Yahoo! News: World News

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• Turkish deputy PM seeks to calm anti-government protests
• France says tests prove Syria used nerve gas; U.S. sends Patriots to Jordan
• Analysis: Glimmer of hope for cash-starved Pakistan economy as Sharif takes over
• New generation of defectors expose North Korean abuses
• Egypt convicts 43, including Americans, in NGO case
• Brazil tries to defuse conflicts with Indians over land, dams
• Military brass, senators united against sexual assault but at odds on remedy
• Erdo-gone? After Taksim, Turkish Leader’s Political Future May Hang in the Balance
• How much did IRS spend filming 'Star Trek' spoof?
• Mammoth Oklahoma tornado was widest ever recorded – almost strongest, too
• New push at OAS for US to alter anti-drug approach
• France, Britain confirm use of sarin gas in Syria
• Turkey's street protests get personal
• Syrian army advances in Qusair and Damascus suburb
• Egypt convicts NGO workers, including 16 Americans
• Kerry makes first Latin America trip in office
• Obama to press China's Xi to act against cyber spying
• U.N. envoys on a red London bus in New York? Too risky police say
• Chinese President Xi Jinping
• U.S. sending Patriot missiles to Jordan, may remain beyond drills
• Ill woman denied abortion recovers after C-section
• Amnesty Int'l: Disappearances in Mexico a 'crisis'
• Food rationing to begin in big Venezuelan state
• Turkish gov't offers apology as protests continue
• France says Syria government used sarin, all options open
• Egyptian blogger faces new charges, kept in jail - state media
• France, Britain confirms use of sarin gas in Syria
• Suicide bomber botches attack in Mali
• Moscow mayor, Putin ally, says to quit and run in snap election
• U.S. could extend deployment of Patriot missiles in Jordan

Turkish deputy PM seeks to calm anti-government protests Posted: 04 Jun 2013 09:39 AM PDT By Alexandra Hudson and Jonathon Burch ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's deputy prime minister apologized on Tuesday for "excessive violence" by police in an effort to defuse days of unrest, comments which contrasted sharply with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's defiant dismissal of the protesters. With Erdogan abroad and strikes and demonstrations still rumbling on after five days, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc sought to assuage some of the anger at the government's initial hardline response to what began as a sit-in against plans to build on an Istanbul park. ...

France says tests prove Syria used nerve gas; U.S. sends Patriots to Jordan Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:12 PM PDT By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - France said on Tuesday it had performed tests that proved President Bashar al-Assad's forces had used nerve gas in Syria's civil war, a "red line" that the United States and other countries have repeatedly said would demand a response. Washington separately said it would deploy Patriot missiles and F-16 fighter jets to Syria's neighbor Jordan for a military exercise and perhaps longer. Russia, Assad's main international backer, criticized the move and accused the West of inflaming the conflict by sending arms to the war zone. ...

Analysis: Glimmer of hope for cash-starved Pakistan economy as Sharif takes over Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:14 PM PDT By Tomasz Janowski ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's economy is in its worst shape in nearly a decade and yet there is a sense of hope that the incoming government not only seems to know what is needed to fix it but, for once, may also have enough determination and clout to do it. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif swept back to power in last month's election, riding a wave of public anger at rival Pakistan People's Party's failure to tackle endemic corruption, power cuts and militant violence. ...

New generation of defectors expose North Korean abuses Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:07 PM PDT By Michelle Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - From the streets of Seoul to the European parliament, a new generation of North Korean defectors is stepping into the limelight, telling their personal stories to highlight the human rights abuses in their homeland. It's a major change for the defector community, especially in South Korea, where for years they lived on the margins of society. Most did menial jobs and kept quiet, avoiding attention for fear of being labeled a "Red" or a "Sympathiser with the North". Not any more. ...

Egypt convicts 43, including Americans, in NGO case Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:53 PM PDT By Shaimaa Fayed and Maggie Fick CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court convicted 43 Americans, Europeans, Egyptians and other Arabs on Tuesday in a case against democracy promotion groups that plunged U.S.-Egyptian ties into their worst crisis in decades. Judge Makram Awad gave five-year sentences to 27 defendants tried in absentia including 15 U.S. citizens. Another American who stayed for trial was given a two-year sentence but left Egypt on Tuesday on the advice of his lawyers. A German woman was also given a two-year sentence. U.S. ...

Brazil tries to defuse conflicts with Indians over land, dams Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:23 PM PDT By Anthony Boadle and Caroline Stauffer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Lawmakers from the Brazilian farm state of Mato Grosso do Sul asked President Dilma Rousseff's government on Tuesday to send troops to end land invasions by Indians claiming their ancestral territory. Justice Minister Jose Cardozo said a request for troops would have to come from the state governor and announced he will meet with the Indians on Thursday in a bid to reach a settlement. The government is seeking to defuse mounting conflicts with indigenous tribes over farm land and hydroelectric dams in the Amazon. ...

Military brass, senators united against sexual assault but at odds on remedy Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:22 PM PDT Top military leaders who were called to Capitol Hill on Tuesday received a dressing down from lawmakers for their continued failure to curb the rising incidence of sexual assault within the ranks.

Erdo-gone? After Taksim, Turkish Leader’s Political Future May Hang in the Balance Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:28 PM PDT By Sunday night, most of the businesses on Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul's biggest pedestrian street, seemed to have had their front teeth knocked in. ATM screens glared and winked stupidly from behind broken glass monitors. Display windows were smashed up, facades and metal shutters covered with anti-government graffiti. Near Bekar Street, young people had taken over a number of buildings. Music, along with leftist banners, wafted out from their windows. ...

How much did IRS spend filming 'Star Trek' spoof? Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:05 PM PDT IRS staff members produced a spoof "Star Trek" video for an agency conference in Southern California in 2010, according to a just-released Treasury Department audit.

Mammoth Oklahoma tornado was widest ever recorded – almost strongest, too Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:26 PM PDT The tornado that ripped through El Reno, Okla., on Friday was the widest tornado ever recorded and had winds that hit nearly 300 miles per hour, close to the highest wind speed ever measured, the National Weather Service reported Tuesday.

New push at OAS for US to alter anti-drug approach Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:37 PM PDT ANTIGUA, Guatemala (AP) — Latin American countries frustrated by the United States' refusal to change its drug war strategy are pushing the U.S. government to look at alternatives to a fight that has killed tens of thousands in a region beset by drug cartels.

France, Britain confirm use of sarin gas in Syria Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:10 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — France said Tuesday it has confirmed that the nerve gas sarin was used "multiple times and in a localized way" in Syria, including at least once by the regime. It was the most specific claim by any Western power about chemical weapons attacks in the 27-month-old conflict.

Turkey's street protests get personal Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:18 PM PDT Brash and stubborn, Turkey's leader doesn't shrink from a scrap. His voice booms when he gets on a podium and his folksy zingers enthrall supporters as much as they repulse opponents. That trademark combativeness, though, is fueling protests against his government.

Syrian army advances in Qusair and Damascus suburb Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:10 AM PDT DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian troops advanced toward the center of the strategic town of Qusair near the border with Lebanon and chased rebels from another key district on the edge of Damascus on Tuesday, officials said, solidifying gains that have shifted the balance of power in the regime's favor in recent weeks.

Egypt convicts NGO workers, including 16 Americans Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:04 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced 43 non-profit workers, including the son of the U.S. secretary of transportation and 15 other Americans, to prison in a case against foreign-funded pro-democracy groups.

Kerry makes first Latin America trip in office Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:51 PM PDT GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is demanding reforms in the 35-nation Organization of American States as he visits Latin America for the first time since taking office.

Obama to press China's Xi to act against cyber spying Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:51 PM PDT By Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will tell Chinese President Xi Jinping at a California summit this week that Washington considers Beijing responsible for any cyber attacks launched from Chinese soil and must take action to curb high-tech spying, White House officials said on Tuesday. Underscoring growing U.S. suspicions of a Chinese role in cyber espionage that has targeted U.S. government entities and major corporations, aides to Obama made clear the issue would be high on the agenda at a relatively informal retreat to begin on Friday. ...

U.N. envoys on a red London bus in New York? Too risky police say Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:45 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council has traveled to conflict zones all over the world, but a plan to drive the 15 ambassadors through the streets of New York in a red double-decker bus was deemed too risky, Britain's U.N. envoy and police said on Tuesday. Britain's U.N. mission used the red bus - a public transport fixture on the streets of London - to publicize Britain taking over the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of June and to promote tourism in the United Kingdom. ...

Chinese President Xi Jinping Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:26 PM PDT (Reuters) - China's new president, Xi Jinping, is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama this week at a private estate in Rancho Mirage, California. Here are some key facts about the Chinese leader. Position: President of the People's Republic of China Incumbent: Xi Jinping Date of birth: June 1953 Term: March 2013 to March 2023 - As leader of the most populous country on earth, Xi took up his post as president in 2013 in the second planned, orderly transition since the Communist revolution in 1949. ...

U.S. sending Patriot missiles to Jordan, may remain beyond drills Posted: 04 Jun 2013 04:19 PM PDT WASHINGTON/AMMAN (Reuters) - The United States will deploy Patriot missiles and F-16 fighter jets to Jordan for military exercises this month and may consider keeping them there longer, in consultation with Jordan, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. The disclosure drew swift condemnation from Moscow, which accused the West of sending weapons to fuel Syria's civil war. The Eager Lion exercises - held annually with a theme of irregular warfare - will include more than 8,000 service members from about 19 countries, one U.S. official said, adding the drills would run from June 9 to 20. ...

Ill woman denied abortion recovers after C-section Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:59 PM PDT SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — An ill Salvadoran woman who delivered a baby without a brain through a cesarean section after being denied a medical abortion is recovering well and has had her tubes tied as she requested, doctors said Tuesday.

Amnesty Int'l: Disappearances in Mexico a 'crisis' Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:18 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — The number of unsolved disappearances in Mexico constitutes a national scandal and a human rights crisis, Amnesty International said Tuesday, citing what it called a systematic failure by police and prosecutors to investigate thousands of cases that have piled up since 2006.

Food rationing to begin in big Venezuelan state Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:55 PM PDT CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — In a sign Venezuela's food shortages could be worsening, restrictions on the sale of 20 basic items subject to price controls, including toilet paper and chicken, are set to begin next week in its most populous state, officials said Tuesday.

Turkish gov't offers apology as protests continue Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:43 PM PDT ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's deputy prime minister offered an apology Tuesday for the government's violent crackdown on an environmental protest, a calculated bid to ease days of anti-government rallies in the country's major cities.

France says Syria government used sarin, all options open Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:41 PM PDT By John Irish and Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that there was no doubt the Syrian government had used nerve agent sarin against rebels, and that all options, including military action, were under consideration. Increasing reports from the battlefield of the use of chemical weapons have lent urgency to a new diplomatic push to end the war and fuelled some calls for Western intervention in the conflict. Speaking on France 2 television, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said some samples tested by Paris proved that the Syrian government had used sarin. ...

Egyptian blogger faces new charges, kept in jail - state media Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:40 PM PDT CAIRO (Reuters) - A prominent Egyptian blogger convicted of insulting Islamist president Mohamed Mursi is facing fresh charges of inciting violence, judicial sources said on Tuesday, in a case that has triggered accusations of a crackdown on dissent. Ahmed Douma was sentenced to six months in jail on Monday for calling Mursi a criminal and a murderer in media interviews. He was initially allowed to pay 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($720) bail to leave prison pending an appeal, but the new charge meant he would now stay behind bars, state media reported. ...

France, Britain confirms use of sarin gas in Syria Posted: 04 Jun 2013 02:10 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — France said Tuesday it has confirmed that the nerve gas sarin was used "multiple times and in a localized way" in Syria, including at least once by the regime. It was the most specific claim by any Western power about chemical weapons attacks in the 27-month-old conflict.

Suicide bomber botches attack in Mali Posted: 04 Jun 2013 01:55 PM PDT By Tiemoko Diallo and Adama Diarra BAMAKO (Reuters) - A suspected Islamist suicide bomber blew himself up but caused no other casualties in an attack in the northern Malian town of Kidal, the bastion of Tuareg separatist MNLA rebels, witnesses said on Tuesday. A day after the government accused the MNLA of ethnic violence in Kidal, the Malian army said its troops were moving towards the town. The government has vowed to return its troops to Kidal before a presidential election next month. ...

Moscow mayor, Putin ally, says to quit and run in snap election Posted: 04 Jun 2013 01:41 PM PDT MOSCOW (Reuters) - One of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies said on Tuesday he would resign as Moscow mayor and stand in snap elections, seeking a new five-year term. Opposition leaders, who hope to reinvigorate flagging street protest against Putin's 13-year rule with a rally next week, criticized the move, saying it was timed to rob them of the chance to campaign for a rival candidate. Polls show Mayor Sergei Sobyanin is all but guaranteed to win, ensuring Putin would have his man running the capital if the president seeks a fourth term in elections in 2018. ...

U.S. could extend deployment of Patriot missiles in Jordan Posted: 04 Jun 2013 01:34 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States could consider extending the deployment of Patriot missiles and F-16 fighter jets beyond the end of military exercises scheduled to begin later in June, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We will consider extending the deployment of assets associated with Eager Lion in consultation of the government of Jordan," the official said, referring to the "Eager Lion" military exercises by name. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Eric Beech)

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