Yahoo! News: World News

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• Kiev, rebels exchange POWs; trains, buses to Crimea suspended
• Islamic State targeted in 39 strikes by U.S., allies: Task Force
• Doubts deepen over Chinese-backed Nicaragua canal as work starts
• Venezuela's Maduro moves foreign minister Ramirez to U.N.
• U.S.-funded radio station says Azerbaijan office raided
• Japan says close to deal with South Korea and U.S. on North Korea defense
• Parents of Cuban who spied for U.S. say they only hope he's well
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Maduro congratulates Castro brothers on new ties with US
• Quake hits off Panama's Pacific coast, no damage reported
• PlayStation, Xbox outages spark debate over hacker claims
• New Zealand 441, Sri Lanka 38-3 at lunch on day 2, 1st test
• Sri Lanka 38-3 at lunch on day 2, 2nd test vs. New Zealand
• Protest marks disappearance of Mexican students
• Will 'The Interview' change how Hollywood does business?
• FARC says it has freed Colombian soldier
• Comanche, Wild Oats XI in Sydney to Hobart duel
• New Russian military doctrine says NATO top threat
• Toure close to fourth straight African award
• FARC frees Colombian soldier
• UN chief urges Pakistan's leader to stop executions
• US stocks close higher, extending gains for the week
• Trade and tension at Europe's troubled African borders
• 10th anniversary of tsunami is marked with tears
• Ukraine and pro-Russia rebels swap hundreds of prisoners
• In 2014, US economy began shaky, finished strong
• Body of cruise ship worker found on Florida beach
• Azerbaijan police raid US-funded radio station
• Prisoners swapped in dark of Ukraine frontline
• Khartoum says UN officials told to leave for 'insulting' Sudan
• Two 'jihadists' shot dead at Cairo checkpoint
• Sony film mess reflects gadgets-entertainment gap
• Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels swap war prisoners
• Wins for Chelsea, City keep title race sizzling
• IRA veteran arrested after Irish wife stabbed
• Oil tanks in Libya terminal ablaze after firefight
• Sanchez inspires Arsenal to 2-1 win over QPR
• Uganda says it will pull troops out of South Sudan only if Juba secured

Kiev, rebels exchange POWs; trains, buses to Crimea suspended Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:01 PM PST By Pavel Polityuk and Alessandra Prentice KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's government and pro-Russian separatists on Friday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war while Kiev said it would suspend all train and bus service to Crimea, effectively creating a transportation blockade to and from the region. The agreement to swap 150 Ukrainian servicemen for 222 rebels followed peace talks between envoys of Ukraine, Russia, the separatists and European security watchdog Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Wednesday. ...

Islamic State targeted in 39 strikes by U.S., allies: Task Force Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:43 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. forces and their allies staged 39 air strikes on Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria over the past two days, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Friday. Fighters, bombers and remotely controlled aircraft hit 19 targets in Syria while 20 strikes were carried out in Iraq, a task force statement said. In Syria, 17 strikes were concentrated on an area near the city of Kobani and destroyed several Islamic State buildings, vehicles and fighting positions. Two air strikes near Hasakah and one near Raqqa also caused damage. ...

Doubts deepen over Chinese-backed Nicaragua canal as work starts Posted: 26 Dec 2014 11:25 AM PST By Gabriel Stargardter MANAGUA (Reuters) - When one of the poorest countries in the Americas and a little-known Chinese businessman said they planned to undertake one of the biggest engineering projects in history, few people took them seriously. A year and a half after the $50 billion project to build a canal across Nicaragua was launched by President Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, the doubts have only grown. Work officially began this week. ...

Venezuela's Maduro moves foreign minister Ramirez to U.N. Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:17 PM PST By Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro named powerful Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez to a new post as envoy to the United Nations on Friday, saying the appointment would strengthen Venezuela's voice on the world body's Security Council from Jan. 1. Venezuela's socialist government sees its imminent two-year seat on the Security Council as a chance to raise its international profile and counteract U.S. global influence. ...

U.S.-funded radio station says Azerbaijan office raided Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:30 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Azerbaijani authorities have raided and closed the bureau of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in an apparent attempt to silence one of the country's last independent media outlets, the station said on Friday. It said in a statement that investigators and armed police had ordered employees into a room of the station's Baku bureau while they ransacked a company safe and confiscated documents and official stamps. ...

Japan says close to deal with South Korea and U.S. on North Korea defense Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:50 AM PST TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan, the United States and South Korea are close to reaching a deal on sharing and safeguarding sensitive information on North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, Japan's Defence Ministry said on Friday. As Japan lies well within the range of North Korea's mid-range missiles, acquiring military intelligence on North Korea in a timely manner is vital for its security. ...

Parents of Cuban who spied for U.S. say they only hope he's well Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:34 PM PST By Rosa Tania Valdés HAVANA (Reuters) - For two decades, the parents of a Cuban man convicted of spying for the United States believed he was innocent. Now that all signs suggest he was a double agent working for Washington, they say they can only wish him a happy future. Rolando Sarraff was sentenced to 25 years for collaborating with the United States while he worked for Cuba's Directorate of Intelligence, helping the Americans crack codes that exposed Cuban spies working in the United States, according to former U.S. intelligence officials who knew of his case. ...

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:33 PM PST PERELIYA, Sri Lanka (AP) — A packed train in Sri Lanka that was swept off the tracks by waves as big as elephants. A boat patrolling off Thailand's shore hurled more than a mile inland. Streets in Indonesia turned into roaring rivers that carried people to their deaths. Vivid and terrifying memories such as these were recalled Friday at ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami that left nearly a quarter-million people dead in one of modern history's worst natural disasters.

Maduro congratulates Castro brothers on new ties with US Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:32 PM PST Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a frequent critic of the United States, congratulated the Castro brothers Friday on Cuba's rapprochement with Washington, but warned that the embargo on the island would remain for a long time. This month's historic announcement that the United States and Cuba were restoring diplomatic relations after half a century of hostility undercuts the stridently anti-American stance Maduro has adopted as his country slides into a deepening economic crisis. Venezuela had long found in its close ally Cuba a comrade in its anti-American diatribe, but the dynamic has now changed. "Much more than good news is the real possibility that the United States recognizes the sacred right of Cuba to be free and sovereign," Maduro said in a letter to President Raul Castro published by Cuban media.

Quake hits off Panama's Pacific coast, no damage reported Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:30 PM PST PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Panama's Pacific coast on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The USGS said the quake, initially reported as having a magnitude of 6.0, was relatively shallow at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km) below the seabed. It struck in the early evening 132 miles (213 km) south of the town of David. The quake was not felt in the capital, Panama City. (Reporting by Sandra Maler in Washington and Elida Moreno in Panama City; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Ken Wills)

PlayStation, Xbox outages spark debate over hacker claims Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:29 PM PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sony's PlayStation network remained offline Friday on the second day of an outage that began roiling the online world just as eager video game players were unwrapping new consoles on Christmas morning.

New Zealand 441, Sri Lanka 38-3 at lunch on day 2, 1st test Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:20 PM PST Christchurch, New Zealand (AP) — Trent Boult took three wickets, including his 100th in only his 29th test, as New Zealand sent Sri Lanka to lunch wobbling at 38-3 in reply to its first innings of 441 Saturday on the second day of the first cricket test at Hagley Oval.

Sri Lanka 38-3 at lunch on day 2, 2nd test vs. New Zealand Posted: 26 Dec 2014 04:07 PM PST Christchurch, New Zealand (AP) — Sri Lanka was 38-3 at lunch Saturday on the second day of the first cricket test against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval:

Protest marks disappearance of Mexican students Posted: 26 Dec 2014 03:49 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — A protest marking three months since 43 college students were abducted in southern Mexico has resulted in damages to a perimeter wall at an army base in the city of Iguala.

Will 'The Interview' change how Hollywood does business? Posted: 26 Dec 2014 02:54 PM PST LOS ANGELES (AP) — "The Interview" was never supposed to be a paradigm-shifting film. But unusual doesn't even begin to describe the series of events that transpired over the past few weeks, culminating in the truly unprecedented move by a major studio to release a film in theaters and on digital platforms simultaneously.

FARC says it has freed Colombian soldier Posted: 26 Dec 2014 02:21 PM PST HAVANA (AP) — Latin America's oldest and strongest rebel group said Friday that it had released a soldier who was captured earlier this month.

Comanche, Wild Oats XI in Sydney to Hobart duel Posted: 26 Dec 2014 02:16 PM PST HOBART, Australia (AP) — American super maxi Comanche and seven-time champion Wild Oats XI continued their Sydney to Hobart duel on Saturday, nearly 24 hours into the annual ocean race to the island state of Tasmania.

New Russian military doctrine says NATO top threat Posted: 26 Dec 2014 02:02 PM PST MOSCOW (AP) — Russia identified NATO as the nation's No. 1 military threat and raised the possibility of a broader use of precision conventional weapons to deter foreign aggression under a new military doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

Toure close to fourth straight African award Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:53 PM PST Johannesburg (AFP) - Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure moved closer to a record fourth consecutive African Footballer of the Year title on Friday when he was included in a three-man shortlist.

FARC frees Colombian soldier Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:50 PM PST Leftist FARC rebels released a Colombian soldier Friday, nearly a week after beginning a unilateral ceasefire aimed at ending Latin America's longest-running conflict. The clash left five soldiers dead and five wounded.

UN chief urges Pakistan's leader to stop executions Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:48 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging Pakistan's leader to stop the execution of convicts and re-impose a moratorium on the death penalty.

US stocks close higher, extending gains for the week Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:47 PM PST Wall Street's "Santa Claus" rally kept delivering gifts a day after Christmas.

Trade and tension at Europe's troubled African borders Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:44 PM PST Hassan Ibrahim, both physically and mentally disabled, staggers on his weakened legs as he pushes two huge packs of contraband goods loaded on a wheelchair. He is one of thousands of Moroccans toiling for a living in the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla -- two tiny specks of Europe at the northern tip of Africa which have the only two land borders between the two continents. When he gets his load across the border from Ceuta to Morocco, Ibrahim will earn 30 euros ($37) for his labour. Tolerance of this cross-border trade makes Ceuta and Melilla magnets for those on the Moroccan side of the fence, who jostle in tense queues for their turn to enter.

10th anniversary of tsunami is marked with tears Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:34 PM PST PERELIYA, Sri Lanka (AP) — A packed train in Sri Lanka that was swept off the tracks by waves as big as elephants. A boat patrolling off Thailand's shore hurled more than a mile inland. Streets in Indonesia turned into roaring rivers that carried people to their deaths.

Ukraine and pro-Russia rebels swap hundreds of prisoners Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:13 PM PST By Pavel Polityuk and Alessandra Prentice KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian authorities and separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Friday, a spokesman for President Petro Poroshenko said, part of a 12-point plan aimed at ending the pro-Russian uprising in the east of the country. The agreement to swap 150 Ukrainian servicemen for 222 rebels followed peace talks between envoys of Ukraine, Russia, the separatists and European security watchdog Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Wednesday. ...

In 2014, US economy began shaky, finished strong Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:13 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy flexed its old muscles in 2014.

Body of cruise ship worker found on Florida beach Posted: 26 Dec 2014 01:04 PM PST CLEARWATER, Florida (AP) — Authorities say the body of a missing cruise ship worker has washed up on a Florida beach.

Azerbaijan police raid US-funded radio station Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:59 PM PST BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — A U.S. federal agency on Friday strongly condemned the raid and closure of the offices of a U.S.-funded radio station in Azerbaijan's capital by prosecutors and police as part of crackdown on independent media in the ex-Soviet Caspian Sea nation.

Prisoners swapped in dark of Ukraine frontline Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:58 PM PST After fraught negotiations, a long-awaited exchange of prisoners between government forces and the pro-Russian rebels of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic was finally taking place. "They just wanted people to exchange for their soldiers so they detained anyone," said middle-aged Tatyana from the seaside town of Mariupol.

Khartoum says UN officials told to leave for 'insulting' Sudan Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:43 PM PST Sudan said Friday it ordered two top United Nations officials to leave Khartoum for "insulting" the country and being "prejudiced" against its government. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ali Zaatari and UN Development Programme Country Director Yvonne Helle were told to leave, in a move criticised by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who urged Khartoum to reverse the decision. In early December, a website close to Sudan's security apparatus said that Zaatari had criticised President Omar al-Bashir's government in an interview published by the Norwegian publication Bistandsaktuelt.

Two 'jihadists' shot dead at Cairo checkpoint Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:38 PM PST Police on Friday shot dead two members of Egypt's most active jihadist group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the interior ministry announced. It claimed one of the men killed at a checkpoint east of the capital had been responsible for the militant group's operations in the Cairo region. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Partisans of Jerusalem), which has allied itself to the Islamic State group, is based in the Sinai Peninsula, and claims to be behind most of the major attacks on the security forces since the army ousted elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Police spotted the jihadists' car at a checkpoint, the ministry statement said.

Sony film mess reflects gadgets-entertainment gap Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:34 PM PST TOKYO (AP) — Sony's iconic gadgetry and the star appeal of Hollywood may have appeared to be a perfect match when the electronics giant bought Columbia Pictures in 1989. A quarter century later, it's apparent that Sony Corp. has not attained the magic synergy it was hoping for.

Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels swap war prisoners Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:33 PM PST DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russia rebels exchanged nearly 370 prisoners Friday, a major step toward easing hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Wins for Chelsea, City keep title race sizzling Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:32 PM PST MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea and Manchester City kicked off the Premier League's hectic festive schedule with commanding victories Friday to keep the title race finely poised, while Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool also won on a successful day for the country's top teams.

IRA veteran arrested after Irish wife stabbed Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST DUBLIN (AP) — Detectives interrogated a prominent Irish Republican Army veteran Friday on suspicion of stabbing his wife several times on Christmas Eve, an attack condemned by the IRA-linked Sinn Fein party.

Oil tanks in Libya terminal ablaze after firefight Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:26 PM PST Three storage tanks at one of Libya's main oil terminals were ablaze on Friday after being hit by a rocket during fighting between Islamists and pro-government forces, officials said. The rocket was fired on Thursday by militiamen from Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), a coalition of Islamist fighters. One tank was hit, said the region's security spokesman Ali al-Hassi, before the fire spread on Friday to two other full tanks at Al-Sidra terminal. They expressed concern that the fire could spread to other tanks at Al-Sidra and cause an environmental disaster if not brought under control.

Sanchez inspires Arsenal to 2-1 win over QPR Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:24 PM PST LONDON (AP) — Alexis Sanchez scored one goal and set up another to make up for a moment of madness from teammate Olivier Giroud and help Arsenal beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 in the Premier League on Friday.

Uganda says it will pull troops out of South Sudan only if Juba secured Posted: 26 Dec 2014 12:13 PM PST By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Uganda's president said on Friday he would pull troops out of South Sudan only if regional forces secured its capital Juba from rebel attack, as fighting in the world's newest state dragged on into a second year. Yoweri Museveni, who backed South Sudan's now-ruling SPLM in its decades-long conflict with Sudan before independence in 2011, sent his troops across the border at Juba's invitation shortly after fighting began in mid-December last year. ...

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