Yahoo! News: World News

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• Western, Arab states to step up Syrian rebel support
• Iraq attacks kill more than 30
• Mursi's controversial Islamist Luxor governor to quit: party
• Turkish police break up protest, PM lambasts opponents
• Left seeks to unseat Albania's Berisha in tense election
• Vatican paper contests study on alleged Nazi collaborator
• Brazil: 150K protest against govt corruption
• U.S. seeks Snowden's extradition, urges Hong Kong to act quickly
• French President Hollande's popularity down again: poll
• AP PHOTOS: Brazil protesters take to streets again
• Rivers receding in Calgary, 3 dead in floods
• Deposed Honduran leader's wife leads in polls
• Turkish police unleash water cannon on protests
• Gaza singer gives Palestinians a reason to smile
• US to Hong Kong: Don't delay Snowden extradition
• 'Friends of Syria' agree to give urgent rebel aid
• Police disperse protesters in Istanbul square
• Brazil: Thousands protest anew, but crowds smaller
• Snowden's return to US could be legal battle
• Syrian regime, rebels step up offensives
• Tension 'undeniable' as German and Turkish ministers meet
• US: Taliban must show good faith in Afghan talks
• Kerry: Syria urgently needs a political solution
• Turkish police fire water cannon on Istanbul protesters
• Jordan says 900 US troops boost defense in country
• One dead, thousands without power after storms hit U.S. Midwest
• Shi'ite man shot dead in Saudi Arabia
• Assad lifts Syrian wages after conflict hikes prices
• Patriarch leads candlelit vigil for Syria's kidnapped bishops
• Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 23 in Iraq attacks
• Al Qaeda says hostages in North Africa alive, open to talks
• Kerry presses Taliban to revive Afghan peace bid
• Suicide bomber kills 14 in Iraqi mosque
• Egypt opposition opens to former autocrat's party

Western, Arab states to step up Syrian rebel support Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:23 PM PDT By Yara Bayoumy and Amena Bakr DOHA (Reuters) - International opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed on Saturday to give urgent military support to Western-backed rebels, aiming to stem a counter-offensive by Assad's forces and offset the growing power of jihadist fighters. Assad's recapture of the strategic border town of Qusair, spearheaded by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, and an expected assault on the divided northern city of Aleppo have alarmed supporters of the Syrian opposition. The U.S. ...

Iraq attacks kill more than 30 Posted: 22 Jun 2013 01:48 PM PDT BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Shi'ite mosque in northern Baghdad killing at least 12 people during evening prayers, police and medics said, in the deadliest of a series of attacks that claimed more than 30 lives across Iraq on Saturday. Sectarian tensions in Iraq and the wider region have been inflamed by the civil war in Syria, where mainly Sunni Muslim rebels are fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, whose Alawite sect derives from Shi'ite Islam. ...

Mursi's controversial Islamist Luxor governor to quit: party Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:41 PM PDT By Yasmine Saleh CAIRO (Reuters) - The governor of Egypt's Luxor province, controversially appointed despite belonging to a hardline Islamist group that massacred 58 tourists in Luxor in 1997, will step down on Sunday "for the sake of Egypt", the group said. President Mohamed Mursi of the moderate Islamist Muslim Brotherhood infuriated many last Monday with his appointment of Adel Mohamed al-Khayat, reaching out for a political alliance with the more radical al-Gamaa al-Islamiya ahead of a big wave of opposition-led protests expected to start on June 30. ...

Turkish police break up protest, PM lambasts opponents Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:01 PM PDT By Daren Butler and Nick Tattersall ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish riot police fired water cannon to disperse thousands of anti-government demonstrators in Istanbul on Saturday, as Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan castigated those behind protests he said had played into the hands of Turkey's enemies. The latest unrest in Taksim Square punctured six days of relative calm in Turkey's biggest city, although it was a long way from matching the ferocity of previous clashes there and in other cities that began more than three weeks ago. ...

Left seeks to unseat Albania's Berisha in tense election Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:04 PM PDT By Matt Robinson TIRANA (Reuters) - A united left in Albania seeks to unseat Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Sunday in an election watched closely by the West less for the result than the conduct, given rising concern over the state of democracy in the NATO country. Berisha, a fiery former cardiologist, is bidding for a third successive four-year term, unprecedented in Albania since the fall of its hardline communist regime in 1991. ...

Vatican paper contests study on alleged Nazi collaborator Posted: 22 Jun 2013 01:33 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican newspaper said on Saturday a decision by scholars to brand a wartime Italian previously praised for saving Jews as a Nazi collaborator was part of an attempt to smear the Catholic Church during the papacy of Pope Pius XII. An article, titled "To Strike at the Church of Pius XII" and written by historian Anna Foa, said the decision to re-classify Giovanni Palatucci, a Catholic, as a collaborator was at best hasty and more study was needed. ...

Brazil: 150K protest against govt corruption Posted: 22 Jun 2013 04:54 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — About 150,000 anti-government demonstrators again took to streets in several Brazilian cities Saturday and engaged police in some isolated, intense conflicts. Anger over political corruption emerged as the unifying issue for the demonstrators, who vowed to stay in the streets until concrete steps are taken to reform the political system.

U.S. seeks Snowden's extradition, urges Hong Kong to act quickly Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:40 PM PDT By Steve Holland and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Saturday it wants Hong Kong to extradite Edward Snowden and urged it to act quickly, paving the way for what could be a lengthy legal battle to prosecute the former National Security Agency contractor on espionage charges. Legal sources say Snowden, who is believed to be hiding in Hong Kong, has sought legal representation from human rights lawyers since leaking details about secret U.S. surveillance activities to news media. ...

French President Hollande's popularity down again: poll Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:38 PM PDT PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande's popularity was back to record lows in June after inching up in May, according to an Ifop poll carried out for French newspaper Journal du Dimanche. The survey for publication on Sunday showed 26 percent of those interviewed were satisfied with Hollande's performance, down 3 percentage points, while 73 percent were dissatisfied, up 2 points. The proportion of people satisfied with Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also declined 2 points to 31 percent. ...

AP PHOTOS: Brazil protesters take to streets again Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:37 PM PDT Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators again took to streets in several Brazilian cities Saturday, hours after President Dilma Rousseff broke a long silence to promise reforms.

Rivers receding in Calgary, 3 dead in floods Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:16 PM PDT CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The two rivers that converge on the western Canadian city of Calgary are receding Saturday after floods devastated much of southern Alberta province, causing at least three deaths and forcing thousands to evacuate.

Deposed Honduran leader's wife leads in polls Posted: 22 Jun 2013 03:10 PM PDT TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Manuel Zelaya was unceremoniously booted from power four years ago when Honduras' army hustled him out of the country in his pajamas, a coup prompted by fears among Honduras' business and political elite that he was getting too hungry for power.

Turkish police unleash water cannon on protests Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:55 PM PDT ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish police used water cannon to disperse thousands gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square on Saturday to observe a memorial for four people killed during recent anti-government protests. The officers later fired tear gas and rubber bullets, and in some cases beat people with batons, to scatter demonstrators who regrouped in side streets.

Gaza singer gives Palestinians a reason to smile Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:54 PM PDT GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians relished a rare moment of pride and national unity Saturday after a 23-year-old wedding singer from a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip won "Arab Idol," a regional TV singing contest watched by millions of people.

US to Hong Kong: Don't delay Snowden extradition Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:51 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Saturday sharply warned Hong Kong against slow-walking the extradition of Edward Snowden, reflecting concerns over a prolonged legal battle before the government contractor ever appears in a U.S. courtroom to answer espionage charges for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs.

'Friends of Syria' agree to give urgent rebel aid Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:48 PM PDT DOHA (Reuters) - Western and Arab countries opposed to President Bashar al-Assad agreed at talks in Qatar on Saturday to give urgent military support to Syrian rebels fighting for his overthrow, and to channel it through a Western-backed rebel military command. Ministers from the 11 main countries which form the Friends of Syria group agreed "to provide urgently all the necessary materiel and equipment to the opposition on the ground, each country in its own way in order to enable them to counter brutal attacks by the regime and its allies". ...

Police disperse protesters in Istanbul square Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:27 PM PDT ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish police used water cannon to disperse thousands gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square on Saturday to observe a memorial for four people killed during recent anti-government protests. The officers later fired tear gas and rubber bullets to scatter demonstrators who regrouped in side streets.

Brazil: Thousands protest anew, but crowds smaller Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:08 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators again took to streets in several Brazilian cities Saturday after the president broke a long silence to promise reforms, but the early protests were smaller and less violent than those of recent days.

Snowden's return to US could be legal battle Posted: 22 Jun 2013 01:50 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The criminal case against Edward Snowden could turn into a prolonged legal battle before the former contractor who says he revealed two highly classified surveillance programs ever appears in a U.S. courtroom to answer espionage charges.

Syrian regime, rebels step up offensives Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:54 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces stepped up their attack against rebel strongholds north of the capital, Damascus on Saturday, while opposition fighters declared their own offensive in the country's largest city Aleppo.

Tension 'undeniable' as German and Turkish ministers meet Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:52 PM PDT By Sarah Marsh BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister said tensions with Ankara were undeniable after he met his Turkish counterpart on Saturday amid a row over Berlin's criticism of a crackdown on protesters in Turkey and its reluctance to see Turkey join the EU. Germany and Turkey on Friday summoned each other's ambassadors for tit-for-tat reproaches after Merkel said she was "appalled" by Ankara's response to the protests, and a Turkish cabinet minister accused her of blocking Turkey's accession to the EU because she was "looking for domestic political material for her elections". ...

US: Taliban must show good faith in Afghan talks Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:29 PM PDT DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The Taliban signaled a willingness to meet demands to keep their flag lowered as the U.S. warned Saturday that their newly opened political office in Qatar might have to be closed as talks aimed at ending nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan remained in limbo.

Kerry: Syria urgently needs a political solution Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:21 PM PDT DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Unless the bloodshed in Syria stops, the region could descend into a chaotic sectarian conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday, as he called for an urgent political resolution to the war that has dragged on for two years and claimed 93,000 lives.

Turkish police fire water cannon on Istanbul protesters Posted: 22 Jun 2013 12:20 PM PDT ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish riot police fired water cannon to clear thousands of protesters from Istanbul's Taksim Square on Saturday, the first such confrontation there in nearly a week. The crowd quickly scattered, and water cannon trucks parked at several entry points to Taksim to prevent people from regrouping. People living around the square banged pots and pans, a sign of solidarity with protesters throughout more than three weeks of unrest in Istanbul and other cities across Turkey. Demonstrators shouted "Police, don't betray your people!". ...

Jordan says 900 US troops boost defense in country Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:59 AM PDT AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Some 900 U.S. military personnel, including dozens staying on from joint military drills, are in Jordan to bolster its defense and prevent the Syrian civil war from spreading across its border, Jordan's prime minister said Saturday.

One dead, thousands without power after storms hit U.S. Midwest Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:53 AM PDT By Eric M. Johnson (Reuters) - One woman is dead and more than 200,000 homes and businesses are without power in the upper Midwest on Saturday after severe thunderstorms struck parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin with damaging winds, lightning and baseball-sized hail. ...

Shi'ite man shot dead in Saudi Arabia Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:50 AM PDT RIYADH (Reuters) - A Shi'ite man was shot dead late on Friday in the fractious Qatif district of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, home to many of its Shi'ite Muslim minority. The shooting brings to 19 the death toll since early 2011 during protests by Shi'ites demanding equal rights with the Sunni majority, and in clashes with police in the towns and villages around Qatif. Shi'ite activists said the 19-year-old Shi'ite was shot in his car by a stray bullet fired by police when they fired at another person on a motorbike. ...

Assad lifts Syrian wages after conflict hikes prices Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:45 AM PDT BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad ordered pay rises for Syrian soldiers and government employees on Saturday to address steep increases in the cost of living caused by the two-year uprising against his rule. State media said the pay hikes would raise monthly wages by 40 percent for the first 10,000 Syrian pounds ($50), tapering to 5 percent for monthly pay above 30,000 pounds. Retired state employees would get more modest rises, it said. Sharp falls in the Syrian pound have driven up the price of many goods in recent days. ...

Patriarch leads candlelit vigil for Syria's kidnapped bishops Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:45 AM PDT BEIRUT (Reuters) - Christians in Lebanon held a candlelit vigil on Saturday for two archbishops captured in Syria in April, appealing to their kidnappers to free them and urging Syrian security forces to do more to win their release. Patriarch of Antioch John Yazigi led around 300 people in the vigil near the Lebanese city of Tripoli to call for the release of his brother, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi, and Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim. ...

Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 23 in Iraq attacks Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:37 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — A suicide bombing inside a Shiite mosque during evening prayers and other attacks north of Baghdad killed 23 people in Iraq on Saturday, as officials announced preliminary results for local elections in two provinces that showed the bloc of the country's speaker of parliament in the lead.

Al Qaeda says hostages in North Africa alive, open to talks Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:29 AM PDT By Bate Felix DAKAR (Reuters) - Eight European hostages, including five from France, being held by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are safe, the Islamist group said in a statement posted on its Twitter account on Saturday. The statement coincided with rallies across France organized by the families of French hostages who were seized in Niger in September 2010 to mark more than 1,000 days of captivity. French newspapers reported this week that the hostages had been transferred to Algeria and were in the hands of AQIM's new chief, Yahia Abou el Hamam. ...

Kerry presses Taliban to revive Afghan peace bid Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:27 AM PDT By Lesley Wroughton and Yara Bayoumy DOHA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry put the onus on the Taliban to revive stalled efforts to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war and warned the militants on Saturday they might lose their new office in Qatar if the peace bid collapsed. U.S. officials were due to hold preliminary discussions with the Taliban in Qatar last Thursday - but they were called off after the Afghan government objected to the fanfare surrounding the militants' opening of an office in the Gulf state. "We need to see if we can get back on track ... ...

Suicide bomber kills 14 in Iraqi mosque Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:07 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has blown himself up inside a Shiite mosque north of Baghdad, killing 14 and wounding 32 others.

Egypt opposition opens to former autocrat's party Posted: 22 Jun 2013 11:06 AM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's largest opposition bloc on Saturday reached out to former members of the deposed president's party, ahead of mass protests on June 30 demanding the ouster of his successor.

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