| Worst east Ukraine shelling for month; ceasefire looks in doubt Posted: 09 Nov 2014 01:35 PM PST  DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - East Ukraine's rebel stronghold Donetsk was pummeled on Sunday by the heaviest shelling in a month, and the OSCE said it spotted an armored column of troops without insignia in rebel territory that Kiev said proved Moscow had sent reinforcements. A two-month-old ceasefire to end a war that has killed 4,000 people has appeared shakier than ever in the past few days, with each side accusing the other of having violated the terms of the peace plan. ...
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| Iran, U.S., EU nuclear talks in Oman seen going to second day Posted: 09 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST  By Warren Strobel MUSCAT (Reuters) - Iran, the United States and European Union will hold an unscheduled second day of talks on Monday on disagreements blocking resolution of a dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, a U.S. official and Iranian state media said. With two weeks to a deadline for a comprehensive accord, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and EU envoy Catherine Ashton met in Oman's capital Muscat on Sunday to address a decade-long confrontation that has raised the risk of a wider war in the Middle East. ...
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| Canada PM says raised case of detained couple with China's Xi Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:07 AM PST  By Andrea Hopkins BEIJING (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Sunday he had raised concerns about China's detention of a Canadian couple near the North Korean border during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kevin and Julia Garratt, long-time residents of China, have been detained since August for suspected theft of military and intelligence information and for threatening national security. The couple's son earlier on Sunday had said he was not sure Canada was doing enough to help his parents. ...
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| Iraqi military reach Baiji; Baghdadi's fate unclear Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:32 PM PST  By Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi military forces reached the center of the northern city of Baiji on Sunday in an effort to break an Islamic State siege of the country's biggest refinery, triggering fierce clashes with the militants, according to an army colonel and a witness. Separately, contradictory reports emerged over the fate of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi after U.S.-led air strikes against the group in at least two locations in Iraq on Friday night. The United States said it had no information to indicate Baghdadi had been hit. ...
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| Mexican president condemns violent protests after attack on palace Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:53 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Sunday condemned violent protests over the apparent massacre of 43 students after demonstrators set fire to the door of his ceremonial palace in Mexico City on Saturday night. Tens of thousands of Mexicans have taken to the streets to protest the government's handling of the case of the missing students, and last night protesters in central Mexico City set fire to the door of the National Palace. ...
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| Japan's Abe urges Putin to ensure Ukraine ceasefire holds Posted: 09 Nov 2014 10:24 AM PST  By Leika Kihara and Alexei Anishchuk BEIJING (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to play a constructive role in ensuring that a shaky ceasefire in Ukraine holds. In bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders summit, Abe expressed concern that actions by pro-Russian separatists were complicating the situation in Ukraine, according to Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato. ...
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| Cruzeiro keeps 5-point lead in Brazilian league Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:51 PM PST SAO PAULO (AP) — Defending champion Cruzeiro came back with three second-half goals to beat last placed Criciuma 3-1 and keep a five-point lead over Sao Paulo in the Brazilian league Sunday. |
| 80 pct of participants in symbolic Catalan poll back independence: early results Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:50 PM PST  Over 80 percent of the roughly two million people who took part in a symbolic independence referendum in Spain's wealthy region of Catalonia on Sunday voted in favour of independence, early results showed. Of the 2,043,226 ballots counted so far, 80.7 percent or 1,649,239 voted yes to both questions, Catalan vice president Joana Ortega told a news conference.
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| Swansea stun Arsenal as Newcastle soar Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:48 PM PST  London (AFP) - Arsenal missed the chance to go fourth in the English Premier League after Swansea came from behind to beat the Gunners 2-1 with two late goals at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.
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| Small plane crashes in Bahamas, killing 9 on board Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:44 PM PST FREEPORT, Grand Bahama (AP) — The government of the Bahamas says a small plane has crashed on approach to the island of Grand Bahama and all 9 people on board have been killed. |
| Duminy to miss Proteas' ODI series vs Australia Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:40 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — J.P. Duminy has withdrawn from South Africa's squad for the limited-overs international series against Australia due to a chronic knee injury and will be replaced by Farhaan Behardien. |
| Government of Bahamas says all 9 people on board killed when plane crashes off Grand Bahama Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:38 PM PST FREEPORT, Bahamas (AP) — Government of Bahamas says all 9 people on board killed when plane crashes off Grand Bahama. |
| Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:32 PM PST SEATTLE (AP) — Kenneth Bae arrived home after years of imprisonment in North Korea, expressing his gratitude to the U.S. government for securing his release and revealing that his time there offered lessons. And his sister said he had one stipulation for his first meal back home: No Korean food. |
| 2 million Catalans vote in mock independence poll Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:27 PM PST  BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — About 1.6 million people in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia voted Sunday in favor of breaking away from the country and carving out a new Mediterranean nation in a mock independence poll, but more Catalans stayed away either because of the poll's questionable legality or their opposition to secession.
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| American freed by North Korea wanted pizza Posted: 09 Nov 2014 04:08 PM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — Kenneth Bae arrived home after years of imprisonment in North Korea, expressing his gratitude to the U.S. government for securing his release and revealing that his time there offered lessons.
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| Federer, Nishikori win at ATP Finals Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:56 PM PST  LONDON (AP) — Experience prevailed over youth as Roger Federer tamed Milos Raonic 6-1, 7-6 (0) in his opening round-robin match at the ATP Finals Sunday after Kei Nishikori started his maiden campaign at the season-ending tournament with a win.
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| Gruff former general right man for Korean mission Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:55 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The North Koreans passed word that they wanted a high-ranking U.S. government official for the job, so President Barack Obama sent a gruff former general to bring home two Americans held captive by the hard-line communists. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is no diplomat by training, and that's perhaps just why he earned the clandestine call.
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| Arsenal stumbles, Juventus cruises and PSG wins Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:27 PM PST  LONDON (AP) — Arsenal was left to rue its defensive vulnerabilities for the second time in a week after again failing to defend a lead in a 2-1 away loss to Swansea on Sunday.
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| Jaguars stumble, fall to Cowboys in London Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:23 PM PST  LONDON (AP) — After watching his team miss tackles, drop a punt, fumble the ball and fall into another big hole on the scoreboard against the Dallas Cowboys, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley let loose on his team at halftime.
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| Massa says 3rd place in Brazil feels like victory Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:13 PM PST  SAO PAULO (AP) — Felipe Massa celebrated his podium finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix as if he had won the race.
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| Benfica beats Nacional 2-1 in Portuguese league Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:07 PM PST  LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Benfica came from behind to beat Nacional 2-1 in the Portuguese league on Sunday after conceding in the first minute.
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| Romo returns, Cowboys beat Jaguars 31-17 in London Posted: 09 Nov 2014 03:00 PM PST  LONDON (AP) — Boosted by Tony Romo's return, America's Team became an international success.
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| Five nuclear engineers murdered near Damascus Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:59 PM PST  Unknown assailants killed five nuclear engineers Sunday while they were on a bus just north of Damascus near the research centre where they worked, a monitor said on Sunday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its reports, later told AFP four of the engineers were Syrian, while one was Iranian. "Unidentified attackers murdered five nuclear energy engineers who worked in the scientific research centre near the neighbourhood of Barzeh, northern Damascus," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Their bus was ambushed while they were on their way to the research centre.
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| 'I've had enough', says Mexico Attorney General in massacre gaffe Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:53 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - After weeks fielding questions about the abduction and apparent massacre of 43 trainee teachers by corrupt police in league with drug gang members, Mexico's Attorney General Jesus Murillo has had enough. He's not the only one. Facing a grilling over the details of the case, which has sent shockwaves across Mexico and triggered outrage at impunity, Murillo sought to wrap up a news conference on Friday evening, arching his eyebrows with the aside "Ya me canse", or "I've had enough". ...
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| Report: Rail contractor owns Mexico pres' home Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:53 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (AP) — The private home of President Enrique Pena Nieto was built and is registered under the name of a company connected to a controversial high-speed rail contract that he abruptly canceled last week, according to a report by a leading Mexican journalist.
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| Iraqi officials say IS leader wounded in airstrike Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:51 PM PST  BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials said Sunday that the head of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was wounded in an airstrike in western Anbar province. Pentagon officials said they had no immediate information on such an attack or on the militant leader being injured.
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| FARC rebels get heavy jail time for killing tribe members Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:48 PM PST  Toribío (Colombia) (AFP) - An indigenous court convicted seven FARC guerrillas of murdering two leaders of the Nasa tribe in western Colombia on Sunday, sentencing them to between 40 and 60 years in jail and 20 lashes. The harshest sentence -- 60 years prison time -- was handed down to Carlos Ivan Silva, who confessed to killing two native leaders on Wednesday. The victims were removing billboards praising the late leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Guillermo Leon Saenz, also known as Alfonso Cano, when they were murdered.
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| Burkina transition plan sets up delicate talks with military Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:47 PM PST  Burkina Faso opposition and civil society groups agreed Sunday on the outlines of a transitional government aimed at new elections in a year, setting up delicate negotiations with the military regime in charge after Blaise Compaore's ouster. The approval of a transition blueprint comes ahead of Monday's visit by the African Union chairman and with the military authorities under international pressure to hand over to a civilian government. Under the plan, the transition ahead of elections in November 2015 would include a civilian president, a government with 25 ministers and a 90-member parliament.
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| Real Sociedad beats Atletico Madrid 2-1 in La Liga Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:46 PM PST  SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Goals by Carlos Vela and Imanol Agirretxe gave lowly Real Sociedad a 2-1 home win against 10-man defending champions Atletico Madrid in the Spanish League on Sunday.
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| Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande winners at MTV EMAs Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:42 PM PST  GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Nicki Minaj rapped about shortbread and Ariana Grande capped a breakthrough year with two trophies as the MTV Europe Music Awards celebrated its 20th anniversary Sunday with a Scottish-accented show in Glasgow.
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| PSG beats Marseille 2-0 to trim gap to 1 point Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:40 PM PST  PARIS (AP) — Brazilian winger Lucas and striker Edinson Cavani scored a goal each as unbeaten Paris Saint-Germain overcame a poor start before beating Marseille 2-0 on Sunday to close the gap on its bitter rival to one point.
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| Leader Juventus crushes Parma 7-0 in Serie A Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:35 PM PST MILAN (AP) — Carlos Tevez scored a stunning goal to help Juventus crush Parma 7-0 and retain its three-point advantage over Roma, which eased to a 3-0 win at home to Torino later on Sunday. |
| Federer in the groove, Nishikori downs Murray Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:23 PM PST  Roger Federer was back in the groove at the ATP World Tour Finals as the six-time champion defeated Milos Raonic 6-1, 7-6 (7/0), while Japan's Kei Nishikori made a dream debut with a surprise 6-4, 6-4 victory over Andy Murray on Sunday. Federer last won the prestigious season-ending event at London's O2 Arena in 2011 and the world number two looks in the mood to add another title to his collection on the evidence of a powerful performance, featuring 24 winners, that avenged his loss to Raonic in the Paris Masters quarter-finals last month. Raonic, 23, is making his Tour Finals debut as the first player born in the 1990s to compete in the event after a breakthrough year that included a run to the Wimbledon semi-finals. Federer is set to become the oldest player to finish a season in the world's top two and still has a slim chance of becoming the oldest player to end the season as world number one if he overhauls Novak Djokovic in the race for the top spot.
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| Hamilton still in good position to clinch F1 title Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:19 PM PST  SAO PAULO (AP) — Nico Rosberg won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday to get within 17 points of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One title race.
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| Libya's El Feel oil field shut down, third site within days Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:13 PM PST By Ayman al-Warfalli and Ulf Laessing BENGHAZI/CAIRO (Reuters) - An oil field in southwest Libya has closed down, officials said on Sunday, becoming the third oil facility in the chaotic country to shut within a week. The El Feel field, operated by Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italy's ENI, shut down due to a power outage after armed men forced the closure of the major El Sharara field in south Libya last Wednesday, an NOC spokesman said. OPEC member Libya is in turmoil as two governments and parliaments vie for legitimacy three years after the ouster of strongman Muammar Gaddafi. ... |
| Spain dismisses Catalan independence vote as 'useless' Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:10 PM PST Spanish Justice Minister Rafael Catala dismissed a symbolic independence referendum held Sunday in Catalonia in which some two million people voted as "fruitless and useless". "Citizens have ben encouraged to take part in a fruitless and useless exercise," he added in the central government's first reaction to the turnout figures of the ballot which was held despite having been suspended by the Constitutional Court. |
| Burkina Faso talks agree on plan for return to civilian rule Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:07 PM PST  By Nadoun Coulibaly OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Opposition parties, civil society groups and religious leaders adopted a plan on Sunday for a transitional authority to guide Burkina Faso to elections, after a popular uprising forced longtime president Blaise Compaore from power. Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida declared himself head of state on Nov. 1 after Compaore resigned and fled the country last month, following mass protests against his efforts to change the constitution to seek reelection in 2015 after 27 years in power. ...
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| Britain's defense chief says Islamic State will recover after air strikes Posted: 09 Nov 2014 02:03 PM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's most senior military officer warned on Sunday that Islamic State would recover after U.S. air strikes in Iraq destroyed a convoy believed to contain some of the militant group's leaders. A U.S. spokesman on Saturday said an air strike near the Iraqi city of Mosul destroyed 10 Islamic State (IS) vehicles after what was believed to have been a gathering of its leaders. The United States was unable to confirm whether the group's top commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been in the convoy. ... |
