Yahoo! News: World News

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• Ukraine's restive east slipping from government's grasp
• Air strike on Aleppo school kills 18: Syrian activists
• Iraqis vote as violence grips a divided country
• Afghan government says West holds prisoners illegally in south
• Blast at train station in China's Urumqi, some injured: media
• U.S. says al Qaeda core weak, but affiliates still threaten
• German consulate seeks justice for slain student
• Egypt's judges rebuff criticism of death sentences
• St Lucia police trying to identify charred body
• Atletico beats Chelsea 3-1 to reach CL final
• Macy's theft case dropped; woman said false arrest
• Russia hopeful on Iran nuclear agreement
• Northern Ireland police arrest Gerry Adams over 1972 murder
• IMF board approves $17 billion for Ukraine
• IMF's Lagarde says Ukraine program faces risks
• 2 in US terror case accused of marshals assault
• Puerto Rico formally submits balanced budget
• New airport in Qatar receives first flights
• U.S. tells ally Bahrain 'not the time' to do business with Russia
• Iraqis vote in an election without foreign troops
• Spotify's Top 10 most streamed tracks
• Arrest made in slaying of Venezuela ex-spy chief
• South Africa allows imams to perform marriages
• Sharif visits London as Britain urged to cut Pakistan aid
• CCTV: 3 dead in train station attack in China
• Putin not blinking over Ukraine chessboard, but options narrowing
• Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks
• U.S. firm ends lobbying deal with Ukraine-related group
• Russia evokes Nazi horrors to bash Ukraine
• Top Asian News at 9:30 p.m. GMT
• Jaromir Jagr re-signs with Devils
• UN Security Council members despair over Syria aid
• IMF approves $17 billion bailout for Ukraine amid risks
• Abu Hamza 'ordered me' to Afghanistan, US court hears
• Sinn Fein leader arrested over 1972 IRA killing
• 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' actor Hoskins dies at 71

Ukraine's restive east slipping from government's grasp Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:13 PM PDT By Marko Djurica HORLIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) - Pro-Moscow separatists seized government offices in more Ukrainian towns on Wednesday, in a further sign that authorities in Kiev are losing control of the country's eastern industrial heartland bordering Russia. Gunmen who turned up at dawn took control of official buildings in Horlivka, a town of almost 300,000 people, said a Reuters photographer. The heavily armed men wore the same military uniforms without insignia as other unidentified "green men" who have joined pro-Russian protesters with clubs and chains in seizing control of towns across Ukraine's Donbass coal and steel belt. Some 30 pro-Russian separatists also seized a city council building in Alchevsk, further east in Luhansk region, Interfax-Ukraine news agency said.

Air strike on Aleppo school kills 18: Syrian activists Posted: 30 Apr 2014 09:01 AM PDT An air strike on a school in Syria's northern city of Aleppo by President Bashar al-Assad's forces killed at least 18 people on Wednesday, mainly children, a day after attacks on government-controlled cities killed more than 100 people, activists said. The devastating strikes, which stand out for their ferocity even in a civil war which now kills between 200 and 300 people a day, come as Syria prepares for an election likely to extend Assad's grip on power. Wednesday's air strike on the Ain Jalout school in the Al-Ansari district of Aleppo appeared to be part of the sustained bombardment of the contested northern city by Assad's forces. Pictures from the school showed blood on corridor walls and debris in classrooms, while video footage released by activists at the anti-Assad Aleppo Media Centre showed more than a dozen bodies which appeared to be children laid out on a tiled floor.

Iraqis vote as violence grips a divided country Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:10 PM PDT By Ned Parker and Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq held a democratic vote to choose a leader with no foreign troops present for the first time on Wednesday, as Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki sought to hold power for a third term in a country again consumed by sectarian bloodshed. Since the last American soldiers pulled out in 2011, eight years after toppling dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq has descended back into extreme violence, with hundreds of civilians killed each month by al Qaeda-inspired Sunni insurgents, and with Shi'ite militia once more taking fearsome revenge. Voters chose from nearly 10,000 candidates for 328 seats in parliament, from political parties that range from zealous Islamists to liberals and communists. The commission hopes to declare final results by the end of May. Non-Shi'ite parties complained of obstacles to voting in the outer suburbs of Baghdad and saw in it a deliberate effort by Maliki to keep their numbers down in the next parliament.

Afghan government says West holds prisoners illegally in south Posted: 30 Apr 2014 10:00 AM PDT By Hamid Shalizi and Jeremy Laurence KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan has accused British and U.S. forces of secretly holding Afghans in jail, saying one man had been held for more than two years while others had "disappeared", further souring ties between Kabul and its Western allies at a sensitive time. The latest dispute could complicate relations as Washington seeks to implement a security agreement allowing a small force to stay in the country for counter-terrorism and training purposes, a pact incumbent leader Hamid Karzai refuses to sign. The allegations, presented in a state-backed document obtained by Reuters, were made as Afghanistan prepares to induct a new president more than 12 years after U.S.-led forces drove the Taliban from power. "This a clear violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty," Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi told Reuters.

Blast at train station in China's Urumqi, some injured: media Posted: 30 Apr 2014 12:24 PM PDT By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Three people were killed and 79 wounded in a bomb and knife attack at a train station in the far western region of China on Wednesday, state media said, as President Xi Jinping was wrapping up a vist to the area. Xi promised "decisive actions" against the "terrorists" behind the attack in Xinjiang, a region beset for years by violence the government blames on Islamist militants and separatists seeking an independent state called East Turkestan. Quoting police, Xinhua news agency said "knife-wielding mobs slashed people" at an exit of the South Railway Station of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, and set off explosives. Pictures on China's Twitter-like Weibo site showed blood on suitcases and debris on the ground in front of the station.

U.S. says al Qaeda core weak, but affiliates still threaten Posted: 30 Apr 2014 12:27 PM PDT By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday that while al Qaeda's Pakistan-based "core organization" had been severely degraded, affiliates of the militant group in Africa and the Middle East were becoming more "operationally autonomous" and aggressive. The State Department said in its annual global report on terrorism that the central organization of al Qaeda, under the leadership of Ayman al Zawahiri, had been "much diminished" by international efforts and had lost many of its senior leaders. But the report said instability and weak governments in the Middle East and North Africa had enabled al Qaeda affiliates and like-minded groups to "broaden and deepen their operations" in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, North Africa and Somalia.

German consulate seeks justice for slain student Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:42 PM PDT MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — The German consulate called for justice Wednesday after a homeowner fired four blasts from a shotgun into his garage, killing a 17-year-old exchange student who was inside.

Egypt's judges rebuff criticism of death sentences Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:29 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's Justice Minister on Wednesday rebuffed international criticism of a mass trial this week in which some 680 defendants were sentenced to death, saying the judiciary is not a tool of executive authority and that rulings can be overturned upon appeal.

St Lucia police trying to identify charred body Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:11 PM PDT CASTRIES, St. Lucia (AP) — Investigators are trying to identify a body found burned beyond recognition last week in a charred Range Rover near a luxury hotel on the north shore of this Caribbean island, police said Wednesday.

Atletico beats Chelsea 3-1 to reach CL final Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:05 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — A season of the unexpected for Atletico Madrid will end with a shot at a first Champions League title against its fiercest rival.

Macy's theft case dropped; woman said false arrest Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:50 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A Pakistani shopper who said she was unfairly profiled and falsely accused of stealing jewelry at Macy's flagship store got the charges dismissed Wednesday, when prosecutors dropped a case that arose amid similar complaints about store security guards targeting minorities.

Russia hopeful on Iran nuclear agreement Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:57 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran's unprecedented cooperation with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog and six world powers raises hope that an agreement can be reached to limit Iran's ability to build nuclear arms by the before the July 20 deadline, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official said ahead of a new round of talks next week.

Northern Ireland police arrest Gerry Adams over 1972 murder Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:53 PM PDT By Maurice Neill and Conor Humphries BELFAST/DUBLIN (Reuters) - Northern Ireland police arrested Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams on Wednesday as part of an investigation into one of the province's most controversial murders, a move likely to cause a political earthquake in Belfast and Dublin. The man reviled in Britain as the spokesman for the Irish Republican Army in the 1980s, Adams reinvented himself as a Northern Ireland peacemaker and then as a populist opposition politician in the Irish parliament. His Sinn Fein party on Wednesday said he was being questioned by police investigating the 1972 abduction and murder of mother of 10 Jean McConville. Adams, who has always denied membership of the IRA said he was "innocent of any part" in the killing.

IMF board approves $17 billion for Ukraine Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:51 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund board on Wednesday approved a two-year, $17 billion loan package for cash-strapped Ukraine as it seeks to regain stability following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

IMF's Lagarde says Ukraine program faces risks Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:34 PM PDT Ukraine's $17 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund faces geopolitical and implementation risks, the IMF chief said on Wednesday. Ukraine, which has been in the midst of months of turmoil, on Wednesday received the IMF bailout to help stabilize its economy, which should unlock a further $15 billion in international aid. "On the implementation front, we are taking all the precautions we can in order to mitigate those risks," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told reporters.

2 in US terror case accused of marshals assault Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:32 PM PDT MIAMI (AP) — Two Pakistani-born brothers awaiting trial in South Florida on charges of plotting a terrorist attack in New York City are being accused of assaulting two deputy U.S. marshals.

Puerto Rico formally submits balanced budget Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:23 PM PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico's government has released more details on the island's first balanced budget in more than a decade.

New airport in Qatar receives first flights Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:10 PM PDT DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A vast new airport in the Qatari capital opened for business following years of delays Wednesday as the natural-gas rich Gulf nation works to transform itself into a major aviation hub and prepares to host one of sporting's biggest events.

U.S. tells ally Bahrain 'not the time' to do business with Russia Posted: 30 Apr 2014 03:00 PM PDT The United States disapproves of a decision by its Gulf ally Bahrain to sign an investment cooperation deal with Russia at a time when U.S. and European governments are imposing economic sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, an official said. "With Russia continuing its efforts to destabilize Ukraine, this is not the time for any country to conduct business as usual with Russia," a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday. "We have raised these concerns with the Bahraini government." In a statement on Tuesday, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat to identify and work together on investment opportunities in their countries.

Iraqis vote in an election without foreign troops Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:50 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq voted Wednesday in its first nationwide election since U.S. troops withdrew in 2011, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki confident of victory and even offering an olive branch to his critics by inviting them to join him in a governing coalition.

Spotify's Top 10 most streamed tracks Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:47 PM PDT The following list represents the top streamed tracks on Spotify from Monday, April 21, to Sunday April 27:

Arrest made in slaying of Venezuela ex-spy chief Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:46 PM PDT CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Police have arrested a suspect in the mysterious murder of a former Venezuelan intelligence chief with close ties to the late President Hugo Chavez.

South Africa allows imams to perform marriages Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:42 PM PDT South Africa on Wednesday accredited over 100 imams as marriage officers, allowing the Muslim clerics to officiate at fully recognised weddings for the first time. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe hailed "a new chapter in the story of the Muslim community in South Africa". "This will enable the legal official recognition of the unions of Muslim couples," he said at a ceremony in Cape Town. Motlanthe said Muslim couples would now have the "protective instruments" of the secular state, while maintaining "Koranic values"

Sharif visits London as Britain urged to cut Pakistan aid Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:41 PM PDT British aid to Pakistan should be cut unless there is proof the funds help stop Islamic extremism, a report by lawmakers said Wednesday as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited London. Published just hours before Sharif was to meet British counterpart David Cameron, the international development committee report singled out Pakistan for criticism. Pakistan is the largest recipient of bilateral British aid, with Islamabad set to receive £446 million ($750 million, 541 million euros) of assistance this year.

CCTV: 3 dead in train station attack in China Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:41 PM PDT BEIJING (AP) — An explosion rocked a railway station in China's restive far-western region of Xinjiang, and the state broadcaster said three people were killed and 79 people were injured. The attack Wednesday came as President Xi Jinping wrapped up a four-day visit to the area.

Putin not blinking over Ukraine chessboard, but options narrowing Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:38 PM PDT The moves available to President Vladimir Putin as he hunches over the Ukraine chessboard are getting more limited in the game being played against an equally determined West. Time is running out if he is thinking of trying to secure victory through brute force -- launching an invasion with the estimated 40,000 troops he has parked on Ukraine's border for nearly two months.

Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:37 PM PDT The following list represents the most viral tracks on Spotify, based on the number of people who shared it divided by the number who listened to it, from Monday April 21, to Sunday April 27, via Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Spotify.

U.S. firm ends lobbying deal with Ukraine-related group Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:33 PM PDT By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Washington lobbying firm with close ties to the White House and Democratic Party has ended its relationship with a Brussels-based group linked to ousted Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovich. A second Washington lobbying firm with ties to the Republican Party continues to represent the same Brussels group, according to disclosure documents recently filed with the U.S. Congress by the two firms. The political movement once led by Yanukovich has been deeply disrupted by protests in Ukraine, where a political crisis has deepened after moves by Russia and its sympathizers to take over Crimea and oppose the new Ukrainian central government. One of the documents, filed on April 21, shows that the Podesta Group, headed by Tony Podesta, terminated its representation of the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine on March 31.

Russia evokes Nazi horrors to bash Ukraine Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:32 PM PDT ZHDANIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — Moscow calls the detention center under construction near the Russian border a "fascist concentration camp." Inside the barbed-wire fences, the reality is less ominous: It's an EU-funded project to hold asylum seekers and illegal immigrants, similar to other such detention centers across Europe.

Top Asian News at 9:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:32 PM PDT BEIJING (AP) — An explosion rocked a railway station in China's restive far-western region of Xinjiang, and the state broadcaster said three people were killed and 79 people were injured. The attack Wednesday came as President Xi Jinping wrapped up a four-day visit to the area. CCTV said assailants attacked crowds with knives and set off explosions at the same time at the Urumqi South Station. The station called in a terrorist act.

Jaromir Jagr re-signs with Devils Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:30 PM PDT NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — Jaromir Jagr has decided to remain with the New Jersey Devils for another year.

UN Security Council members despair over Syria aid Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:28 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Members of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday said they fear that no progress will be made on getting humanitarian aid for millions into Syria as long as Russia opposes any actions against the government there.

IMF approves $17 billion bailout for Ukraine amid risks Posted: 30 Apr 2014 04:11 PM PDT By Anna Yukhananov WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's board signed off on a $17 billion two-year aid program for Ukraine on Wednesday to help the former Soviet republic's economy recover after months of turmoil. The IMF aid will allow the immediate disbursement of $3.2 billion to Kiev, and unlock further credits from other donors of about $15 billion, intended to help Ukraine stabilize its economy amid its worst civil turmoil since independence in 1991. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde admitted the program faces geopolitical risks, along with uncertainty about the government's ability to carry out the politically unpopular measures necessary to get its finances in order. The IMF's board decided to meet every two months for the next couple reviews of Ukraine's program, rather than following the typical three-month schedule, in order to closely track the government's continued commitment to economic reforms, such as floating the currency and cutting fiscal deficits.

Abu Hamza 'ordered me' to Afghanistan, US court hears Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:26 PM PDT A US Muslim convert told a New York terror trial Wednesday that British hate preacher Abu Hamza "ordered" him to take a young recruit to Afghanistan to learn frontline jihad. James Ujaama, 48, who has served jail time for a related conviction, told the Manhattan federal court he was once "very close" to Abu Hamza, working for him at his Finsbury Park Mosque in north London in 2000 and 2001. "Sheikh Abu Hamza ordered me to take Feroz Abbasi," he said, referring to a British man arrested by US troops in Afghanistan in 2001 and later held at Guantanamo Bay.

Sinn Fein leader arrested over 1972 IRA killing Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:24 PM PDT DUBLIN (AP) — Police in Northern Ireland arrested Sinn Fein party leader Gerry Adams on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in the Irish Republican Army's 1972 abduction, killing and secret burial of a Belfast widow.

'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' actor Hoskins dies at 71 Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:24 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — Bob Hoskins never lost his Cockney accent, even as he became a global star who charmed and alarmed audiences in a vast range of roles.

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