| Islamic State battles insurgents as Syria army prepares assault Posted: 14 Oct 2015 08:56 AM PDT  By Dominic Evans and Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants battled rival insurgent groups on Wednesday north of the city of Aleppo, where officials say the Syrian army is preparing an offensive of its own backed by Iranian soldiers and Russian jets. A rebel fighter and a group monitoring the war said Islamic State fighters took control of parts of the towns of Ahras and Tel Jabin, about 12 km (8 miles) north of Aleppo, before being pushed back. Gains by Islamic State north of Aleppo would threaten the supply lines of rival rebels inside the city, which is divided between insurgents and government forces.
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| Israel sets up East Jerusalem roadblocks in bid to stem attacks Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:15 AM PDT  By Jeffrey Heller and Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel set up roadblocks in Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem and deployed soldiers across the country on Wednesday in an effort to stop a wave of Palestinian knife attacks. In the latest incident, a Palestinian stabbed and wounded a 70-year-old woman outside Jerusalem's central bus station, at the entrance to the city, before an officer shot him dead, a police spokeswoman said. Two hours earlier, another Palestinian was also shot dead after he had attempted to stab paramilitary police at an entrance to Jerusalem's walled Old City, police said.
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| U.S., Russia finalizing document on Syria air safety: U.S. official Posted: 14 Oct 2015 01:13 PM PDT  By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. and Russian militaries are finalizing a memorandum of understanding that sets out basic air safety procedures in the skies above Syria, a U.S. official said after the latest round of talks between the former Cold War foes on Wednesday. Russia's entry into Syria's civil war has stoked concerns about an accident between U.S. and Russia jets.
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| Lavrov says Russia helping fight against militants in Iraq Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:33 AM PDT  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday Moscow was helping the fight against Islamist insurgents in Iraq with the consent of the Baghdad government. "It is necessary to support the cooperation between the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurdistan in the fight against terrorism, but we are doing it with the consent of the government," he said. Lavrov, speaking at the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in Oulu, Finland, also said a new intelligence center in Baghdad currently staffed by Russian, Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian officials remained open to all interested parties.
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| Pope asks forgiveness after sex scandals rock Vatican and Rome Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:53 AM PDT  By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis asked for forgiveness on Wednesday for scandals at the Vatican and in Rome, an apparent reference to two cases of priests and gay sex revealed this month during a major meeting of bishops. "Today ... in the name of the Church, I ask you for forgiveness for the scandals that have occurred recently either in Rome or in the Vatican," Francis said in unprepared remarks during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
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| Obama sends U.S. troops, drones to Cameroon in anti-Boko Haram fight Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:28 AM PDT  By Warren Strobel WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is sending 300 U.S. troops, along with surveillance drones, to Cameroon to bolster a West African effort to counter the Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram, U.S. officials said on Wednesday. In a notification to Congress, President Barack Obama said an advance force of about 90 military personnel began deploying on Monday to Cameroon, with the consent of the Yaounde government. The troops will "conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region," Obama said.
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| Russia's air war in Syria a game-changer for US: experts Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:45 PM PDT  Two weeks into Russia's air war in Syria, some observers say the narrow scope of the US-led mission in Syria -- to conduct drone and plane strikes against Islamic State jihadists -- needs an urgent rethink. The Pentagon insists Moscow's bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad will not alter the US-coalition's own military mission in the devastated nation. Patrick Skinner, director of special projects for The Soufan Group intelligence consultancy, said it is a game-changer.
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| Niger imposes state of emergency on region hit by Boko Haram Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:39 PM PDT Niger imposed a state of emergency on the southeastern region of Diffa on Wednesday where at least 40 people have been killed in recent weeks in attacks blamed on the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The 15-day state of emergency will allow authorities to beef up security, impose a curfew and restrict the movement of goods and people, according to a statement on state television. Niger, Cameroon and Chad have all suffered a spillover of violence from Boko Haram's northern Nigerian strongholds and Niger has arrested at least 1,100 suspected Boko Haram militants this year. |
| LSU embracing hype, expectations, surrounding Simmons Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:35 PM PDT  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The first thing LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons did when he trotted into Pete Maravich Assembly Center for practice Wednesday was work his way through two rows of NBA scouts at court-side viewing tables, shaking hands with each one.
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| Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:32 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appealed Wednesday for the release of a Chinese Christian human rights lawyer detained ahead of a planned meeting with the top U.S. envoy in late August. Kerry made the call for Zhang Kai's release as the State Department released its annual International Religious Freedom Report, which criticizes Chinese restrictions on Christians, Muslim Uighurs and Tibetan Buddhists. But the department also cited instances where faith-based organizations in the country were able to flourish. |
| Guzman?: Video casts new light on Mexico kingpin escape Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:24 PM PDT  A hammer-like noise reverberates in Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's cell minutes before his jailbreak. The images show previously unseen footage before and after Guzman sneaked down a hole in his shower. Guzman, 58, lay on his bed under a blanket while watching a show on a small television when the loud hammering suddenly rings out.
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| Australian police investigate 12-year-old terror suspect Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:20 PM PDT CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Authorities have warned that suspected terrorists in Australia are becoming younger, with a 12-year-old boy now under investigation by security agencies. |
| Turkey sacks top police brass after Ankara attacks Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:13 PM PDT  Turkey on Wednesday sacked Ankara's top police chief and two other officials as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted security shortcomings over a double suicide bombing in the capital that killed 99. There has been growing anger against Erdogan and the government for alleged security lapses over the worst attack in modern Turkey's history in which two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of peace activists on Saturday. Announcing the first dismissals in the wake of the disaster, the interior ministry said Ankara police chief Kadri Kartal as well the head of the city's police intelligence and security departments had been removed from their posts.
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| Honduras seizes businesses of prominent family accused in US Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:05 PM PDT  TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — The Honduran government on Wednesday seized 19 businesses belonging to Grupo Continental and five homes of company vice president Jaime Rosenthal and two other relatives accused by the United States of money laundering.
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| Guinea's main opposition leader Diallo pulls out of election Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT  By Saliou Samb and Luc Gnago CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinea's main opposition leader Celloun Dalein Diallo withdrew on Wednesday from the presidential election, alleging fraud, and will not recognize the outcome, his campaign director said. The decision came as the national election commission began to announce early results from a vote held on Sunday that is expected to return incumbent Alpha Conde to a second five-year term. Figures from three of the capital Conakry's five communes showed Conde won 55 percent, 60 percent and 49 percent of the vote.
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| Egypt northern Sinai bomb kills civilian, soldier Posted: 14 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's state-run news agency says a roadside bomb by unknown assailants in the northern Sinai city of el-Arishhas has left one civilian and one soldier dead. |
| Prominent Argentine transgender woman murdered Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:59 PM PDT  A prominent leader for the struggle of Argentina's transgender community has been found murdered in her home, triggering demands for justice -- including from the president. Diana Sacayan, 40, who was found dead Tuesday in her apartment in Flores, a district of the capital Buenos Aires. Sacayan had been a vocal leader of several organizations seeking equality for Argentina's LGBT community and in 2012 was personally given her national identity card by President Cristina Kirchner recognizing her as a woman, a first for Argentina.
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| US smashes $10 mn data-stealing 'Bugat' botnet Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT  The Bugat botnet, also known as Cridex or Dridex, spread through seemingly innocuous emails to computers and once inside was used by botnet operators to obtain bank details and initiate bank transfers of millions of dollars, the US Department of Justice said. "Through a technical disruption and criminal indictment we have struck a blow to one of the most pernicious malware threats in the world," the DOJ's David Hickton said in a statement Tuesday.
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| U.S. urges release of rights lawyer in growing crackdown Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:41 PM PDT The United States on Wednesday called on China to release human rights lawyer Zhang Kai and said it was concerned by reports that the son of another detained rights lawyer had been put under house arrest. In releasing the State Department's annual International Religious Freedom Report, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Zhang, a Chinese Christian, was detained shortly before a meeting in August with David Saperstein, the U.S. ambassador for international religious freedom, who was visiting China. Kerry said Zhang's whereabouts were unknown. |
| Cocaine air corridor zips past Peru's military Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:40 PM PDT  MAZAMARI, Peru (AP) — Small planes are hauling more than a ton of cocaine a day out of remote jungles that have become the world's No. 1 coca-producing region and Peru's military has turned a blind eye, an Associated Press investigation has found.
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| UN urges Iraq's feuding Kurds to respect democracy Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:34 PM PDT  Political parties in Iraq's Kurdish region, whose president's mandate expired in August, should respect democratic principles, the top UN envoy said Wednesday. Jan Kubis' warning came after a week that saw protests against regional president Massud Barzani turn violent and the leading opposition party kicked out of government. What started as demonstrations over unpaid salaries in regions dominated by the opposition to Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party escalated into protests demanding he step down.
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| Burkina Faso elections confirmed for November 29 Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:30 PM PDT  Burkina Faso's interim government confirmed Wednesday that presidential and parliamentary elections initially set for October, but delayed by a failed coup, would go ahead on November 29. The polls are seen as a key step on the west African country's road to democracy, a year after the ouster of its longtime leader Blaise Compaore in a popular uprising. Voters will be presented with two ballots -- one for choosing members of parliament, the other for choosing among 14 candidates competing in the first round of the presidential election.
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| Rousseff nemesis vows no let-up in Brazil impeachment bid Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:14 PM PDT  Brasília (AFP) - The controversial central figure in attempts to impeach Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said Wednesday he will appeal a Supreme Court decision putting the brakes on the opposition's push to unseat her. A powerful politician fighting allegations that he took a $5-million bribe and hid money in Swiss bank accounts, Cunha had been expected to open impeachment proceedings against Rousseff as early as October 13. This gave Rousseff -- deeply unpopular less than a year into her second term, amid steep recession and a huge corruption scandal -- a breather.
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| Modern humans out of Africa sooner than thought Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:09 PM PDT  Human teeth discovered in southern China provide evidence that our species left the African continent up to 70,000 years earlier than prevailing theories suggest, a study published on Wednesday said. Homo sapiens reached present-day China 80,000-120,000 years ago, according to the study, which could redraw the migration map for modern humans. "The model that is generally accepted is that modern humans left Africa only 50,000 years ago," said Maria Martinon-Torres, a researcher at University College London and a co-author of the study.
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| Japanese stars meet in US first for superfly crown Posted: 14 Oct 2015 03:06 PM PDT  Kameda, a 28-year-old southpaw nicknamed "The Fist of Osaka", has won 11 fights in a row entering the Chicago matchup while Kono, 34, fights outside his homeland for the first time after a 10-month layoff since he drew Dominican Norberto Jimenez in his first title defense. Kameda, 33-1 with 18 knockouts, has been a world champion at light flyweight, flyweight and bantamweight.
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| Mystery shrouds missionary slaying, child abduction in Haiti Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:50 PM PDT  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — No ransom demand has been received since gunmen snatched a 4-year-old boy over the weekend and killed the American missionary who had raised him since he was a severely malnourished infant, church officials said Wednesday.
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| Outcry over the killing of three transgender women in Argentina Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:47 PM PDT By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A well-known Argentine activist for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people (LGBTI) was found dead in her Buenos Aires apartment on Tuesday, the third transgender woman to have died violently in the country over the last month. Rights group Amnesty International said on Wednesday that the body of Diana Sacayan showed signs of violence. President Cristina Fernandez, who in 2012 personally gave Sacayan her national identity card recognizing her as a woman, joined Amnesty in calling for justice. |
| Hammering heard in new video of prison escape by 'El Chapo' Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:45 PM PDT  MEXICO CITY (AP) — New video reveals hammering sounds several minutes before Mexico's most notorious drug lord escaped from his prison cell through a tunnel.
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| Death toll from Ankara attack rises to 99: Turkish PM Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:44 PM PDT The death toll from the double suicide bombing in Ankara now stands at 99, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday, lightly raising the previous toll of 97 people. Davutoglu did not detail under what circumstances the increase in the death toll came about. In the worst attack in modern Turkey's history, two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of peace activists in the capital Ankara on Saturday. |
| Colombian coach Osorio takes over Mexico's national team Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:40 PM PDT  MEXICO CITY (AP) — Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio took charge of Mexico's national team Wednesday, becoming the 12th person to lead "El Tri" in the last nine years.
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| Narco planes, millions in payloads, fly past Peru military Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:36 PM PDT  MAZAMARI, Peru (AP) — It happens about four times a day, right under the nose of Peru's military: A small single-engine plane drops onto a dirt airstrip in the world's No. 1 coca-growing valley, delivers a bundle of cash, picks up more than 300 kilos of cocaine and flies to Bolivia.
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| Burundi cameraman, family shot dead by security forces: residents Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:33 PM PDT  A Burundian journalist, his wife and their two children were shot dead by security forces in a flashpoint district of the capital Bujumbura amid tensions following the re-election of President Pierre Nkurunziza, residents said Wednesday. Burundian police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said at least six people, including an officer, were killed on Tuesday in violence in the anti-Nkurunziza neighbourhood of Ngagara. Residents however accused the security forces of killing at least seven civilians, including the journalist and his family.
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| MH17 prosecutors now face tricky task of catching culprits Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:24 PM PDT  A Dutch-led criminal probe to find those responsible for shooting down flight MH17 has now become the top priority after the cause of the crash was unveiled, but doubts remain whether the culprits will ever be caught. Analysts said Wednesday that Russia's cooperation in the investigation to identify those behind the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight on July 17 last year was now essential -- but also highly unlikely. Air crash investigators released their final report Tuesday into the doomed flight, saying the jetliner was brought down by a BUK surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 on board.
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| Man City report first profits since Abu Dhabi takeover Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:22 PM PDT  Manchester City announced on Wednesday that they had made a profit for the first time since the Premier League club was acquired by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed in 2008. City released their annual report for the 2014/15 season which highlighted a £10.7 million profit ($16.5 million, 14.4 million euros) made by the club over the past year. "The 2014-15 season marked a historical step in Manchester Cityâ s journey," remarked club chief executive Ferran Soriano.
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| As attacks continue, Israeli army begins deploying troops Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:18 PM PDT  JERUSALEM (AP) — Hundreds of soldiers fanned out in cities across Israel on Wednesday and authorities erected concrete barriers outside some Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem in a stepped up effort to counter a monthlong wave of Palestinian violence that has seen near daily attacks.
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| China's latest building binge: the education factory Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:17 PM PDT  Today, a new kind of project is blooming in China's countryside: the vocational education park. Cities around China are carving out tracts of land for school parks - dubbed "education factories" - designed to train hundreds of thousands of students. Fuelling their drive are generous government subsidies and targets to increase the number of skilled workers, part of Beijing's push to redirect China's economy away from its investment-led past toward a more innovative, high-tech future.
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| Russia, US nearing deal on crowded Syria skies Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:14 PM PDT  Fighting was also reported on the ground in the northern city of Aleppo, where jihadists from the Islamic State group were advancing against rebels. Russia's air campaign, launched September 30, has raised fears of a confrontation with the US-led coalition that has been bombing IS in Syria and Iraq for more than a year. "Positions became closer on key provisions of the future document," Russia's defence ministry said.
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| Western retail giants restrict travel to Bangladesh after attacks Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:14 PM PDT  By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - Business executives from global clothing giants H&M Inditex and Gap have canceled trips to Dhaka this month after the killings of two foreigners, industry sources said, causing anxiety for Bangladesh's $25 billion garment export sector. "We are monitoring the situation in Bangladesh closely and we are taking the appropriate security measures.
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| 'Embarrassing' Corbyn row overshadows Britain economy vote Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:13 PM PDT  A row in the opposition Labour party overshadowed a Wednesday parliamentary vote on Britain's economy, seen as a test of left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn's ability to unite his party. Around 30 lawmakers from the main opposition party are thought to have broken ranks to abstain from voting on a government measure requiring ministers to run a budget surplus, despite orders to oppose it. The charter, which would commit the government to running a budget surplus overall by 2019, was approved by the lower house with 320 MPs voting in favour and 258 against.
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| Pietersen back beside Habana to try and KO Wales in RWC Posted: 14 Oct 2015 02:12 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — For all his insight into rugby in Japan, where he's played for two years and has one more season to go, JP Pietersen was taken aback by South Africa's defeat to the Brave Blossoms at the Rugby World Cup. |
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