Yahoo! News: World News

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• U.S., Cuba restore ties after 50 years
• Exclusive: As easy targets thin, Syria air strikes by U.S. allies plunge
• Anger and grief as Pakistan buries students massacred at school
• U.S.-led coalition conducts 67 air strikes against Islamic State: task force
• Jordan's Palestinian draft calls for peace with Israel in a year
• Canada PM says Parliament attacker may not have been lone wolf
• Member of German rocket team dies in US
• Castro survived odd, often inept, US schemes
• AP EXPLAINS: Montana's 'stand your ground law'
• N Korea behind unprecedented cyberattack on Sony
• Cuban exile community divided over Obama changes
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Draft UN resolution targets Israeli occupation
• Sony cancels parody film as NKorea suspected over hack
• Sex workers protest violence in London
• Colombia's FARC rebels declare unilateral ceasefire
• Palestinians seek Israeli peace deal within year: draft resolution
• Alberta opposition decimated as leader, eight others cross floor
• US man convicted in German student's death
• 54 Nigerian soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny: lawyer
• Church of England names first female bishop
• Cuba welcomes Castro's announcement of renewed US ties
• Horwill to join Harlequins after Rugby World Cup
• Rory's the story in golf after stellar year
• Latin America welcomes Obama's move to restore U.S.-Cuba ties
• 'I'm free,' says American after five years held in Cuba
• Canada urges EU to keep Hamas listed as terror group
• US, Cuba move to end Cold War stand-off
• Greek poll shows anti-bailout leftists hold 3.6-point lead over conservatives
• FIFPro urges FIFA to probe Club World Cup game
• Granada eliminates Cordoba from foggy Copa match
• AP source: US probe links NKorea to Sony hacking
• For MLB, changes in Cuba will take time to sort out
• PSG advances to League Cup quarterfinals
• Death toll in clash in western Mexico rises to 11
• US official says federal investigators connect Sony hacking to North Korea
• US, Cuba patch torn relations in historic accord

U.S., Cuba restore ties after 50 years Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:33 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cuba has released American aid worker Alan Gross after five years in prison, a U.S. official said on Wednesday amid reports of a prisoner exchange that heralds a major overhaul of U.S. policy toward Cuba. The U.S. official said Gross was released on humanitarian grounds. CNN reported a prisoner exchange that also included Cuba releasing a U.S. intelligence source and the United States releasing three Cuban intelligence agents. U.S. President Barack Obama was to make a statement at noon on Cuba, the White House said. ...

Exclusive: As easy targets thin, Syria air strikes by U.S. allies plunge Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:57 PM PST By Phil Stewart and Yara Bayoumy WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters) - As U.S. fighter jets pound Islamic State targets in Syria, Washington's coalition allies appear increasingly absent from the air war. Although President Barack Obama's administration announced the Syrian air strikes three months ago as a joint campaign by Washington and its Arab allies, nearly 97 percent of the strikes in December have been carried out by the United States alone, according to U.S. military data provided to Reuters. The data shows that U.S. ...

Anger and grief as Pakistan buries students massacred at school Posted: 17 Dec 2014 01:45 PM PST By Mehreen Zahra-Malik PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan on Wednesday began burying 132 students killed in a grisly attack on their school by Taliban militants that has heaped pressure on the government to do more to tackle an increasingly aggressive Taliban insurgency. The authorities, long accused of not being tough enough on extremists, quickly pointed the finger at Afghanistan, suggesting the neighboring nation was not doing enough to catch Pakistani Taliban commanders hiding on its territory. ...

U.S.-led coalition conducts 67 air strikes against Islamic State: task force Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:21 AM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies have conducted 61 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq in the past the three days, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement on Wednesday. The U.S.-led coalition also conducted six air strikes against the militant group in Syria, the statement said. Forty-five of the strikes in Iraq were "conducted in support of the Peshmerga (KSF) and Iraqi security forces operating in the region" and destroyed 50 targets, including militant fighters and various fighting positions and equipment, the statement said. ...

Jordan's Palestinian draft calls for peace with Israel in a year Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:54 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Jordan formally submitted to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday a draft resolution calling for peace between Israel and the Palestinians within one year that "fulfills the vision of two independent democratic and prosperous states." The Palestinian-drafted resolution was formally submitted to the 15-member council, which means it could be put to a vote as soon as 24 hours later, but it does not guarantee it will happen. Some drafts formally submitted have never been voted. Diplomats say negotiations on the text could take days or weeks. Jordan's U.N. ...

Canada PM says Parliament attacker may not have been lone wolf Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:32 PM PST OTTAWA (Reuters) - The man who killed a Canadian soldier and then stormed the Parliament in October may not have been acting alone, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Wednesday. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a Canadian citizen who wanted to travel to Syria, was shot dead after a gunfight in the halls of Parliament. "People say he was a lone wolf. It's true he was a single attacker, but it is not necessarily the case that it was only one guy," Harper said in an interview with the French-language TVA network. ...

Member of German rocket team dies in US Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:57 PM PST HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (AP) — A member of the German rocket team that helped build America's space program in Alabama has died.

Castro survived odd, often inept, US schemes Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:48 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — For over half a century, the U.S. government's schemes to overthrow the Castro government were, if not successful, always creative: the poisonous cigars, the exploding seashell, the secret Twitter-like service in Cuba.

AP EXPLAINS: Montana's 'stand your ground law' Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:46 PM PST The murder trial of a Montana man who shot and killed 17-year-old German exchange student Diren Dede in his garage tested a state law that gives a person the right to use force or threaten to use force to protect his or her own home from unlawful entry or attack, particularly a provision known as "stand your ground." Markus Kaarma unsuccessfully invoked the law in his defense, saying he was protecting his family and property. He was convicted of deliberate homicide Wednesday. Here's a brief explanation of the law and controversy surrounding it.

N Korea behind unprecedented cyberattack on Sony Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:40 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Hackers backed by North Korea perpetrated an unprecedented act of cyberwarfare against Sony Pictures that exposed tens of thousands of sensitive documents and escalated to threats of terrorist attacks that ultimately drove the studio to cancel all release plans for "The Interview," the film at the heart of the attack.

Cuban exile community divided over Obama changes Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:36 PM PST MIAMI (AP) — President Barack Obama's surprise move to re-establish ties with Cuba was applauded by the men and women in a barber shop in the heart of Miami's Cuban exile community. Waitresses stopped serving coffee at the El Pub restaurant as Obama spoke on TV. One wiped a tear from her eye as she clasped her hands, overcome with emotion at changes no one believed would come.

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:32 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — The siege at the Sydney cafe had been going on for more than five hours and 82-year-old John O'Brien had become convinced the gunman was insane and they would likely all end up dead. And so he made a decision, one he knew came with a cost: he was going to try to escape.

Draft UN resolution targets Israeli occupation Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:30 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Jordan has submitted a draft resolution on ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands captured in 1967 to the U.N. Security Council for a possible vote.

Sony cancels parody film as NKorea suspected over hack Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:30 PM PST Sony Pictures abruptly canceled Wednesday the release of the comedy which has angered North Korea and triggered chilling threats from hackers, reportedly suspected to be ordered by Pyongyang.

Sex workers protest violence in London Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:26 PM PST London (AFP) - Prostitutes held a candlelit vigil in London on Wednesday to mark the international day to end violence against sex workers.

Colombia's FARC rebels declare unilateral ceasefire Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:25 PM PST Colombia's FARC guerrillas declared an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire on Wednesday in the 50-year conflict, saying they would only use weapons if they came under attack by the army. The announcement -- the third year running the leftist rebels have declared a ceasefire over the holiday season -- comes soon after peace talks with the Colombian government resumed, following a crisis triggered by the capture of an army general on November 16. Wednesday's move was noteworthy for the lack of an expiration date, but President Juan Manuel Santos has consistently refused to reciprocate. "We have resolved to declare a unilateral ceasefire and end hostilities for an indefinite period of time, which should be transformed into an armistice," said the rebels' peace negotiators in Cuba, where they are in talks with Colombian officials.

Palestinians seek Israeli peace deal within year: draft resolution Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:22 PM PST The Palestinians set a 12-month deadline to reach a final peace deal with Israel and the end of 2017 as the date for completing the Israeli withdrawal in a UN draft resolution submitted Wednesday. The text obtained by AFP said a "just, lasting and comprehensive peace solution that brings an end to the Israeli occupation" and "fulfills the vision" of a Palestinian state should be reached no later than 12 months after the adoption of the resolution.

Alberta opposition decimated as leader, eight others cross floor Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:19 PM PST CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Alberta's official opposition party was decimated on Wednesday as nine of its 14 sitting members in the provincial legislature, including its leader, defected to the ruling Progressive Conservative party. Danielle Smith, who had been the only leader of the opposition Wildrose party since it was formed in 2008, said she and her colleagues decided to cross the floor and join the ruling Progressive Conservatives because Alberta's uncertain economic outlook demanded the unification of the province's right-wing parties. ...

US man convicted in German student's death Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:17 PM PST MISSOULA, Montana (AP) — A man who shot and killed a German exchange student caught trespassing in his garage was convicted of deliberate homicide Wednesday in a case that attracted attention as a test of "stand your ground" laws in the U.S. that govern the use of deadly force against attackers.

54 Nigerian soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny: lawyer Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:14 PM PST A Nigerian military court on Wednesday sentenced 54 soldiers to death for mutiny after they refused to deploy for an operation against Boko Haram Islamists in the northeast, their lawyer said. In a similar case in September, 12 soldiers were sentenced to death for mutiny after firing on their commanding officer in the northeast city of Maiduguri, where troops are battling against Boko Haram. Frontline troops have consistently complained that they lack the weapons and other supplies needed to face Boko Haram in insurgent strongholds. After Boko Haram captured a series of towns in the northeast earlier this year, the military vowed to retake all lost territory.

Church of England names first female bishop Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:08 PM PST Stockport (United Kingdom) (AFP) - The Church of England on Wednesday named a saxophone-playing vicar with a taste for football as its first female bishop in a move hailed as an important step towards greater equality.

Cuba welcomes Castro's announcement of renewed US ties Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:04 PM PST HAVANA (AP) — Bells tolled in celebration and teachers halted lessons midday as President Raul Castro told his country Wednesday that Cuba was restoring relations with the United States after more than a half-century of hostility.

Horwill to join Harlequins after Rugby World Cup Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:59 PM PST BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Former Wallaby captain James Horwill will join English club Harlequins after next year's Rugby World Cup.

Rory's the story in golf after stellar year Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:58 PM PST Paris (AFP) - Rory McIlroy dominated golf in 2014, winning two majors, recapturing the world number one spot and starring in Europe's latest Ryder Cup triumph.

Latin America welcomes Obama's move to restore U.S.-Cuba ties Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:53 PM PST By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - Latin American leaders who for years have pressured the United States to drop its economic embargo against Cuba praised President Barack Obama for moving on Wednesday to restore diplomatic relations with its communist-run Cold War foe. Regional leaders said the move and a U.S.-Cuban prisoner swap would further ease an ideological battle that has divided the Americas for decades, even spurring revolutions and dictatorships. Venezuela's socialist government, Washington's leading adversary in Latin America, was quick to praise Obama. ...

'I'm free,' says American after five years held in Cuba Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:50 PM PST By Matt Spetalnick and Elvina Nawaguna WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The messages from Alan Gross had grown increasingly ominous. In May, on his 65th birthday, the former U.S. aid worker said he would rather die than spend another birthday in a Cuban prison. Two weeks ago, his wife said he was "literally wasting away." But arriving home on Wednesday, Gross - released after more than five years of imprisonment on espionage charges - looked almost giddy with joy as he told a news conference in Washington he was "incredibly blessed" to be free. Gross's emotional homecoming opened the way for U.S. ...

Canada urges EU to keep Hamas listed as terror group Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:48 PM PST Canada on Wednesday urged the European Union to keep Hamas listed as a banned terrorist group, after an EU court ordered it removed from a blacklist. "We are deeply concerned by the decision of the EU General Court to annul, on procedural grounds, the measures against Hamas," Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement.

US, Cuba move to end Cold War stand-off Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:44 PM PST The United States and Cuba moved to end five decades of Cold War hostility Wednesday, agreeing to revive diplomatic ties in a breakthrough that would also ease a crippling US trade embargo. In the wake of a prisoner exchange, President Barack Obama said Washington was ready for a "new chapter" in relations with Cuba and would re-establish its embassy in Havana, shuttered since 1961. "We are all Americans," Obama declared, breaking into Spanish for a speech that the White House portrayed as a bid to reassert US leadership in the Western Hemisphere.

Greek poll shows anti-bailout leftists hold 3.6-point lead over conservatives Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:42 PM PST ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's radical leftist Syriza party holds a 3.6-percentage-point lead over the ruling conservatives, a poll published after the first round of a presidential vote on Wednesday showed. The poll was published hours after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras lost the first round of the vote by a larger-than- expected margin, in a disappointing result for his conservative-center left coalition ahead of two more rounds of voting this month. The survey conducted by Marc for Alpha TV showed support for the anti-bailout Syriza at 28. ...

FIFPro urges FIFA to probe Club World Cup game Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:39 PM PST HOOFDDORP, Netherlands (AP) — The international players' union has called on FIFA to investigate why a Club World Cup match was played on a potentially dangerous rain-soaked field in Morocco.

Granada eliminates Cordoba from foggy Copa match Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:34 PM PST BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Ten-man Granada emerged from thick fog at Cordoba's Nuevo Arcangel Stadium with a 1-1 draw that sent it through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

AP source: US probe links NKorea to Sony hacking Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:32 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. official says federal investigators have now connected the Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. hacking to North Korea and are expected to make an announcement in the near future.

For MLB, changes in Cuba will take time to sort out Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:27 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Fred Claire can see the day when Major League Baseball teams open academies for prospects in Cuba.

PSG advances to League Cup quarterfinals Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:27 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain rallied from a goal down for a labored 3-1 win at second-division Ajaccio on Wednesday as the holders reached the quarterfinals of the League Cup, while Lille and Monaco advanced on penalties.

Death toll in clash in western Mexico rises to 11 Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:24 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican official says the death toll from a clash between two rural police groups has risen to 11.

US official says federal investigators connect Sony hacking to North Korea Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:20 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — US official says federal investigators connect Sony hacking to North Korea.

US, Cuba patch torn relations in historic accord Posted: 17 Dec 2014 03:17 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — After a half-century of Cold War acrimony, the United States and Cuba moved on Wednesday to restore diplomatic relations — a historic shift that could revitalize the flow of money and people across the narrow waters that separate the two nations.

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