| Special Report: Option B - The blueprint for Thailand's coup Posted: 29 May 2014 05:35 PM PDT  By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Aubrey Belford BANGKOK/CHIANG MAI Thailand (Reuters) - On Dec. 27 last year, Thailand's powerful army chief stood before a crowded news conference and stunned the beleaguered government of Yingluck Shinawatra by saying he would not rule out military intervention to resolve a deteriorating political crisis. General Prayuth Chan-Ocha said "the door was neither open nor closed" when he was asked whether a coup would happen. If that happened, the document says, the army would impose a state of emergency or impose martial law. There have now been 12 successful coups over the past eight decades of Thailand's modern monarchy.
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| Ukraine separatists down army helicopter, 14 killed Posted: 29 May 2014 09:36 AM PDT  By Sabina Zawadzki and Gabriela Baczynska DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - Pro-Russian separatists shot down a Ukrainian army helicopter on Thursday, killing 14 soldiers including a general, as government forces pressed ahead with an offensive to crush rebellions in the east swiftly following the election of a new president. After weeks of accusations from Kiev of Russian involvement in the uprising, a rebel leader in the eastern city of Donetsk acknowledged that some of his fighters who died in the government offensive had been "volunteers" from Russia, saying their bodies were being returned across the border. In Kiev, outgoing acting president Oleksander Turchinov said the helicopter, which had been carrying supplies in eastern Ukraine, had been brought down by anti-aircraft fire from near the town of Slaviansk, which has been under the control of separatists since early April.
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| Legacy at risk, Obama struggles to redefine foreign policy Posted: 29 May 2014 05:41 PM PDT  By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's second term was supposed to be a crowning opportunity to make his mark on the world stage, but instead he's leading an intense effort to redefine his foreign policy record – and the odds look stacked against him. An administration-wide public relations blitz, which Obama launched with a big foreign policy speech this week, has done little to quell critics who frequently pan his global approach as rudderless, as the White House lurches from crisis to crisis. While Obama has outlined a strategy that includes both a strong military and the diplomatic tools of alliances and sanctions to provide global leadership, it is unclear if he and his aides have the vision – let alone time - to change the perception of a presidency with eroding global influence. "And he faces a series of problems in which quick-and-easy American fixes are really not available." Topping the list is Ukraine, where Obama and other Western leaders were powerless to prevent Russia's seizure of Crimea.
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| Formal countdown begins for Scottish vote that could break up United Kingdom Posted: 29 May 2014 04:17 PM PDT  By Alistair Smout EDINBURGH (Reuters) - The formal campaign for a Scottish independence vote that could result in the break-up of the United Kingdom began on Friday, though polls currently show Scots are unlikely to vote for the demise of the 307-year-old union with England. Scottish nationalists hope the desire for independence, historical rivalry and what they say has been centuries of mismanagement by far-off leaders in London will drive Scots to vote for secession in the Sept. 18 referendum. Britain's main politicians have united against a breakaway, issuing pleas for unity and warnings about the economic costs of independence to the 4 million Scottish resident voters over the age of 16 who will have a vote.
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| Egypt's Sisi wins election, faces economic challenges Posted: 29 May 2014 08:11 AM PDT  By Stephen Kalin and Maggie Fick CAIRO (Reuters) - Former Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won a landslide victory in a presidential election on Thursday but a low turnout threatened to deprive him of the strong mandate he needs to fix the economy and face down an Islamist insurgency. Sisi won 93.3 percent of votes cast, judicial sources said, with most ballots counted after three days of voting. Since a series of television interviews he gave ahead of the vote, many Egyptians feel Sisi has not spelled out a clear vision of how he would tackle Egypt's problems, instead making a general call for people to work hard and be patient. "All in all the weak turnout will make it harder for Sisi to impose painful economic reforms that international institutions and investors are demanding," said Anna Boyd, an analyst at London-based IHS Jane's. Investors want Sisi to end energy subsidies, impose a clear tax regime and give guidance on the direction of the exchange rate.
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| U.N. council mulls authorizing cross-border Syria aid access Posted: 29 May 2014 12:06 PM PDT  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council members are considering a draft resolution to authorize cross-border aid deliveries into Syria at four points without government consent, diplomats said on Thursday, after an earlier council demand for greater access was ignored. The 15-member Security Council achieved rare unity in unanimously approving a resolution in February that demanded rapid, safe and unhindered aid access in Syria, where a three-year civil war has killed more than 150,000 people. But deputy U.N. aid chief Kyung-wha Kang told the council on Thursday that the resolution had failed to make a difference. About 9.3 million people in Syria need help and 2.5 million have fled, according to the United Nations.
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| Japan's core CPI rises to 3.2 on back of tax hike Posted: 29 May 2014 05:41 PM PDT TOKYO (AP) — Japan says its core consumer price index, which excludes fresh foods, rose 3.2 percent from a year earlier in April to the highest level since 1991, while household spending plunged as expected following a sales tax hike. |
| Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 29 May 2014 05:32 PM PDT CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Investigators searching for the missing Malaysian jet have concluded an area where acoustic signals were detected is not the final resting place of the plane after an unmanned submersible found no trace of it, the search coordinator said Thursday. The U.S. Navy's Bluefin 21 finished its final underwater mission in the southern Indian Ocean on Wednesday after scouring 850 square kilometers (330 square miles), the Joint Agency Coordination Center said. |
| Costa Rica's Alvaro Saborio to miss World Cup Posted: 29 May 2014 05:30 PM PDT  SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Costa Rica forward Alvaro Saborio will miss the World Cup after a breaking a bone in his right foot.
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| Apple's Beats buy is two-sided for music streaming Posted: 29 May 2014 05:26 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — Apple's $3 billion purchase of headphone maker and streaming music company Beats Electronics sheds light on a rarely recognized reality in the music streaming industry: It's hard to succeed in the business without offering other products and services. |
| FBI arrests Puerto Rico judge in corruption case Posted: 29 May 2014 05:06 PM PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — FBI agents on Thursday arrested a Puerto Rico Superior Court judge suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for acquitting a man charged in a fatal drunk-driving case. |
| Top Asian News at 12:00 a.m. GMT Posted: 29 May 2014 05:02 PM PDT CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Investigators searching for the missing Malaysian jet have concluded an area where acoustic signals were detected is not the final resting place of the plane after an unmanned submersible found no trace of it, the search coordinator said Thursday. The U.S. Navy's Bluefin 21 finished its final underwater mission in the southern Indian Ocean on Wednesday after scouring 850 square kilometers (330 square miles), the Joint Agency Coordination Center said. |
| McIlroy keeps on rolling at Memorial Posted: 29 May 2014 04:55 PM PDT  DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Whether it's his health or his personal life, Rory McIlroy is not easily distracted when he's on top of his game.
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| Study: King Richard III maligned as hunchback Posted: 29 May 2014 04:54 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — He may have had a twisted spine, but England's King Richard III was no hunchback, according to a new analysis of the medieval king's skeleton.
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| Ex-NYC disc jockey facing child sex charge dies Posted: 29 May 2014 04:45 PM PDT NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — Dave Herman, a pioneering New York City radio personality who was in a New Jersey jail awaiting trial on charges in a child sex sting died Thursday. He was 78. |
| 3 stadiums worry FIFA after final inspections Posted: 29 May 2014 04:39 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke expressed his concern about three of the 12 World Cup stadiums during his final inspection of host cities. |
| Ecuador sentences former president in absentia Posted: 29 May 2014 04:32 PM PDT  QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's Supreme Court has sentenced in absentia former President Jamil Mahuad to 12 years in prison for misappropriating public funds during the country's late 1990s banking crisis.
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| UN urges Lebanon election as soon as possible Posted: 29 May 2014 04:28 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is urging that Lebanon hold its presidential election "as soon as possible." |
| US troubled by new Ukraine violence Posted: 29 May 2014 04:21 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Thursday expressed new concerns about rising violence in eastern Ukraine, including the downing of a military helicopter by pro-Russian rebels battling the government.
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| Puerto Rico confirms its 1st chikungunya case Posted: 29 May 2014 04:20 PM PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Health officials in Puerto Rico have confirmed the first chikungunya case in the U.S. territory. |
| UN proposal would OK cross-border aid into Syria Posted: 29 May 2014 04:18 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Australia, Luxembourg, and Jordan are planning to circulate a new U.N. Security Council resolution that diplomats say would authorize the delivery of humanitarian aid into Syria through four border crossings without approval from President Bashar Assad's government. |
| UN calls for Lebanese election 'as soon as possible' Posted: 29 May 2014 04:10 PM PDT  United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council expressed "disappointment and concern" Thursday that an election of a new Lebanese president has not occurred and demanded that polls be held without delay. In a unanimous declaration, the Council's 15 member states urged the country's parliament "to uphold Lebanon's long standing democratic tradition and to work to ensure that presidential elections take place as soon as possible and without external interference." Over the past two months, Lebanon's parliament convened five times to try to elect a successor to President Michel Sleiman but failed each time due to a lack of quorum. The Council said it "reiterates its full support for the government of Lebanon to discharge its duties during this interim period."
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| US Chamber head prescribes open markets for Cuba Posted: 29 May 2014 04:06 PM PDT  HAVANA (AP) — The head of the United States Chamber of Commerce on Thursday prescribed a heavier dose of the open market as the cure for communist-run Cuba's struggling economy.
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| UN chief condemns C.Africa attacks Posted: 29 May 2014 04:00 PM PDT  United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned recent attacks in the Central African Republic, including at a church in the capital Bangui, his spokesman said Thursday. Ban encouraged the transitional authority to do "everything within its means to prevent further violence in the capital and throughout the country," said Stephane Dujarric. The UN chief appealed to international forces in the Central African Republic "to take all necessary measures in support of these efforts," Dujarric added. Ban also encourages Central African Republic's leaders and partners to work with peacekeepers towards meaningful dialogue "to chart a sustainable path to peace," he said.
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| EU voices 'extreme concern' over Thai coup crackdowns Posted: 29 May 2014 03:53 PM PDT  The European Union has voiced "extreme concern" about political detentions and censorship in Thailand, as the military junta chief met officials and began to set out plans for the country's future. "We are following current developments with extreme concern," the EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said in a statement. A week after seizing power, Thailand's coup leader General Prayut Chan-O-Cha met central and regional officials and laid out three stages that he envisioned for the country before it could be returned to democratic rule, without giving a timeframe. Thailand has seen 19 actual or attempted coups since 1932.
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| Wine collector apologizes for bogus bottle scam Posted: 29 May 2014 03:42 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A wine collector convicted of fraud for manufacturing fake vintage wine in his California kitchen has asked a judge for leniency Thursday, saying his actions were foolish. |
| Turkey's top court rules YouTube ban violates rights Posted: 29 May 2014 03:36 PM PDT  Turkey's top court ruled on Thursday that a blanket ban on YouTube violated individual rights and freedoms, clearing the way for the popular video-sharing site to come back. YouTube has been banned in Turkey since March 27 after the site was used to spread audio recordings where senior government, military and intelligence officials are allegedly heard weighing possible military action inside war-torn Syria. The decision was in response to individual complaints to the constitutional court on the grounds of a breach of rights, an official from the prime minister's office told AFP. Turkey's transportation ministry which is also in charge of communication services was due to be informed of the verdict, added the official.
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| UN calls for wider use of surveillance drones Posted: 29 May 2014 03:35 PM PDT  United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN peacekeeping missions should deploy more drones and state-of the art technology to become more effective, limit boots on the ground and keep aid workers safer, their chief said Thursday. On the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, staff paid tribute to more than 3,000 peacekeepers who have died since 1948, including 106 last year, and to those still serving on the frontline. The head of UN peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, said that a peacekeeper died on average once every three days in 2013, and that technology needs to be upgraded to assist a record number of UN boots on the ground. The Security Council last month approved a new mission in the Central African Republic and in December voted to send an extra 5,500 soldiers to war-torn South Sudan.
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| Thousands attend service for British 'bucket list' teenager Posted: 29 May 2014 03:34 PM PDT  Thousands of mourners gathered at a British cathedral on Thursday to celebrate the life of a teenager who raised millions of pounds for cancer charities after people worldwide became absorbed by his "bucket list" Stephen Sutton, 19, died on April 14 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer four years ago. But his refusal to allow the disease to prevent him from fulfilling a 'bucket list' of wishes won him millions of admirers on social media, and his efforts have so far helped raise over £4 million ($6.7 million, 4.9 million euros). His mother Jane said the memorial service at Lichfield Cathedral in central England was a "celebration of his life".
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| Froch-Groves has ingredients of British classic Posted: 29 May 2014 03:21 PM PDT  Billed as one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, the second installment of Carl Froch vs. George Groves has the ingredients of a classic. Now it just has to live up to the expectations.
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| Mozambique mulls sovereign wealth fund Posted: 29 May 2014 03:20 PM PDT  Mineral-rich Mozambique is considering the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund, the country's finance minister said Thursday. "We think it's a good idea," Manuel Chang told AFP on the sidelines of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference on Africa. "But we won't do what others have done," he added, suggesting Mozambique would not rush into creating the fund given other pressing demands that will require huge injections to fix, such as the infrastructure. Mozambique's reserves are believed to be the world's third largest.
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| Man accused in Iranian's death depicted as violent Posted: 29 May 2014 03:19 PM PDT HOUSTON (AP) — A Jordanian-born man facing a murder charge in the 2012 shooting death of an Iranian student and women's rights activist in the U.S. also played a role in his son-in-law's death 11 months later, a federal prosecutor alleged Thursday. |
| Smart WCup teams tap science to beat Brazil's heat Posted: 29 May 2014 03:14 PM PDT  PARIS (AP) — European teams say they are more prepared than ever for a hot and humid World Cup, training in saunas, planning to soak their jerseys in cold water before games and working with doctors to design the perfect hydration formula for each player.
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| Scholes wrong about Rooney - Gerrard Posted: 29 May 2014 03:02 PM PDT  Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) - England captain Steven Gerrard on Thursday dismissed Paul Scholes's claim that his former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney may already be past his best. Speaking earlier this week, Scholes said that Rooney, alongside whom he played for eight seasons at Old Trafford, may be "worn out" because he has been playing professionally since the age of 16. But ahead of England's friendly against Peru at Wembley Stadium on Friday, Gerrard argued that Rooney's performances over the 2013-14 campaign proved that the 28-year-old can be one of the stars of the forthcoming World Cup.
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