heavily-armed rebels attacked a police compound in Srinagar, the main city of Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing five Indian paramilitaries on Wednesday before the government forces killed the two attackers.

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