Yahoo! News: World News

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• Search area for Malaysian airliner widened after French satellite images
• NATO commander warns of Russian threat to separatist Moldova region
• Turkey shoots down Syrian plane it says violated air space
• One dead in Beirut gunfight between Assad supporters and opponents
• France's far right makes local gains; voters punish Hollande
• Hamas rally in Gaza takes aim at Egypt, Israel and Abbas
• Former Spanish prime minister Suarez dies at 81
• Juventus beats 10-man Catania 1-0 in Serie A
• G7 leaders to hold crisis talks on Ukraine during nuclear summit
• Benfica routs Academica 3-0, keeps Portuguese lead
• Messi hat trick guides Barca to 4-3 win at Madrid
• Power outages hit Crimea, local utility blames Ukrainian provider
• Monaco draws 1-1 with Lille in France
• Messi treble gives Barca 'clasico' win at Madrid
• French far-right triumphs in local polls that hammer Socialists
• Israeli premier jokes about latest scandal
• Police: Pennsylvania man drowns in Jamaica
• Venezuela cites some 'excesses' against protesters
• France's municipal voting to test government grip
• Spain's first post-Franco prime minister Suarez dies at 81
• Venezuela police facing murder probe: attorney general
• Oil spill cleanup efforts continue off Texas Gulf shore
• Top Asian News at 9:30 p.m. GMT
• Ebola detected in Guinea victims, 50 dead
• Putin ally suggests U.S. sanctions on his bank have backfired
• Indian farmers driven to suicide as hail ruins crops
• Egypt: Court orders leading activist freed on bail
• Top Asian News at 9:00 p.m. GMT
• Turkish jet downs Syrian warplane near border
• Syria-related clashes kill 1 overnight in Beirut
• Crimea's Tatars flee for Ukraine far west
• Ebola epidemic spreads to Guinea's capital
• Syria condemns Turkey 'aggression' after jet downed

Search area for Malaysian airliner widened after French satellite images Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:30 PM PDT By Matt Siegel and Niluksi Koswanage PERTH/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - The search area for a missing Malaysian jetliner in remote seas off Australia was widened on Monday after French satellite images revealed potential "floating debris" several hundred kilometers north of pictures previously captured by U.S. and Chinese satellites. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said the new lead in the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was promising, but cautioned that the search in the icy southern Indian Ocean remained difficult. "Today we expect the weather to deteriorate and the forecast ahead is not that good so it's going to be a challenge, but we will stick at it." Truss said the object spotted by a French satellite, which was reported to Malaysia on Sunday, was 850 km (528 miles) north of the current search areas for the Boeing 777 that vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board. Australia had used a U.S. satellite image of two floating objects to frame a search area some 2,500 km (1,430 miles) southwest of Perth.

NATO commander warns of Russian threat to separatist Moldova region Posted: 23 Mar 2014 01:14 PM PDT By Adrian Croft and Aleksandar Vasovic BRUSSELS/FEODOSIA, Ukraine (Reuters) - NATO's top military commander said on Sunday Russia had built up a "very sizeable" force on its border with Ukraine and Moscow may have a region in another ex-Soviet republic, Moldova, in its sights after annexing Crimea. Russia was acting more like an adversary than a partner, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove said, and the 28-nation alliance should rethink the positioning and readiness of its forces in eastern Europe.

Turkey shoots down Syrian plane it says violated air space Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:04 PM PDT By Daren Butler ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish armed forces shot down a Syrian plane on Sunday that Ankara said had crossed into its air space in an area where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces for control of a border crossing. "A Syrian plane violated our airspace," Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally in northwest Turkey. Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard." Syria condemned what it called a "blatant aggression" and said the jet was pursuing rebel fighters inside Syria. One plane entered Turkish airspace at Yayladagi, east of the Kasab border crossing, it said.

One dead in Beirut gunfight between Assad supporters and opponents Posted: 23 Mar 2014 11:22 AM PDT One person was killed and 10 people were wounded in clashes in south Beirut on Sunday between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, security sources said. The fighting broke out before dawn between gunmen loyal to Shaker Barjawi, a Sunni Muslim who supports the Alawite president, and other Sunni Muslims who back the three-year uprising against Assad's rule. Residents heard the sound of loud gunfire and explosions coming from the Al-Gharbi district of southern Beirut, where Barjawi has an office. Security sources named the dead man as Nabil Hannash.

France's far right makes local gains; voters punish Hollande Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:40 PM PDT By Dominique Vidalon PARIS (Reuters) - France's anti-immigrant National Front (FN) scored gains in first-round town hall elections on Sunday and took control of a former Socialist bastion as voters punished President Francois Hollande and his left-wing allies. The elections in thousands of constituencies across France were the first nationwide voter test for Hollande, who came to power in May 2012 and has seen his popularity slump to record lows for failing to rein in unemployment. A second round of voting is due next Sunday but FN leader Marine Le Pen, who has softened the party's image since taking over from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2011, said advances made in the first round already marked a major breakthrough. "The National Front has arrived as a major independent force - a political force both at the national and local level," Le Pen, who scored 18 percent in the 2012 presidential election, told TF1 television.

Hamas rally in Gaza takes aim at Egypt, Israel and Abbas Posted: 23 Mar 2014 10:45 AM PDT By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied in Gaza on Sunday to show support for their Islamist Hamas government, which has long been at loggerheads with Israel but is now shunned by Egypt as well. The military-backed government that toppled the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas's ideological kin, in Cairo last year deems the Palestinian faction a security threat. An Egyptian court this month banned Hamas activities in the country, and Cairo has clamped down on smuggling tunnels across the Sinai-Gaza border. Hamas tried in vain to mollify Egypt by insisting that its hostility was directed exclusively at Israel, but is now turning up the rhetoric.

Former Spanish prime minister Suarez dies at 81 Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:47 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Adolfo Suarez, Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after decades of right-wing rule under Gen. Francisco Franco, has died aged 81.

Juventus beats 10-man Catania 1-0 in Serie A Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PDT MILAN (AP) — Juventus maintained its charge to a third successive Serie A title as it won 1-0 at 10-man Catania in a fiery match in Serie A on Sunday.

G7 leaders to hold crisis talks on Ukraine during nuclear summit Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:11 PM PDT By Justyna Pawlak THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Leaders of the G7 nations are to hold talks on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in The Hague on Monday to consider their response to Russia annexing Crimea, amid doubts that sanctions can constrain President Vladimir Putin. Since the emergency 1-hour meeting was announced last Tuesday, Putin has signed laws completing Russia's annexation of the peninsula on the Black Sea and his troops seized a Ukrainian airbase there. In what has become the biggest confrontation between the East and West since the Cold War, the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions targeting some of his closest political and business allies, but it was unclear whether they went far enough to influence Moscow. Western governments are struggling to find a balance between putting pressure on Putin, protecting their own economies and avoiding triggering a vicious cycle of sanctions and reprisals.

Benfica routs Academica 3-0, keeps Portuguese lead Posted: 23 Mar 2014 04:10 PM PDT LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Benfica cruised to a 3-0 victory over Academica on Sunday to maintain its seven-point advantage atop the Portuguese league.

Messi hat trick guides Barca to 4-3 win at Madrid Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:53 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi scored a hat trick to give Barcelona a 4-3 win at 10-man Real Madrid in an electrifying and contentious "clasico" match that kept the three-way Spanish league title race wide open.

Power outages hit Crimea, local utility blames Ukrainian provider Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:46 PM PDT Parts of Crimea were hit by power outages late on Sunday and the regional power company blamed them on technical problems in a power line from the Ukrainian mainland to the Black Sea peninsula, which has been wrestled away from Kiev by Moscow. Local residents said there was no electricity in several cities in Crimea including in some districts of the provincial capital of Simferopol, though the city center was not affected. Crimea's power provider Krymenergo said in a statement on its website it introduced partial power cuts after a line operated by Ukraine's national electricity company, Ukrenergo, was hit by a technical fault and went down for repairs. It said the line stretches from Kakhovka in the Kherson region of Ukraine, neighboring Crimea to the north, to the village of Ostrovskoye on the peninsula.

Monaco draws 1-1 with Lille in France Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:38 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Second-place Monaco drew 1-1 with Lille on Sunday to trail leader Paris Saint-Germain by 10 points in the French league.

Messi treble gives Barca 'clasico' win at Madrid Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:36 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — Living up to the "clasico" billing, Lionel Messi upstaged Cristiano Ronaldo on his own turf to reassert Barcelona's title credentials on Sunday.

French far-right triumphs in local polls that hammer Socialists Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:28 PM PDT France's far-right National Front party dealt a major blow to the ruling Socialists Sunday after several of its candidates took prime position in the first round of local elections. The main centre-right opposition UMP party also hailed a "big victory" as initial estimates showed it came out trumps in the elections, as President Francois Hollande suffers record unpopularity against a backdrop of near-zero growth and high unemployment. According to a BVA poll, the UMP and allies took 48 percent of the vote nationwide while the Socialist party and allies took 43 percent, and the FN seven percent -- far higher than its 0.9 percent result in the first round of 2008 municipal polls. Applauding what she said was "an exceptional vintage for the FN", Marine Le Pen -- head of the anti-immigration, anti-EU party -- said the polls marked the "end of the bipolarisation of the political scene".

Israeli premier jokes about latest scandal Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:21 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shown a rare light side by appearing on a popular TV satirical show on which he joked about the latest scandal tainting Israel's first family.

Police: Pennsylvania man drowns in Jamaica Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:14 PM PDT KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Police in Jamaica say an American vacationer has drowned while swimming off a popular resort town on the western side of the Caribbean island.

Venezuela cites some 'excesses' against protesters Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:09 PM PDT CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's attorney general says some security force members have committed "excesses" in dealing with anti-government protesters, but insists most officers are following the law.

France's municipal voting to test government grip Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:08 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — France's far-right National Front conquered a symbolic northern town in Sunday's first round of municipal elections and led in some other cities, drawing calls by the governing left and rival right to stop the anti-immigration party's advance.

Spain's first post-Franco prime minister Suarez dies at 81 Posted: 23 Mar 2014 03:06 PM PDT Adolfo Suarez, the prime minister who led Spain to democracy after decades of dictatorship and became its first elected premier after the death of General Francisco Franco, died Sunday aged 81. Suarez passed away at Madrid's Cemtro hospital where he was admitted Monday with pneumonia, family spokesman Fermin Urbiola told reporters outside the hospital. His son Adolfo Suarez Illana told reporters on Friday that his father's illness had progressed and his death was "imminent". Suarez was one of the last surviving players in Spain's historic "transition" -- the delicate dismantling of dictatorship followed by democratic reforms that he and King Juan Carlos helped achieve after Franco died in 1975.

Venezuela police facing murder probe: attorney general Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:59 PM PDT Venezuela's attorney general admitted Sunday that demonstrators have been abused during weeks of protests that have rocked the country and 60 complaints, including murder allegations against police, are being probed. "Yes, there has been police excess, we are not going to deny that... we are investigating," Luisa Ortega Diaz told local television station Televen. Among the 60 possible cases, "there are three police officers from Chacao who are accused of having allegedly committed murder," she said. Venezuela has been shaken by near daily protests that began on February 4, fueled by public anger over violent crime, inflation, shortages of such basic goods as toilet paper and further stoked by often heavy-handed police tactics.

Oil spill cleanup efforts continue off Texas Gulf shore Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:55 PM PDT By Terry Wade TEXAS CITY, Texas (Reuters) - Four skimming boats surrounded a partially submerged barge on Sunday at the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel, working to clean up fuel spilled from the vessel into Galveston Bay after a Saturday collision with a cargo ship, according to a Reuters eyewitness. The Houston Ship Channel remained shut on Sunday to contain the environmental damage and prevent additional collisions, said Coast Guard Capt. Brian Penoyer, who commands the maritime safety service's units in Houston and Galveston, Texas. The Channel will remain shut "until clean water is assured," Penoyer told reporters at a news conference in Texas City.

Top Asian News at 9:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:32 PM PDT PERTH, Australia (AP) — France provided new satellite data Sunday showing possible debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet, as searchers combing a remote part of the southern Indian Ocean tried without success to locate a wooden pallet that could yield clues to one of the world's most baffling aviation mysteries. The new data consists of "radar echoes" in the same part of the ocean where satellite images previously released by Australia and China showed what might be debris from the plane, French authorities said.

Ebola detected in Guinea victims, 50 dead Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:32 PM PDT CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Samples from victims of a viral hemorrhagic fever that has killed more than 50 people in Guinea have tested positive for the Ebola virus, government officials said Sunday, marking the first time an outbreak among humans has been detected in this West African nation.

Putin ally suggests U.S. sanctions on his bank have backfired Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:26 PM PDT By Steve Gutterman MOSCOW (Reuters) - An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who heads a bank that was hit by U.S. sanctions over the Crimea crisis suggested on Sunday the move had backfired by helping him win new clients. Yuri Kovalchuk, chairman of Bank Rossiya, also used a rare television appearance to make clear that other wealthy Russians should show their patriotism during the crisis. Kovalchuk is one of more than 20 Russians barred from entering the United States or holding assets there under sanctions imposed over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, which Western leaders say is illegal. Putin said on Friday he would open an account at Bank Rossiya.

Indian farmers driven to suicide as hail ruins crops Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:21 PM PDT By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI (Reuters) - Unseasonal rains and hailstorms this month have damaged the winter-sown crops of millions of Indian farmers, but Rekha Garole lost more than others. Crops have been damaged in the northern states of Rajasthan and Punjab and in southern Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to a lesser extent.

Egypt: Court orders leading activist freed on bail Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:10 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian court on Sunday ordered the release on bail pending trial of a prominent activist charged with breaking a new law that heavily restricts protests, after he spent nearly four months in jail.

Top Asian News at 9:00 p.m. GMT Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:02 PM PDT PERTH, Australia (AP) — France provided new satellite data Sunday showing possible debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet, as searchers combing a remote part of the southern Indian Ocean tried without success to locate a wooden pallet that could yield clues to one of the world's most baffling aviation mysteries. The new data consists of "radar echoes" in the same part of the ocean where satellite images previously released by Australia and China showed what might be debris from the plane, French authorities said.

Turkish jet downs Syrian warplane near border Posted: 23 Mar 2014 02:02 PM PDT ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish fighter jets shot down a Syrian warplane Sunday after it violated the country's airspace, Turkey's prime minister said, in a move likely to ramp up tensions between two countries already deeply at odds over Syria's civil war.

Syria-related clashes kill 1 overnight in Beirut Posted: 23 Mar 2014 01:57 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Hours-long clashes overnight in a Beirut neighborhood between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad killed one person, prompting Lebanese troops to deploy in the area on Sunday to calm tensions.

Crimea's Tatars flee for Ukraine far west Posted: 23 Mar 2014 01:53 PM PDT Lviv (Ukraine) (AFP) - Russia's annexation of Crimea has sent hundreds of the region's ethnic Tatars fleeing the peninsula for western Ukraine out of fear of a backlash from Moscow. The Tatars, a native Muslim community of about 300,000, largely boycotted a March 16 referendum on whether their historic homeland should come under Kremlin control. And after Russia's seizure of Ukraine's last airbase in Crimea on Saturday -- which Kiev fears could herald an imminent Russian invasion -- many fear Tatars could be targeted again. "This journey is like leaving the Soviet Union for a different country," said Adele, a Tatar arriving for the first time in Ukraine's westernmost city.

Ebola epidemic spreads to Guinea's capital Posted: 23 Mar 2014 01:45 PM PDT An Ebola epidemic which has already killed dozens of people in Guinea's southern forests has spread to the capital Conakry, the United Nations Children's Fund said on Sunday. "At least 59 out of 80 who contracted Ebola across the West African country have died so far. Over the past few days, the deadly haemorrhagic fever has quickly spread from the communities of Macenta, Gueckedou, and Kissidougou to the capital, Conakry," UNICEF said in a statement emailed to AFP. Conakry, a vast, sprawling port city on Guinea's Atlantic coast, is estimated to have a population of between 1.5 and two million.

Syria condemns Turkey 'aggression' after jet downed Posted: 23 Mar 2014 01:42 PM PDT Syria accused Ankara of "flagrant aggression" Sunday after Turkey shot down a warplane near the border, raising tensions as Syrian loyalists and rebels battled for control of a frontier crossing. Turkey, which backs the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, warned Damascus against testing its determination and pledged a tough response if Syrian warplanes violate its airspace again. A Syrian military source said Turkey shot down the warplane "in a flagrant act of aggression that is evidence of (Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's support for terrorist groups". The aircraft "was chasing terrorist groups inside Syrian territory at Kasab", said the source, referring to the disputed border crossing.

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