Yahoo! News: World News

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• Syria rebel chieftain killed; Assad forces bomb besieged town
• Police hunt gunman in Paris after newspaper, bank shootings
• Kerry presses Iran to prove its nuclear program peaceful
• Nine reported dead as storms hit Italian island of Sardinia
• Protesters rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square against security forces
• U.S. to keep Patriot missiles in Turkey for up to another year
• Survivors of deadly U.S. Midwest tornado sift through wreckage
• Argentina's Fernandez returns from surgery, names new economy minister
• Carbon monoxide poisoning killed Colorado miners
• NASA launches spacecraft to study Mars atmosphere
• Toronto council strips mayor of most powers
• Couple bid to look after Alps murders children
• Video shows near-vertical crash of Russian plane
• Global carbon emissions rise to new record in 2013: report
• Better intel will stop militants entering Syria: Turkey FM
• Toronto council curbs Mayor Ford's powers after chaotic debate
• Operator at Japan's Fukushima starts hazardous year-long fuel removal
• Turkey: No tolerance for militants headed to Syria
• Chaotic scene as Toronto strips crack mayor of powers
• Ban says up to 9,000 troops needed for Central Africa
• Gerrard confident England will avoid Germany rout
• Argentina's Fernandez resumes work after surgery
• Australian takes seriously Indonesian spy concerns
• Colorado creates rules to reduce fracking emissions
• White House pushes to loosen Gitmo transfer rules
• Putin tells Rouhani of 'real chance' for Iran nuclear deal
• Japan's solar dream shatters as projects fail
• UN climate chief calls on coal industry to change
• U.S. exploring options for destroying Syria chemical weapons: Kerry
• Police hunt gunman after Paris attacks
• Carbon monoxide poisoning blamed in deaths of two Colorado miners
• Hundreds in Egypt mark anniversary of army protests
• Greece in talks to resolve budget gap disagreement
• Toronto council poised to strip mayor of powers

Syria rebel chieftain killed; Assad forces bomb besieged town Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:40 PM PST By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and Dominic Evans AMMAN/ARSAL, Lebanon (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad's forces fired rocket and artillery barrages on a besieged mountain town near Lebanon on Monday in a push to capture the strategic area following advances against rebels in Damascus and in the north of Syria. In a separate setback for the fighters, a prominent rebel leader died overnight in a Turkish hospital of wounds suffered in an air raid on Aleppo. ...

Police hunt gunman in Paris after newspaper, bank shootings Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:47 AM PST By Gérard Bon PARIS (Reuters) - Police were hunting a lone gunman on the loose in Paris on Monday after he opened fire with a shotgun at the offices of a left-wing newspaper and a major bank before hijacking a car to take him to the Champs-Elysees avenue. The assailant burst into the office of the Liberation daily in central Paris, shooting and seriously wounding a photographer's assistant before fleeing, police and staff at the newspaper said. About 90 minutes later, he fired at least three shots into the lobby of the suburban headquarters of Societe Generale in the La Defense business district 10 km (6 miles) west of the center, the prosecutor said. President Francois Hollande, speaking from Jerusalem, said he had asked his interior minister to use all possible means to find the gunman, "who tried to kill and could still do so".

Kerry presses Iran to prove its nuclear program peaceful Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:18 PM PST By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday pressed Iran to finalize an agreement that can prove to the world its nuclear program is peaceful, but said he has "no specific expectations" for talks in Geneva this week between major powers and Iran. Last week, a senior U.S. official said the six major powers and Iran are getting closer to an initial agreement, but Kerry appeared to tamp down expectations two days before talks resume. Kerry said he hoped "Iran will understand the importance of coming there prepared to create a document that can prove to the world this is a peaceful program." "I am not going to negotiate this in public. The talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 powers, comprising the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, resume in Geneva on November 20.

Nine reported dead as storms hit Italian island of Sardinia Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:42 PM PST Nine people died and hundreds were evacuated when storms tore through the Italian island of Sardinia on Monday night, sweeping cars away and causing a bridge to collapse, local media reported. Television pictures showed torrential rain, with streets submerged in muddy floodwaters and rivers bursting their banks. "We're at maximum alert," Giorgio Cicalo, an official from the Civil Protection Authority in Sardinia told RAI state television. Especially because it's been across the whole island." Local newspapers Unione Sarda and Nuova Sardegna reported in their online editions that nine people had been killed with the storm still raging but it was not immediately possible to confirm the figure with local officials.

Protesters rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square against security forces Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:20 PM PST By Maggie Fick and Omar Fahmy CAIRO (Reuters) - About 1,000 people marched in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Monday night to condemn the actions of Egyptian security forces and some voiced rare criticism of the army chief, raising tension on the eve of planned mass protests. Large numbers of demonstrators were expected to turn out on Tuesday, extending turmoil that has dogged Egypt since the army ousted elected Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and has wrecked investment and tourism in the major, U.S.-allied Arab state. Monday's rally began in the afternoon to commemorate people killed in clashes with security forces two years ago, then turned into chanting against General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose forces toppled Mursi in July. Army and police who had been stationed by armored personnel carriers after sealing off Tahrir melted away by the time the protesters arrived at the square, the heart of the 2011 popular uprising that ejected autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

U.S. to keep Patriot missiles in Turkey for up to another year Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:10 PM PST Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the Turkish foreign minister on Monday the United States would keep its two Patriot missile batteries in Turkey for up to another year, the Pentagon said. "The United States has decided to continue its contribution of two Patriot batteries under NATO command and control for up to one additional year, in response to Turkey's request," the Defense Department said in statement after Hagel met with Ahmet Davutoglu at the Pentagon.

Survivors of deadly U.S. Midwest tornado sift through wreckage Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:08 PM PST By Mary Wisniewski WASHINGTON, Illinois (Reuters) - When a powerful tornado bore down on the small city of Washington, Illinois, on Sunday, Ryan Bowers took his wife's advice and sheltered in the basement with their 2-1/2-month-old daughter and their dogs. Winds of up to 200 miles per hour leveled their home, along with a large swath of the city of 15,000 people east of Peoria, but the Bowers survived, as did almost all of their neighbors. The twister, part of a fast-moving storm that hammered much of the Midwest, killed eight people in Illinois and Michigan, but many survived thanks to quick reactions like Bowers's and because their homes had basements to flee to. "I have to believe that 90 percent of those people who survived were probably in their basement, taking cover, or at church," said Washington Mayor Gary Manier, who noted that he was among the many town residents who were in church when they heard warning sirens.

Argentina's Fernandez returns from surgery, names new economy minister Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:02 PM PST By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez burst back on the scene on Monday after a five-week absence following surgery, naming as economy minister the government's point man in its 2012 seizure of the country's biggest oil company. The promotion of leftist economist Axel Kicillof, who had been deputy economy minister, was announced by government spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro in a televised address. Kicillof, a charismatic and polarizing figure, is a favorite of Fernandez. The YPF takeover enraged Argentina's trading partners from the European Union, but was welcomed by many Argentines as a defense of national strategic interests.

Carbon monoxide poisoning killed Colorado miners Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:52 PM PST By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - Two miners who died in a gold and silver mine in Colorado over the weekend were killed when they were exposed to fatal levels of carbon monoxide following an explosion, federal safety officials said on Monday. At least 19 other miners were sickened in the incident in the Revenue-Virginius mine in Ouray County in southwestern Colorado early on Sunday morning. Amy Louviere, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, said it was not yet clear if the explosion was set off intentionally as part of a blasting operation or was an accident. Louviere said according to preliminary information it appeared that after the explosives were detonated one of the miners entered the area and did not come back out.

NASA launches spacecraft to study Mars atmosphere Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:44 PM PST NASA on Monday launched its unmanned MAVEN spacecraft toward Mars to study the Red Planet's atmosphere for clues as to why Earth's neighbor lost its warmth and water over time. The white Atlas V 401 rocket carrying the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) orbiter blasted off on schedule at 1:28 pm (1828 GMT). "Everything is looking good," said NASA mission control. The flawless liftoff of the $671 million spacecraft kicked off the 10-month journey to the Red Planet.

Toronto council strips mayor of most powers Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:31 PM PST TORONTO (AP) — Amid cries of "Shame! Shame!" scandal-plagued Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was stripped of the last of his meaningful powers Monday after a heated City Council debate in which he argued with members of the public, charged hecklers and knocked a councilwoman down.

Couple bid to look after Alps murders children Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:15 PM PST A couple looking after two sisters who escaped unharmed when their parents were shot dead in the French Alps want to live permanently in Britain with the children, a court heard Monday. The couple, who have not been identified but who are related to Zainab and Zeena al-Hilli, have made a residency application, said High Court judge Jonathan Baker. Iraqi-born Saad al-Hilli was mysteriously gunned down in September 2012 along with his wife and her mother in a woodland car park close to the village of Chevaline in the hills above Lake Annecy in southeast France. His two daughters, aged seven and four at the time, survived the gruesome attack but French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, apparently an innocent bystander, was also killed.

Video shows near-vertical crash of Russian plane Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:08 PM PST KAZAN, Russia (AP) — The grainy airport video is dark, short and chilling. Within five seconds, a dot of light that Russian authorities say is a Boeing 737 appears in the sky over the tarmac and plunges to the ground in a near-vertical crash. The result is a blinding fireball.

Global carbon emissions rise to new record in 2013: report Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:05 PM PST Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels will rise to a record 36 billion metric tons (39.683 billion tons) this year, a report by 49 researchers from 10 countries said, showing the failure of governments to rein in the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. The report by the Global Carbon Project, which compiles data from research institutes worldwide each year, was published in the journal Earth Systems Data Discussions on Tuesday. Its 2013 estimate represents a 2.1 percent gain versus 2012 and a 61 percent increase since 1990, the baseline year for the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol, the only global agreement that places binding limits on national CO2 emission levels. Emissions must fall substantially and rapidly if we are to limit global climate change to below 2 degrees Celsius," said the report's lead author, Corinne Le Quere of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at Britain's University of East Anglia, in a statement.

Better intel will stop militants entering Syria: Turkey FM Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:05 PM PST Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday hit back at charges that his country is allowing extremists to flow across its long border with Syria, calling for greater intelligence cooperation. "In no way Turkey tolerates or will be tolerating any extremist groups crossing Turkish borders," the minister told reporters, speaking in English after meetings in Washington with top US officials. The Washington Post alleged at the weekend that Ankara had "turned a blind eye" as militant volunteers streamed through Turkey on their way to fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara had asked western countries to share intelligence on suspected militants so Turkish authorities could stop them entering the country, Davutoglu said.

Toronto council curbs Mayor Ford's powers after chaotic debate Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:55 PM PST By Allison Martell TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's City Council voted overwhelmingly on Monday to limit further the powers of embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who denounced the move as a coup d'etat and warned political foes of an election battle next year to rival the Gulf War. At a tumultuous City Council meeting, members voted to slash his office budget and transfer some of his powers to Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly among other limitations by a vote of 36 to 5. "This is a coup d'etat," Ford said, denouncing the motion. He warned councilors that next year's municipal election, which Ford vows to run in, would rival the 1991 Gulf War.

Operator at Japan's Fukushima starts hazardous year-long fuel removal Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:52 PM PST The operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant took the first step on Monday in the long and hazardous process of decommissioning the facility, extracting four fuel rods from their container for later removal. Tokyo Electric Power Co, known as Tepco, said it transferred the rods to a steel cask within the same cooling pool in a badly damaged reactor building, beginning the delicate and unprecedented task of removing 400 metric tons of highly irradiated spent fuel from that reactor. "We will continue with the work from tomorrow and proceed, paying close attention to safety," Tepco said in a statement. While battling leaks of radiation-contaminated water around the plant, which was knocked out by Japan's mammoth March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Tepco has embarked on decommissioning four reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Turkey: No tolerance for militants headed to Syria Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:40 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Turkey's top diplomat pushed back on Monday against allegations that his nation has not cracked down hard enough on extremists crossing its border to fight in Syria's civil war.

Chaotic scene as Toronto strips crack mayor of powers Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:29 PM PST Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Toronto city council voted Monday to strip Mayor Rob Ford of most of his remaining powers in further sanctions against him following admissions of smoking crack and binge drinking. Over the weekend, Ford made the rounds of the US media to try to convey his side of the story, to general incredulity, and attended a Toronto Argonauts football game where fans cheered him on.

Ban says up to 9,000 troops needed for Central Africa Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:14 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (United States) (AFP) - UN leader Ban Ki-moon warned Monday that anarchy in Central African Republic risks spiralling further out of control and could need up to 9,000 peacekeepers. Ban expressed alarm about increasing retaliatory attacks between Muslim and Christian groups in a report which calls on the UN Security Council to act urgently on the crisis. Rebels overthrew Central African Republic's president in March but a transitional government has lost all grip on the huge but impoverished country of 4.5 million people. "The population lives in fear," Ban said in the report, obtained by AFP ahead of a Security Council meeting on the crisis next Monday.

Gerrard confident England will avoid Germany rout Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:13 PM PST England captain Steven Gerrard has vowed his side will not be humiliated by Germany in a friendly international at London's Wembley Stadium on Tuesday. Gerrard was a member of the England side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup after a 4-1 defeat by old rivals Germany in South Africa. England were outclassed in Bloemfontein by Joachim Loew's men -- but Liverpool midfielder Gerrard warned Germany not to expect such an easy ride in London. Ahead of equalling Bobby Moore's record of 108 England caps, Gerrard said: "I would say we are (better) now, and the reason I say that I feel that if we were to meet Germany tomorrow in a World Cup situation I don't think we would leave the pitch having been beaten 4-1.

Argentina's Fernandez resumes work after surgery Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:08 PM PST By Caroline Stauffer BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez resumed her duties on Monday and appeared for the first time on television after undergoing brain surgery five weeks ago. "Thank you ... to the thousands of Argentines who have been praying for me," a smiling Fernandez said in a televised address. For a moment she held a small white dog she said was sent to her by one of the brothers of Hugo Chavez, the late left-wing leader of Venezuela and a political ally of Fernandez.

Australian takes seriously Indonesian spy concerns Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:08 PM PST CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday her government took "exceedingly seriously" Indonesian concerns about allegations her country tapped the phone of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and other senior figures.

Colorado creates rules to reduce fracking emissions Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:03 PM PST Colorado announced proposed rules on Monday designed to reduce emissions during oil and gas operations in an agreement with drillers that addresses one key environmental concern surrounding the U.S. oil and gas boom. The western state's Air Pollution Control Division proposed new regulations to reduce the release of methane during production and transport of natural gas in a deal with energy producers Anadarko Petroleum, Noble Energy, Encana Corp and the Environmental Defense Fund. "This proposal represents a model for the nation," said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund. The rules come as oil and gas output in Colorado and the whole United States is rapidly increasing thanks to new drilling techniques like fracking that have unlocked vast amounts of fuel from shale rock deposits deep underground.

White House pushes to loosen Gitmo transfer rules Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:59 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is pushing to overcome obstacles to closing the Guantanamo Bay prison, setting the White House on a collision course with Congress in its bid to loosen restrictions for moving out detainees.

Putin tells Rouhani of 'real chance' for Iran nuclear deal Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:52 PM PST World powers and Iran geared up Monday for fresh nuclear negotiations, with Russian President Vladimir Putin telling Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani he was upbeat about prospects for an accord, even though the US downplayed hopes of an imminent deal. Speaking by phone two days before the talks resume on Wednesday in Geneva, Putin "stressed that a real chance has now emerged for finding a solution to this longstanding problem," the Kremlin said. The comments came a day after French President Francois Hollande laid out in Israel the "essential" steps that Tehran must agree with the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany, known collectively as the P5+1 group. But Hollande stressed in Jerusalem on Monday that "we will maintain the sanctions as long as we are not certain that Iran has definitively renounced its military (nuclear) programme."

Japan's solar dream shatters as projects fail Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:49 PM PST By James Topham and Aaron Sheldrick TOKYO (Reuters) - The failure of solar developers to deliver on planned projects in Japan will cost the country's utilities close to $3.5 billion annually in additional coal and gas imports to generate power. Japan's government banked on solar power to help meet the shortfall in electricity supply after the Fukushima disaster in 2011 shattered public confidence in nuclear energy. But in contrast to the experience in countries such as Spain and Britain, where subsidies sparked solar booms that strained government finances, in Japan developers are struggling to deliver. The promise of turning a quick profit from subsidized solar power encouraged speculative developers lacking the experience and expertise needed to deliver in Japan, industry experts say.

UN climate chief calls on coal industry to change Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:49 PM PST WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The top U.N. climate diplomat on Monday told the coal industry it should leave most of the world's remaining coal reserves in the ground and start investing in renewable energy sources.

U.S. exploring options for destroying Syria chemical weapons: Kerry Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:40 PM PST The United States and allies are exploring two options for destroying Syria's chemicals weapons, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday after Albania rejected a request to host the destruction process. Kerry dismissed reports that a plan to eliminate the weapons was off-track, saying the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had until the end of the year to remove the chemical weapons from Syria. He did not identify those options and which countries were willing to take the chemical weapons. The plan seeks to destroy about 1,300 metric tons of Syria's sarin, mustard gas and other agents.

Police hunt gunman after Paris attacks Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:29 PM PST French police launched an extensive manhunt in Paris on Monday for a lone gunman wielding a shotgun who critically wounded a newspaper photographer and opened fire outside a bank headquarters. "When you have someone with a shotgun coming into a newspaper's offices in a democracy, it is very, very serious, whatever the mental state of the person," Demorand told AFP.

Carbon monoxide poisoning blamed in deaths of two Colorado miners Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:04 PM PST By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - Carbon monoxide poisoning was responsible for killing two miners and sickening 19 others at a gold and silver mine in southwestern Colorado over the weekend, state and federal authorities said on Monday. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, which is conducting the probe, said in a statement that a foreman and a miner were "overcome by gases following an explosives accident." The agency said investigators were still trying to determine what caused the accident at the Revenue-Virginius mine in Ouray County on Sunday and why the miners were unable to escape the fumes. The facility, located about 330 miles southwest of Denver, is owned by Star Mine Operations, LLC of Denver. The Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety, which regulates environmental impacts at state mines, said in a statement that Star Mine obtained a permit to mine silver, gold and sulfide materials in February.

Hundreds in Egypt mark anniversary of army protests Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:02 PM PST Hundreds of Egyptians gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square Monday to mark the anniversary of protests against the military in 2011 that ignited deadly clashes with security forces. The demonstration comes four months after the military again stepped in to rule after ousting Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, following mass protests against his turbulent one-year reign. The 2011 demonstrations in central Cairo were against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the military junta that assumed power after the toppling of longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011. On Monday, protesters chanted against the army and sprayed red paint on a monument the military-installed authorities are erecting in Tahrir Square, the scene of scores of protests over the last three years.

Greece in talks to resolve budget gap disagreement Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's finance minister met Monday with representatives of the country's international creditors, part of tough negotiations to resolve a disagreement over 2014 budget cuts and allow the release of further rescue loans.

Toronto council poised to strip mayor of powers Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:58 PM PST TORONTO (AP) — Beset by scandal, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford faced another likely setback Monday as the City Council took up a motion to snatch away many of his remaining powers in a heated council meeting where he knocked over a woman councilor. Ford called the effort a "coup d'etat" and challenged the council to call snap elections.

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