| Bombings, shootings kill at least 23 across Iraq Posted: 22 Nov 2013 11:14 AM PST At least 23 people were killed in bombings and shootings in Iraq on Friday, police and medical sources said, the latest in the worst wave of sectarian attacks to sweep the country in five years. The deadliest attack took place in a predominantly Sunni Doura neighborhood in southern Baghdad, where two roadside bombs exploded near a soft drinks store, killing six people and wounding 18, the police and medics said. Another roadside bomb hit the vehicle of a government-backed Sunni militia's patrol in the Sunni neighborhood of Tarmiya in the north of the Iraqi capital, killing three fighters and wounding another three, police said. Two roadside bombs also went off near Sunni mosques in the southern and western outskirts of Baghdad after Friday prayers, killing three worshippers and wounding 12, the police said. |
| Afghanistan rejects U.S. call for quick security deal Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:09 PM PST  By Jessica Donati and Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - The future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan remained in doubt on Friday after a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai rejected Washington's call to sign a security pact by the end of the year rather than after next year's presidential election. The United States has repeatedly said it will not wait until after the April 2014 vote to seal the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and rejected Karzai's suggestion for the signing to take place next year "properly and with dignity". Without an accord, the United States could pull out most of its troops by the end of 2014, as it did two years ago when it failed to negotiate a deal with Iraq. "We do not recognize any deadline from the U.S. side," said Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for Karzai, as Afghan tribal elders considered the pact for a second day.
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| World Bank raises Philippine typhoon aid package to almost $1 billion Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:50 PM PST  The World Bank said it raised to almost $1 billion its financial aid package to support relief and reconstruction in typhoon-devastated areas in the central Philippines, as the toll of death and destruction kept rising more than two weeks after the storm. The World Bank said it offered $480 million on top of a $500 million emergency loan it committed earlier to the Philippines, with the additional funds to be used for the early rebuilding of communities and crucial infrastructure such as water, rural roads, schools and clinics. The government has started compiling a typhoon reconstruction plan that needs support from Congress, the private sector and donors, a campaign that will likely shape the legacy of President Benigno Aquino, who is facing the region's most daunting rebuilding task since the 2004 Asian tsunami. Apart from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank also pledged a $523 million loan and grant package to the Philippines, as foreign governments and international aid agencies committed about $344 million in cash and relief goods.
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| Death toll jumps over 50 in Latvian supermarket collapse Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:19 PM PST By Aija Braslina RIGA (Reuters) - Rescue workers pulled bodies from the ruins of a collapsed supermarket in the Latvian capital Riga on Friday as the death toll rose to 51 in the Baltic state's worst disaster in decades. The supermarket was full of shoppers on their way home from work. Rescue workers cleared away rubble from the store, which had occupied around 1,500 square meters (16,150 square feet), as ambulances and fire engines stood by. Police said the death toll had reached 51 as of 2000 GMT, including three rescue workers. |
| Family of U.S. man detained in North Korea appeals for his release Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:36 PM PST  The California family of a Korean War veteran held in North Korean custody since last month appealed to the Pyongyang government on Friday for his safe return, calling his detention during a sightseeing trip a "dreadful misunderstanding." Echoing comments from their son earlier in the day, Alicia Newman also said that relatives of her 85-year-old husband, Merrill Newman, have had no word on the state of his health, whether medications sent to him were received or why he was detained. She said her husband was seated on an Asiana Airlines plane on the last day of his 10-day trip, October 26, waiting to take off, when North Korean authorities boarded and took him away. "The family feels there has been some dreadful misunderstanding leading to his detention and asks that the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) work to settle this issue quickly and to return this 85-year-old grandfather to his anxious, concerned family," she said. Their son, Jeff Newman, told Reuters the family remained concerned about his father's health, saying there had been no communication with him since he was taken.
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| U.N. task force looking into one of next Congo targets: Islamist ADF Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:34 PM PST  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - After the defeat of M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, U.N. peacekeepers are trying to learn more about one of their next targets in a region overrun by armed groups - the Allied Democratic Forces, Islamist extremists blamed for kidnapping at least 300 people in the past year. The deployment of a 3,000-strong U.N. Intervention Brigade with an unprecedented mandate to help Congolese forces hunt down rebel groups has been hailed a success after the M23 ended its 20-month revolt earlier this month. At the top of the list of dozens of armed groups to be dealt with in resource-rich eastern Congo are the ADF and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, which includes some Hutus who fled neighboring Rwanda after the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus. While the aim of the FDLR is to take over Rwanda, the objective of the ADF - which was created to fight the Ugandan government and was initially called the ADF-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda - is less clear.
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| Detained American's wife asks for his return Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:42 PM PST  PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — The wife of an 85-year-old veteran detained in North Korea implored authorities on Friday to let her husband return to his anxious family and end what she called a "dreadful misunderstanding."
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| Obama praises leadership of Morocco's Mohammed VI Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:41 PM PST  President Barack Obama praised the "leadership" of Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Friday after holding wide-ranging talks with the North African monarch for the first time at the White House. In a joint statement released by the United States and Morocco following the talks, Obama applauded the king for "deepening democracy, promoting economic progress and human development" in the past decade. Obama also welcomed the king's vow to end the practice of trying civilians in military courts, the statement said. "The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the UN human rights system and its important role in protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms," the statement said.
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| France indicts shooting suspect Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:36 PM PST  Paris (AFP) - A suspect arrested over this week's shootings in Paris has been indicted and remanded in custody, judicial officials said Saturday.
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| Thousands rally in Ukraine capital over EU deal Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:17 PM PST  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Thousands of protesters poured into Kiev's Independence Square, the center of Ukraine's pro-Western Orange Revolution, to demand Friday that the government reverse course and sign a landmark agreement with the EU — a day after leaders stunned the nation by saying they were pulling out of the deal.
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| Philippine typhoon death toll rises above 5,000 Posted: 22 Nov 2013 04:01 PM PST MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The death toll from one of the strongest typhoons on record has risen above 5,000 and is likely to climb further, although recovery efforts are beginning to take hold, Philippine officials said Friday. |
| Troubled UN climate talks run into extra time Posted: 22 Nov 2013 03:23 PM PST  UN climate talks went into overtime Saturday as rich and poor nations butted heads over who should be doing what to stave off dangerous planet warming. Exhausted negotiators and ministers meeting in Warsaw were shuttling to and fro after midnight to try and lay the groundwork for an ambitious climate pact which must be signed in Paris by December 2015. They argued over apportioning carbon emissions curbs that will limit global warming to a safer 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), and over funding for climate-vulnerable poor countries. "It is indeed one sleepless night in front of us but we are still hoping to close the meeting as soon as possible," Polish Deputy Environment Minister Beata Jaczewska, whose country has hosted the 11-day parlay, said on Friday afternoon.
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| Kerry to join Iran nuclear talks in bid to reach deal Posted: 22 Nov 2013 03:22 PM PST By Louis Charbonneau and Parisa Hafezi GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will join talks on Iran's nuclear program in Geneva on Saturday, as Tehran and six world powers appeared to be on the verge of an elusive breakthrough in the decade-old dispute. The French and British foreign ministers, Laurent Fabius and William Hague, were also due to take part in intense negotiations on a deal under which Iran would curb its atomic activity in exchange for some sanctions relief. Kerry would leave for Geneva later on Friday "with the goal of continuing to help narrow the differences and move closer to an agreement," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The decision was taken after consulting with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is coordinating talks with Iran on behalf of the six powers, Psaki said. |
| Kerry, Russian FM join Iran nuclear talks Posted: 22 Nov 2013 03:14 PM PST  GENEVA (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers of other major powers lent their weight to the Iran nuclear talks after envoys reported progress Friday in marathon negotiations to curb the Iranian program in return for limited sanctions relief.
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| France's Hollande to make state visit to U.S. next year Posted: 22 Nov 2013 03:07 PM PST  French President Francois Hollande and first lady Valerie Trierweiler will make a state visit to the United States in February, the White House said on Friday. The couple will attend a state dinner with President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, on February 11.
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| 51 dead in grocery roof collapse in Latvia Posted: 22 Nov 2013 03:07 PM PST  RIGA, Latvia (AP) — As Latvian rescue workers searched Friday for bodies in the rubble of a supermarket collapse that killed dozens, speculation about the cause focused on a garden and a playground being installed on the grass- and gravel-covered roof.
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| White House presses Afghans to sign security pact this year Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:58 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House again urged Afghan leaders on Friday to sign a security pact before the end of the year, saying timing was key if the United States was going to keep troops in Afghanistan after 2014. "We look forward to an agreement that can be signed by both sides. We need it done by the end of the year," White House spokesman Jay Carney told a news briefing. "We can't push it into next year and be expected to plan for a post 2014 military presence," he said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton) |
| Son of U.S. man held in North Korea says has not heard from father Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:55 PM PST  By Dana Feldman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The son of an 85-year-old California retiree and Korean War veteran who was detained by North Korean authorities last month during a trip to the reclusive Asian nation said on Friday he has had no communication with his father since then. Jeff Newman also told Reuters in an interview his family remained concerned about the health of his father, Merrill Newman, and does not know whether heart medication sent to North Korea on his behalf had reached him. The son's comments came as a State Department official in Washington told reporters that North Korea had confirmed through diplomatic channels its detention of a U.S. citizen but did not identify the individual being held. Experts on North Korea expressed surprise that an elderly American on a sightseeing trip - one of hundreds of U.S. citizens who visit that country every year - would be singled out for detention simply for having served in the Korean War.
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| S.Africa police arrest shadowy Czech businessman Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:51 PM PST  South African police said Friday they have arrested a Czech fugitive who is the controversial owner of a Johannesburg area shop where an explosion last week killed two people. Radovan Krejcir was detained on an arrest warrant related to charges of attempted murder and kidnapping, a police statement said, without giving further details. Krejcir has been fighting an attempt by South African authorities to have him extradited to the Czech Republic, where he is wanted for several crimes including tax fraud.
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| Toronto mayor's support undented by crack smoking: poll Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:39 PM PST  Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's approval rating has barely suffered since he admitted smoking crack and binge drinking, according to a poll published Friday. According to a telephone survey conducted on Wednesday, Ford retains the support of 42 percent of voters in Canada's biggest city -- essentially unchanged in the two weeks since his confession. This marks only a one percentage point drop in the same survey by Forum Research since November 4, despite Ford having admitted on November 5 that he had smoked crack in a "drunken stupor." The populist fiscal conservative's career suffered a severe blow this week when Toronto's city council stripped him of the majority of his powers and duties, but he remains determined to fight on.
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| Philippines typhoon death toll tops 5,200 Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:35 PM PST  The death toll from Super Typhoon Haiyan has risen above 5,200, making it one of the Philippines' deadliest ever natural disasters, the government said on Friday, two weeks after the devastating storm struck. The number of people confirmed killed jumped by nearly 1,200 to 5,209, with another 1,611 people still unaccounted for, the spokesman for the disaster management council, Reynaldo Balido, told AFP. The typhoon flattened dozens of towns across the central Philippines on November 8, bringing some of the strongest winds ever recorded and generating tsunami-like storm surges. Balido said the death toll rose sharply on Friday, increasing from 4,015, after officials reported body counts from communities outside the worst-hit areas.
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| Wales rugby toil in Gatland's 100th test Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:16 PM PST  Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Wales coach Warren Gatland's 100th Test match ended with a 17-7 victory over a spirited Tonga but was far from a celebratory event at Cardiff's Millennium stadium on Friday. Centres Owen Williams and Ashley Beck crossed for tries as Wales cruised into a 17-0 lead after just 25 minutes. Man-of-the-match Luke Charteris told the BBC: "It was pretty ugly out there. We knew going into the match how good a side Tonga were and we were not clinical enough.
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| Kerry decided to join talks in light of progress made: spokeswoman Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:13 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry decided to join Iran nuclear talks in Geneva given progress being made in negotiations between Tehran and six world powers, a State Department spokeswoman said on Friday. "In the light of the progress being made Secretary Kerry decided to travel to Geneva to join his ministerial colleagues tomorrow should an agreement be reached," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed. Writing by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Doina Chiacu) |
| 1.5 mn Philippine typhoon children face malnutrition: UN Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:11 PM PST  UNITED NATIONS (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations warned Friday that 1.5 million children are at risk of malnutrition in typhoon-ravaged areas of the Philippines and called for greater efforts to provide food and water. A UN appeal to cope with Typhoon Haiyan has been increased from $301 to $348 million as the extent of the storm disaster becomes clearer. UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said the death toll, increased Friday to 5,200, would rise higher even as the spotlight turns away from the November 8 super typhoon. "I am very concerned that some 1.5 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition and close to 800,000 pregnant and nursing mothers need nutritional help," Amos told a news conference at UN headquarters after a trip to the Philippines.
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| Morocco plan for W. Sahara 'serious, credible': US Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:11 PM PST  The United States said Friday that a plan drawn up by Morocco regarding the autonomy of Western Sahara was "serious, realistic and credible" ahead of a meeting between President Barack Obama and King Mohammed VI. "Morocco's autonomy plan is serious, realistic and credible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
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| N. Ireland peace priest Alex Reid dies Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:10 PM PST  Irish priest Alex Reid, who played a key role in brokering peace in Northern Ireland, died on Friday aged 82, his Catholic order said. Reid acted as a go-between during Northern Ireland's three decades of sectarian unrest known as the Troubles, secretly relaying messages from republican militants to politicians in the 1980s. "He will be especially remembered for his work in the Northern Ireland peace process," the order said in a statement. In an early peace effort, Reid passed messages from Sinn Fein -- the party that was then the political wing of the paramilitary Irish Republican Army (IRA) -- to moderate republicans and contacts in the British and Irish governments.
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| French and British foreign ministers head to Geneva for Iran talks Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:05 PM PST PARIS (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of France and Britain were heading to Geneva on Friday night to join talks on Iran's nuclear program, as Tehran and six world powers appeared closer to clinching an elusive breakthrough. "Laurent Fabius will travel to Geneva tonight for the Iranian nuclear talks," a French diplomatic source said. British Foreign Minister William Hague announced on Twitter that he was heading for Geneva. Earlier, Washington said U.S. ... |
| Burkina Faso protest Algeria win over 'ineligible' player Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:04 PM PST  The Burkina Faso football federation (FBF) have complained to FIFA over what they say was the ineligible participation of Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra in Tuesday's World Cup play-off defeat. The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up claim Bougherra - who scored the only goal in Blida which pulled Algeria level 3-3 on aggregate and took them to Brazil on away goals - should have been suspended, while they also appealed against the performance of Senegalese referee Badara Diatta. According to FBF president Sita Sangare, Bougherra picked up a yellow card during the group stage of qualifying against Mali and also went into the book during Burkina Faso's 3-2 win in the first leg of their play-off, which should have ruled him out of the second leg.
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| Afghan spokesman rebuffs US troop deal deadline Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:37 PM PST  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's president on Friday rebuffed American demands that he sign a security pact allowing U.S. forces to stay in the country for another decade, while the U.S. defense secretary warned that planning for a post-2014 military presence may be jeopardized if the deal isn't finalized by the end of the year.
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| 50 dead in grocery roof collapse in Latvia Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST RIGA, Latvia (AP) — As Latvian rescue workers searched Friday for bodies in the rubble of a supermarket collapse that killed dozens, speculation about the cause turned to possible construction flaws in the award-winning complex where builders were putting a garden and playground on the grass- and gravel-covered roof. |
| Olympic groups to monitor Brazil's polluted waters Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST  RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Olympic sports federations will be monitoring efforts to clean up the polluted waters around Rio de Janeiro to prevent health risks to athletes at the 2016 Games.
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| Favourite Schwartzel shares lead at South African Open Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:12 PM PST  Home favourite and former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel shared the lead of the South African Open with Italian Marco Crespi on Friday, after both men finished the second round on 12 under par. Johannesburg native Schwartzel began as one of the late starters but fired five birdies and an eagle over the front nine to reach the turn at seven under before easing off down the back stretch. A 36-hole total of 132, on the par-72 Glendower club layout at Ekurhuleni, drew him level with Crespi, who carded a five under 67 to go with his opening round of 65. "It was just one of those nines where most things go right," said Schwartzel, who memorably won his only Major at Augusta in 2011.
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| Coroner: Merrill Lynch intern died from epilepsy Posted: 22 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST LONDON (AP) — A young intern who worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch died of an epileptic seizure that may have been triggered by fatigue, a British coroner said Friday. |
