Yahoo! News: World News

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• U.S., allies preparing for probable strike on Syria
• U.S. lawmaker says 'compelling' evidence of Syrian chemical attack
• U.S. envoy to visit North Korea over jailed American
• Son of Chinese general faces rape trial; raises anger over top families
• Divided Damascus apprehensive, hopeful over Western strike
• U.N. official urges Iran to sway Syria government on peace talks
• Hagel: US forces ready to strike Syria if ordered
• Momentum grows for military action against Syria
• US, allies going beyond UN to justify Syria action
• 'Twerking' bounces into Oxford dictionary
• Obama called Britain's Cameron again about Syria
• U.S., allies preparing for probable strike on Syria
• Fighting flares in Sudan's Blue Nile
• Madagascar ex-1st lady fails in bid to get in substitute candidate
• Syria carnage reopens debate over 'responsibility to protect'
• US sends envoy to N. Korea to seek citizen's release
• Attacks on young vigilantes kill 20 in Nigeria
• Scientists say existence of new element confirmed
• Rebels free Canadian hostage in Colombia: Red Cross
• Violent protests close South African university
• 3 peacekeepers shot and wounded in Sudan's Darfur: UNAMID
• US, allies going around UN to justify Syria action
• Syria vows to defend itself as West edges to action
• At least two killed in southern Egypt clash
• Thin veneer of normalcy in Syria's wartime capital
• Rousseff slams transfer of Bolivian exile to Brazil
• Romania says Canadian gold mine of national interest
• Wildfires rage in Spain, Portugal as fourth firefighter killed
• Lack of ads forces Canadian paper to cut holiday issue
• France says 'ready to punish' Syria regime
• US blaze grows to seventh biggest ever in California
• Canadian woman steals back stolen bicycle
• Punitive US strike on Syria not enough: experts
• Oil climbs above $109 a barrel on Syrian crisis
• Syria's diminished security forces
• Iran names envoy to UN nuclear watchdog
• U.S.: Not trying to take out Assad with Syria response

U.S., allies preparing for probable strike on Syria Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:04 PM PDT By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and William Maclean AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States and its allies were gearing up on Tuesday for a probable military strike against Syria that could happen within days as punishment for last week's chemical weapons attacks blamed on President Bashar al-Assad's government. Western powers have told the Syrian opposition to expect military action against Assad's forces soon, according to sources who attended a meeting between envoys and the Syrian National Coalition in Istanbul. Amid a quickening drumbeat of preparations, U.S. ...

U.S. lawmaker says 'compelling' evidence of Syrian chemical attack Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:38 PM PDT By Tabassum Zakaria WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. House intelligence committee said on Tuesday that the evidence is "convincing, if not compelling" that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind the chemical weapons attack near Damascus this month. Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican, said he has looked into the August 21 attack and spoken to U.S. government intelligence analysts and operators, but his committee did not receive a formal consultation from President Barack Obama's administration, despite the seriousness of the issue. ...

U.S. envoy to visit North Korea over jailed American Posted: 27 Aug 2013 04:40 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will send its North Korean human rights envoy to Pyongyang this week to seek the release of an imprisoned U.S. Christian missionary, the State Department said on Tuesday. Robert King, special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, will travel to Pyongyang on Friday at the invitation of the government on a "humanitarian mission focused on securing the release of U.S. citizen Kenneth Bae," the department said in a statement. King will ask North Korea to "pardon Mr. ...

Son of Chinese general faces rape trial; raises anger over top families Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:03 PM PDT By Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING (Reuters) - The teenage son of a prominent Chinese general goes on trial on Wednesday suspected of involvement in a gang rape in a case that has inflamed public anger at the offspring of the political elite who are widely seen as spoilt and reckless. Li Tianyi, 17, is among five men accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Beijing hotel in February, according to state media. His father is General Li Shuangjiang of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), who is a singer known for performing patriotic songs on television shows and at official events. ...

Divided Damascus apprehensive, hopeful over Western strike Posted: 27 Aug 2013 10:39 AM PDT DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Shops in Damascus are open, and traffic chokes the main thoroughfares, but the mood in the capital, exhausted by more than two years of civil war, is growing restive as Syria faces the prospect of a military strike by Western powers. Despite the bustle of daily life in those areas of the city not directly caught up in conflict, there is apprehension at what foreign intervention would look like but also hope. ...

U.N. official urges Iran to sway Syria government on peace talks Posted: 27 Aug 2013 12:31 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A top U.N. official visiting Iran has urged it to use its influence to persuade the Syrian government to attend planned peace talks with opposition groups in Geneva, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman has spent the past two days in Tehran meeting officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, to discuss trying to reach a political solution in Syria. "Mr Feltman shared the U.N. ...

Hagel: US forces ready to strike Syria if ordered Posted: 27 Aug 2013 04:17 PM PDT BANDER SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (AP) — U.S. forces are now ready to act on any order by President Barack Obama to strike Syria, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Tuesday.

Momentum grows for military action against Syria Posted: 27 Aug 2013 04:16 PM PDT DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Momentum appeared to build Tuesday for Western military action against Syria, with the U.S. and France saying they are in position for a strike, while the government in Damascus vowed to use all possible measures to repel it.

US, allies going beyond UN to justify Syria action Posted: 27 Aug 2013 04:05 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its allies are looking beyond the painfully divided U.N. Security Council to legitimize military action against Syria, trying to build a cohesive rationale for a strike and win broad international backing.

'Twerking' bounces into Oxford dictionary Posted: 27 Aug 2013 04:03 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — Twerking, the rump-busting up-and-down dance move long beloved on America's hip-hop scene, has officially gone mainstream. It's got the English dictionary entry to prove it.

Obama called Britain's Cameron again about Syria Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:46 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called British Prime Minister David Cameron about Syria again on Tuesday, the White House said, part of a flurry of international consultations he and his top officials have had with foreign leaders about how to respond to a chemical weapons attack by Syria on its citizens. Since the attack on Wednesday, Obama and his top officials have made a total of at least 88 phone calls to foreign leaders, the White House said, with Obama speaking twice to Cameron. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Eric Walsh)

U.S., allies preparing for probable strike on Syria Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:29 PM PDT By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and William Maclean AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States and its allies were gearing up on Tuesday for a probable military strike against Syria that could happen within days as punishment for last week's chemical weapons attacks blamed on President Bashar al-Assad's government. Western powers have told the Syrian opposition to expect military action against Assad's forces soon, according to sources who attended a meeting between envoys and the Syrian National Coalition in Istanbul. Amid a quickening drumbeat of preparations, U.S. ...

Fighting flares in Sudan's Blue Nile Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:23 PM PDT Fighting between government and rebel forces has flared in Sudan's Blue Nile state, both sides say.

Madagascar ex-1st lady fails in bid to get in substitute candidate Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:16 PM PDT A special electoral court in Madagascar on Tuesday rejected attempts by the former first lady to pick a replacement after she was disqualified from the presidential vote due in October.

Syria carnage reopens debate over 'responsibility to protect' Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:09 PM PDT France's President Francois Hollande on Tuesday became the first leader to raise the UN-backed "responsibility to protect" to justify possible military action against Syria.

US sends envoy to N. Korea to seek citizen's release Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:02 PM PDT The United States is to send a senior envoy to North Korea to seek the release of an ailing American citizen imprisoned there since November, the State Department said Tuesday.

Attacks on young vigilantes kill 20 in Nigeria Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:54 PM PDT MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Residents and officials say two attacks by suspected members of a Nigerian Islamic sect have killed at least 20 members of a vigilante group that fights the sect.

Scientists say existence of new element confirmed Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:30 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — Scientists in Sweden say they have confirmed the existence of a new chemical element, but its name may need some work.

Rebels free Canadian hostage in Colombia: Red Cross Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:22 PM PDT Colombia's leftist ELN rebels have freed a Canadian engineer in what they called a humanitarian gesture after holding him for more than seven months, the Red Cross said Tuesday.

Violent protests close South African university Posted: 27 Aug 2013 02:10 PM PDT Students at a South African university were ordered home on Tuesday after police used rubber bullets to put down their protests against a five-week strike by lecturers.

3 peacekeepers shot and wounded in Sudan's Darfur: UNAMID Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:59 PM PDT Three peacekeepers have been shot and wounded in Sudan's East Darfur region, the mission said on Tuesday, the second attack this month against Blue Helmets in the same area.

US, allies going around UN to justify Syria action Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:58 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.S. and its allies are looking beyond the painfully divided U.N. Security Council to legitimize military action against Syria.

Syria vows to defend itself as West edges to action Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:56 PM PDT Syria vowed Tuesday to defend itself as the United States and its allies edged closer to launching strikes against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, accused of deadly chemical weapons attacks.

At least two killed in southern Egypt clash Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:55 PM PDT CAIRO (Reuters) - At least two supporters of Egypt's deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi were killed in clashes with residents and security forces in the southern city of Beni Suef late on Tuesday, a security source said. Dozens were wounded when locals started fighting with hundreds of Islamist protesters marching through the city, and then government forces intervened to try and stop the violence, the source told Reuters. State newspaper al-Ahram cited a medical source as saying the two people were killed by live ammunition. ...

Thin veneer of normalcy in Syria's wartime capital Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:43 PM PDT DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Even in the capital of a country torn apart by civil war, Syrians have to find some way to enjoy themselves on a hot summer weekend.

Rousseff slams transfer of Bolivian exile to Brazil Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:40 PM PDT Brazil's president fumed at her diplomats Tuesday for helping a Bolivian dissident escape across the border without guaranteed safe passage -- an incident that prompted her foreign minister's resignation.

Romania says Canadian gold mine of national interest Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:38 PM PDT Romania's government on Tuesday approved a draft law granting national interest status to a Canadian gold mine project in Transylvania despite protests from historians and environmentalists.

Wildfires rage in Spain, Portugal as fourth firefighter killed Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:28 PM PDT Firefighters and local residents struggled Tuesday to tackle raging wildfires that have consumed large swathes of forest in Portugal and Spain, claiming the lives of four emergency workers.

Lack of ads forces Canadian paper to cut holiday issue Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:24 PM PDT Canada's national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, announced to subscribers Tuesday that it will not publish on this upcoming Labour Day due to a lack of advertising revenues.

France says 'ready to punish' Syria regime Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:18 PM PDT French President Francois Hollande upped the ante on Syria Tuesday, pledging to "punish" the regime over suspected chemical attacks and boost military support for the opposition.

US blaze grows to seventh biggest ever in California Posted: 27 Aug 2013 05:01 PM PDT The wildfire threatening Yosemite National Park grew Tuesday to become the seventh biggest ever in California, as firefighters battled to keep ash from contaminating San Francisco's main water supply.

Canadian woman steals back stolen bicycle Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:10 PM PDT A Vancouver woman earned widespread notoriety Tuesday for stealing back her bicycle from a thief after seeing it advertised online.

Punitive US strike on Syria not enough: experts Posted: 27 Aug 2013 01:02 PM PDT A punitive salvo of US cruise missiles of the kind being contemplated in Washington will do little to bring Bashar al-Assad's chemical-armed Syrian regime to heel, experts warn.

Oil climbs above $109 a barrel on Syrian crisis Posted: 27 Aug 2013 12:39 PM PDT The price of oil closed above $109 a barrel, its highest level in a year and a half, as the U.S. edged closer to intervening in Syria's civil war.

Syria's diminished security forces Posted: 27 Aug 2013 12:28 PM PDT Following is a breakdown of estimated security forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to the The Military Balance 2013, published in March by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

Iran names envoy to UN nuclear watchdog Posted: 27 Aug 2013 12:27 PM PDT Iran appointed career diplomat Reza Najafi as its new ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

U.S.: Not trying to take out Assad with Syria response Posted: 27 Aug 2013 12:20 PM PDT Any strikes wouldn't be for "regime change," White House insists.

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