Yahoo! News: World News

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• Exclusive: South Sudan rebel leader says government derailing peace talks
• Amanda Knox conviction in Italy could spur lengthy extradition fight
• Ukraine opposition lobbies West for help against Yanukovich
• Record Brazil heat pressures crops, energy prices, government
• Suspected militants kill at least 15 soldiers in Yemen
• Israel's Iron Dome shoots down rocket fired at Eilat
• World Cup teams pick camps near Sao Paulo and Rio
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Keystone report raises pressure on Obama to approve pipeline
• Europe's big clubs keep quiet on deadline day
• Work begins to clear road to Alaska town cut off by avalanche
• Amanda Knox: heading for an extradition fight?
• Gasquet and Tsonga win to give France 2-0 lead
• Diego returns to Atletico, Valencia biggest mover
• US Catholic diocese seeks bankruptcy protection
• Catt wants England rugby to wing it against France
• Arsenal signs Kallstrom as big clubs stay quiet
• Top Asian News at 12:00 a.m. GMT
• Sharapova and Pavlyuchenkova reach Open GDF semis
• Hertha Berlin gets cash from US investment group
• Ecuador paper fined over editorial cartoon
• Berbatov joins Monaco in quiet transfer window
• Valencia is biggest transfer window mover in Spain
• Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT
• Boston could prove sympathetic to bombing suspect
• US says no major climate impact from Keystone pipeline
• Kerry asks Russia to pressure Syria on faster chemical arms removal
• Catholic diocese files for bankruptcy protection
• Factbox: Major findings of the U.S. Keystone XL environment study
• Dortmund signs Serbian midfielder Milos Jojic
• Top Asian News at 11:00 p.m. GMT
• Next Iran nuclear talks set for February 18 in Vienna
• Osvaldo joins Juventus on loan from Southampton
• Celta score late to win 2-1 at Granada in Spain
• Colombian priest who ran far-right militia nabbed
• Morgenstern makes 1st jumps since ski flying crash
• Nigeria's north hit by religious violence, bomb attack
• Factbox: Prolonged Keystone XL decision to spill into U.S. election season

Exclusive: South Sudan rebel leader says government derailing peace talks Posted: 31 Jan 2014 11:40 AM PST By Goran Tomasevic JONGLEI STATE, South Sudan (Reuters) - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar accused the government on Friday of ethnic cleansing and trying to sabotage peace talks, in his first face-to-face interview since fighting erupted late last year in Africa's youngest nation. Dressed in dark green military fatigues and speaking to Reuters in his bush hideout, Machar branded President Salva Kiir a discredited leader who had lost the people's trust and should resign. "Salva Kiir has committed atrocities in Juba, he has engaged in ethnic cleansing and he is still involved in the process," Machar said. His comments highlighted the gulf between the sides, who are meant to resume their troubled peace talks in Ethiopia next week.

Amanda Knox conviction in Italy could spur lengthy extradition fight Posted: 31 Jan 2014 01:35 PM PST Italy's conviction of Amanda Knox for the murder of her British roommate when the two were exchange students together could spur a drawn-out fight over extradition in the United States, where supporters contend she is the victim of a faulty foreign justice system. If Knox's conviction is ultimately confirmed pending further appeals, her lawyers are expected to argue that the United States cannot send her to Italy in part because of U.S. constitutional guarantees against "double jeopardy," although some experts say that could be a tough case to prove. Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty on Thursday for the second time in the 2007 stabbing death of Meredith Kercher, in a retrial that reversed an earlier appeal judgment that cleared her. Knox, who spent four years in an Italian jail before returning to the United States in 2011, was sentenced to 28 years and 6 months but will not face jail time pending further appeals in Italy.

Ukraine opposition lobbies West for help against Yanukovich Posted: 31 Jan 2014 12:48 PM PST By Stephen Brown and Alexandra Hudson MUNICH (Reuters) - The Ukrainian opposition urged Europe and the United States on Friday to go beyond vocal support for their fight for more democracy and demand a halt to violence they blame on President Viktor Yanukovich. Opposition leaders met in Munich on Friday with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and were due to talk with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday.

Record Brazil heat pressures crops, energy prices, government Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:02 PM PST January was the hottest month on record in parts of Brazil including its biggest city, São Paulo. The heat, plus a severe drought, has kindled fears of water shortages, crop damage and higher electricity bills that could drag down the economy during an election year for President Dilma Rousseff. Weather has been mostly normal in other regions including Brazil's soy belt, where a record crop is still expected. Still, the risks are considerable because Brazil's economy is so fragile at the moment.

Suspected militants kill at least 15 soldiers in Yemen Posted: 31 Jan 2014 11:38 AM PST At least 15 soldiers were killed and four wounded by suspected al Qaeda militants in an attack on an army checkpoint in southeastern Yemen on Friday, an army official said. The army official said the gunmen were likely to be al Qaeda militants. State news agency Saba put the death toll at 18 soldiers in what it described as "a cowardly terrorist act" in Shibam. Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, is struggling to restore state authority after long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to step down in 2011.

Israel's Iron Dome shoots down rocket fired at Eilat Posted: 31 Jan 2014 12:55 PM PST Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system on Friday shot down a rocket fired at the Red Sea resort city of Eilat, an occasional target of militants in Egypt's lawless Sinai peninsula. "The Iron Dome system intercepted a rocket fired at Eilat," an Israeli military spokeswoman said. "It was probably launched from Sinai." Earlier this month an al Qaeda-inspired group in Egypt claimed responsibility for a similar rocket attack on Eilat and, saying it was undeterred by Egyptian security sweeps, threatened to continue to target Israel.

World Cup teams pick camps near Sao Paulo and Rio Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:32 PM PST SAO PAULO (AP) — Most of the 32 nations coming to the World Cup in Brazil have picked training bases near Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, with only a few venturing into the much hotter northeast or the colder south.

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:32 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's general election is on Sunday, but the main opposition Democrat Party is boycotting it and protesters are seeking to scuttle the vote by blocking access to polling stations in Bangkok and several other places. Even though the election is expected to proceed smoothly in most of the country, it is unlikely to result in the formation of a new government. Here are some questions and answers about the polls:

Keystone report raises pressure on Obama to approve pipeline Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:30 PM PST By Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pressure for President Barack Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline increased on Friday after a State Department report played down the impact it would have on climate change, irking environmentalists and delighting the project's proponents. The agency made no recommendation on whether Obama should grant or deny an application by TransCanada Corp to build the $5.4 billion line, which would transport crude from Alberta's oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. But the State Department said blocking Keystone XL - or any pipeline - would do little to slow the expansion of Canada's vast oil sands, maintaining the central finding of a preliminary study issued last year.

Europe's big clubs keep quiet on deadline day Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:28 PM PST The much-hyped deadline day in Europe's January transfer window passed with a flurry of late deals but few signings of note on Friday, with the richest teams opting to sit tight ahead of the last few months of the season.

Work begins to clear road to Alaska town cut off by avalanche Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:23 PM PST By Steve Quinn JUNEAU, Alaska (Reuters) - Work crews began removing snow on Friday from an Alaska highway hit by avalanches last week that blocked the only road leading to the port city of Valdez, officials said. Aside from providing road access to the town, the highway is used to transport fuel, goods and oil production equipment from Valdez to the state's interior region, which includes Fairbanks, the state's second largest city. All that traffic is blocked by snow slides that began last week and have left a six-mile stretch of the Richardson Highway still blanketed with columns of snow, officials said. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Utilities spokesman Jeremy Woodrow said it was still too soon to predict when the entire stretch would reopen.

Amanda Knox: heading for an extradition fight? Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:21 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Roman Polanski. Edward Snowden. Manuel Noriega. Over the years, the famous and the infamous have been caught up in the legal process called extradition, which governs whether one country will turn over fugitives from justice to another country.

Gasquet and Tsonga win to give France 2-0 lead Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:19 PM PST LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, France (AP) — Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga both won in straight sets to give France a commanding 2-0 lead against Australia in their first-round Davis Cup tie on Friday.

Diego returns to Atletico, Valencia biggest mover Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:16 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid brought back Diego to strengthen its Spanish league title push, while Valencia witnessed a series of arrivals and exits from the club as the January transfer window closed on Friday.

US Catholic diocese seeks bankruptcy protection Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:10 PM PST HELENA, Montana (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena, Montana, filed for bankruptcy protection Friday as part of a proposed $15 million settlement for hundreds of victims who say clergy members sexually abused them over decades while the church covered it up.

Catt wants England rugby to wing it against France Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:04 PM PST Mike Catt has insisted novice England wings Jack Nowell and Jonny May have been urged to play their natural game against France in Saturday's Six Nations opener in Paris. Exeter's Nowell, who will be making his Test debut, has risen to prominence this season on the back of his ability to burst through tackles while the pure speed of May, who will be winning just his second cap at the Stade de France, has seen him score some memorable tries for Gloucester. England, for all their world-class forward strength, have long been accused of pedestrian play behind the scrum. But former England back Catt, now the team's attacking skills coach, was adamant that players had been encouraged to use their initiative.

Arsenal signs Kallstrom as big clubs stay quiet Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:02 PM PST Arsenal made a late foray in the January transfer window to sign Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom on loan, the only major move by a top club on Friday on a deadline day dominated by struggling Premier League sides scrambling around to strengthen their squads.

Top Asian News at 12:00 a.m. GMT Posted: 31 Jan 2014 04:02 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's general election is on Sunday, but the main opposition Democrat Party is boycotting it and protesters are seeking to scuttle the vote by blocking access to polling stations in Bangkok and several other places. Even though the election is expected to proceed smoothly in most of the country, it is unlikely to result in the formation of a new government. Here are some questions and answers about the polls:

Sharapova and Pavlyuchenkova reach Open GDF semis Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:58 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Top-seeded Maria Sharapova thrashed eighth-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium 6-2, 6-2 on Friday to set up an all-Russian semifinal against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Open Gaz de France.

Hertha Berlin gets cash from US investment group Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:55 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — Hertha Berlin says that American investment group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is putting 61.2 million euros ($82.5 million) into the Bundesliga club in a move that will solve its financial problems "in one blow."

Ecuador paper fined over editorial cartoon Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:51 PM PST QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's media oversight agency has fined the newspaper El Universo for a cartoon it published about prosecutors' Dec. 27 search of the home of a journalist who has since left the country.

Berbatov joins Monaco in quiet transfer window Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:43 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Dimitar Berbatov joined Monaco from Fulham on Friday in the latest chapter of the mercurial forward's career on an otherwise quiet final day of the transfer window in France.

Valencia is biggest transfer window mover in Spain Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:34 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid brought back Diego to strengthen its Spanish league title push, while Valencia witnessed a series of arrivals and exits from the club as the January transfer window closed on Friday.

Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:32 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's general election is on Sunday, but the main opposition Democrat Party is boycotting it and protesters are seeking to scuttle the vote by blocking access to polling stations in Bangkok and several other places. Even though the election is expected to proceed smoothly in most of the country, it is unlikely to result in the formation of a new government. Here are some questions and answers about the polls:

Boston could prove sympathetic to bombing suspect Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:30 PM PST BOSTON (AP) — Given the powerful grief and anger over the Boston Marathon bombing, Boston would seem to be a particularly hostile place for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to stand trial. But it might just be his best hope of escaping a death sentence.

US says no major climate impact from Keystone pipeline Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:28 PM PST The US State Department on Friday released a long-awaited review of a controversial pipeline project to bring oil from Canada to Texas, concluding it would have little impact on climate change or the environment. The final environmental impact assessment could now pave the way for US President Barack Obama to approve the $5.3 billion, 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) Keystone XL pipeline, first proposed back in 2008. But it raised no major objections to the plan, and said building and using the pipeline would not in itself significantly increase greenhouse gases, blamed for climate change. "The analyses of potential impacts associated with construction and normal operation of the proposed project suggest that significant impacts to most resources are not expected along the proposed project route," the huge report said.

Kerry asks Russia to pressure Syria on faster chemical arms removal Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:26 PM PST By Stephen Brown MUNICH (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry asked Russia's foreign minister on Friday to put pressure on the Syrian government to accelerate the removal of chemical weapons, which Kerry said is not happening quickly enough. Kerry met Russia's Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss what Washington considered to be "unacceptable" progress in moving Syrian chemical weapons, said a senior U.S. State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Secretary Kerry pressed Foreign Minister Lavrov to push the regime for more progress on moving the remaining chemical weapons within Syria to the port in Latakia," the official said.

Catholic diocese files for bankruptcy protection Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:22 PM PST HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena filed for bankruptcy protection Friday as part of a proposed $15 million settlement for hundreds of victims who say clergy members sexually abused them over decades while the church covered it up.

Factbox: Major findings of the U.S. Keystone XL environment study Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:09 PM PST The Obama administration's environmental review of the Keystone XL pipeline issued on Friday said the project would not likely speed the development of Canada's oil sands, essentially discounting one the major concerns of the duct's opponents. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to make the final decision on TransCanada Corp's 830,000 barrels per day pipeline later this year after eight federal agencies weigh whether Keystone is in the country's national security interest. Below are major findings of the State Department's 11-volume final environmental review it issued on Friday. OIL SANDS DEVELOPMENT A single project like the Keystone XL pipeline will only speed up the pace of development of Alberta's oil sands under a very narrow condition, the report said.

Dortmund signs Serbian midfielder Milos Jojic Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:04 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — Borussia Dortmund signed Serbian midfielder Milos Jojic and Werder Bremen presented attacking midfielder Ludovic Obraniak in the Bundesliga's most eye-catching deals on Friday as the transfer window closed.

Top Asian News at 11:00 p.m. GMT Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:02 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's general election is on Sunday, but the main opposition Democrat Party is boycotting it and protesters are seeking to scuttle the vote by blocking access to polling stations in Bangkok and several other places. Even though the election is expected to proceed smoothly in most of the country, it is unlikely to result in the formation of a new government. Here are some questions and answers about the polls:

Next Iran nuclear talks set for February 18 in Vienna Posted: 31 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Munich (Germany) (AFP) - World powers will hold their next talks on Tehran's contested nuclear programme February 18, top Iranian and European Union diplomats agreed during Friday talks. In an initial accord in November, Iran agreed with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany (a group known as E3+3) that it would open up its nuclear programme so as to allay fears it was seeking atomic weapons. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, who has led the international nuclear talks with Iran, said she had a "really interesting" meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Osvaldo joins Juventus on loan from Southampton Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:52 PM PST MILAN (AP) — Italy striker Pablo Osvaldo completed a loan move to Juventus on Friday after a troubled spell in England, while Inter Milan signed Brazil midfielder Hernanes from Lazio.

Celta score late to win 2-1 at Granada in Spain Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:49 PM PST GRANADA, Spain (AP) — Augusto Fernandez scored a late winner as Celta Vigo beat Granada 2-1 in the Spanish league on Friday.

Colombian priest who ran far-right militia nabbed Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:47 PM PST BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian authorities say they have captured a Roman Catholic priest who ran a far-right militia and has been sentenced in absentia to 19 years in prison.

Morgenstern makes 1st jumps since ski flying crash Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:47 PM PST INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) — The Austrian ski federation says three-time Olympic champion Thomas Morgenstern has made his first training jumps since recovering from a ski flying crash and is determined to compete at the Sochi Games.

Nigeria's north hit by religious violence, bomb attack Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:35 PM PST Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Eight people were killed in religious violence in Nigeria on Friday, including a Christian family of seven, while a roadside bomb killed seven others in an area known for Boko Haram activity. "Christian youth provoked by the attack, which they blamed on Fulani Muslims, mobilised and launched reprisal attacks, burning mosques and houses," youth leader Emmanuel Zadiok told AFP. Kaduna state governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has ordered an investigation. In the second incident, seven people were killed and three others seriously injured when their bus ran over a home-made bomb near Kuthra village in the Gwoza area of Borno state, police said.

Factbox: Prolonged Keystone XL decision to spill into U.S. election season Posted: 31 Jan 2014 02:33 PM PST The Obama administration's tricky final decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline is several months away, guaranteeing that the project dividing many Democratic voters will be an issue in the midterm elections that could determine control of the U.S. Congress. The State Department's issuance on Friday of its last environmental review of TransCanada Corp's proposed pipeline puts in motion a few more steps that have to be completed before a final determination is made. It is not known whether the final decision on the pipeline, which would transport some 830,000 barrels per day from the Canadian oil sands and domestic oil fields to Nebraska, will come before or after the November 4 elections. While Republican voters mostly support Keystone, the project divides many pro-union Democrats who want construction jobs the pipeline would create, and those who believe the pipeline will increase emissions blamed for climate change Below are the next steps to come on the pipeline and the Congressional races it could influence: NEXT STEPS - National Interest Determination Now that the State Department has finalized the environmental review, eight federal agencies will have up to 90 days to comment on whether the Keystone XL is in the national interest.

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