Yahoo! News: World News

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• Saudi King Abdullah dies, new ruler is Salman
• Ukraine's forces hold line against Russian troops, rebels: Poroshenko
• Yemen president quits, throwing country deeper into chaos
• Iraqi PM warns falling oil price could hurt fight against Islamic State
• Exclusive: U.S. to back new system warning airlines in conflict zones
• Saudi King Abdullah was a cautious reformer
• Saudi King Abdullah has died, Prince Salman successor
• Activists hail pardon for Salvador woman in miscarriage case
• Obama offers condolences on death of Saudi King Abdullah
• Euro plunges, but European brands are not on sale in US
• Obama hails late Saudi king's commitment to ties with U.S.
• Oil rises after death of Saudi king, but effect seen muted
• South Korea reaches Asian Cup semifinals
• Obama expresses condolences and sympathies upon the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah
• Kirchner: Argentine prosecutor killed to discredit me
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Fugitives facing U.S. fraud charges vulnerable under deal with Cuba
• Yemen's US-backed president quits; country could split apart
• New Saudi ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz
• State Department reduces US Embassy personnel in Yemen
• Saudi's new king, Salman, a force for unity in royal family
• Burundian accused over nuns murder 'confession' in solitary confinement
• Saudi's King Salman follows in brother's footsteps
• UN meeting challenges world to stand up to anti-Semitism
• Japan faces deadline to free Islamic State hostages
• Zambia ruling party candidate takes early lead in vote
• Obama to pass on meeting Netanyahu during Washington visit
• Hostage video: was it really done outside?
• Saudi state TV reports: King Abdullah has died at 90
• Saudi King Abdullah dies: royal court statement 
• U.N. approved cross-border aid helps 600,000 Syrians in six months
• Spies, lies and death: plot thickens in Argentine scandal
• Egypt to free 100 students ahead of 2011 revolt anniversary
• Bomb explodes outside presidential palace in Cairo, one injured
• Israeli man under house arrest for leaked Madonna songs
• U.N. council urges probe of bus attack in eastern Ukraine
• 'Profound differences' but US, Cuba to meet again
• U.S. agency urges cockpit video, better plane-tracking
• U.S. says mistrust must be overcome to restore Cuba ties

Saudi King Abdullah dies, new ruler is Salman Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:53 PM PST By Angus McDowall RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, the royal court in the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam said in a statement carried by state television. King Salman has named his half-brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir. "His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement. Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2006, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke.

Ukraine's forces hold line against Russian troops, rebels: Poroshenko Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:12 PM PST By Natalia Zinets and Alessandra Prentice KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday his troops were holding the line against separatists and Russian forces after a sharp increase in attacks and the withdrawal of government defenders from Donetsk airport. Poroshenko, who told the World Economic Forum on Wednesday that Russia had 9,000 troops inside Ukraine, met defense chiefs to work on a plan to "regroup and stop aggression." "Across all front lines we are firmly holding our positions," he told the meeting, at which he reported that enemy attacks were 10 times more intensive than before. Earlier on Thursday at least eight civilians were killed when a trolleybus was hit by an artillery shell or mortar at a public transport stop in the southern district of Donetsk, which is largely controlled by separatists. Kiev said 10 Ukrainian soldiers were killed overnight, six at the airport complex, a symbolic target where a small group of government defenders had been holding out against Russian-backed separatists for months.

Yemen president quits, throwing country deeper into chaos Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:35 PM PST By Yara Bayoumy and Mohammed Ghobari SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi resigned on Thursday, days after Houthi rebels battled their way into his presidential palace, plunging the unstable Arab country deeper into chaos and depriving Washington of a key ally against al Qaeda. Hadi, a former general, blamed the Houthis' control of Sanaa for impeding his two-year-long attempt to steer Yemen toward stability after years of secessionist and tribal unrest, deepening poverty and U.S. drone strikes on Islamist militants. Hadi tried to bring the political forces together." In the first sign that the turmoil would affect U.S. operations in Yemen, Washington said it had pulled out more staff from its embassy in Sana due to the worsening security situation.

Iraqi PM warns falling oil price could hurt fight against Islamic State Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:25 PM PST By Warren Strobel and Andrew Osborn LONDON (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday he feared lower revenues from falling global oil prices could hurt his country's military campaign against Islamic State. Speaking after attending a meeting of members of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in London, Abadi said allies could help by potentially allowing Baghdad to defer payment for ammunition and weapons. Iraq's economy and budget relies 85 percent on oil and this has been disastrous for us," he told a news conference. "We don't want to see a reverse of our military victory due to our fiscal and budget problems." His comments came as U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Washington blasted some of Abadi's recent criticism of the pace of past U.S. and coalition efforts to support Iraq.

Exclusive: U.S. to back new system warning airlines in conflict zones Posted: 22 Jan 2015 01:52 PM PST By Allison Martell and Allison Lampert TORONTO/MONTREAL (Reuters) - The United States will throw its support behind a proposal by the U.N.'s aviation agency to share information about risks to commercial aircraft over conflict zones after the downing of a Malaysian jet in Ukraine last year, according to a senior U.S. official. The U.N. agency's plan falls short of what airlines sought in the aftermath of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in July, which was for vetted, comprehensive intelligence. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will propose a test system at a major safety conference that kicks off on Feb. 2 in Montreal. The plan entails ICAO running a central website where states and agencies can publish information about conflict zones.

Saudi King Abdullah was a cautious reformer Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:12 PM PST By Angus McDowall RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, born the year the first motorcar bumped through the dusty streets of Riyadh, left a modernizing legacy of cautious social and economic reform. King Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1924, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2006, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that. State television reported early on Friday that King Abdullah had died. After outliving two designated heirs, his younger half brothers Sultan and Nayef, Abdullah is succeeded by Crown Prince Salman.

Saudi King Abdullah has died, Prince Salman successor Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:52 PM PST RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, the powerful U.S. ally who joined Washington's fight against al-Qaida and sought to modernize the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom with incremental but significant reforms, including nudging open greater opportunities for women, has died, according to Saudi state TV. He was 90.

Activists hail pardon for Salvador woman in miscarriage case Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:49 PM PST SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Human rights activists on Thursday hailed a decision by El Salvador's congress to pardon a young woman who was convicted of killing her child after she said she suffered a miscarriage.

Obama offers condolences on death of Saudi King Abdullah Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:49 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is expressing condolences and offering sympathy to the people of Saudi Arabia upon the death of King Abdullah, an important ally and a major force in the Muslim world.

Euro plunges, but European brands are not on sale in US Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:48 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Americans hoping to save on European goods thanks to a falling euro shouldn't rush to uncork that bottle of French Bordeaux. There's very little to celebrate.

Obama hails late Saudi king's commitment to ties with U.S. Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:43 PM PST President Barack Obama expressed condolences on Thursday on the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and saluted the late king's commitment to close U.S.-Saudi ties. "The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy," the statement added.

Oil rises after death of Saudi king, but effect seen muted Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:41 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices rose on the news of the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Thursday, but the king's death is not expected to change the course of oil prices over the next several months.

South Korea reaches Asian Cup semifinals Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:40 PM PST MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — South Korea reached the Asian Cup semifinals after Son Heung-min scored two goals in extra time in a tough 2-0 win over Uzbekistan.

Obama expresses condolences and sympathies upon the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:34 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Obama expresses condolences and sympathies upon the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah.

Kirchner: Argentine prosecutor killed to discredit me Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:33 PM PST Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said Thursday she believes that a prosecutor who died under suspicious circumstances was murdered in a plot to implicate her government in a cover-up of a 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center. Alberto Nisman, lead prosecutor in the two-decade-old case, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in his home Sunday -- one day before he was to go before a congressional hearing to accuse Kirchner of shielding Iranian officials implicated in the attack which left 85 dead. In a post on her Facebook page, Kirchner contended that Nisman was killed to immerse her government in scandal after he had been "used" to publicly accuse her of involvement in the cover-up. "Prosecutor Nisman's charges were never in themselves the true operation against the government.

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:32 PM PST TOKYO (AP) — The deadline for paying ransom for two Japanese hostages held by the Islamic State group was fast approaching early Friday with no signs of a breakthrough. Lacking clout and diplomatic reach in the Middle East, Japan has been scrambling for a way to secure the release of the two men, one a journalist, the other an adventurer fascinated by war. Two Japanese who said they have contacts with a leader in the Islamic State group offered Thursday to try to negotiate, but it was unclear if the Japanese government was receptive to the idea.

Fugitives facing U.S. fraud charges vulnerable under deal with Cuba Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:31 PM PST By David Adams HAVANA/MIAMI (Reuters) - Gilberto Martinez was almost penniless when he left Cuba in 2005 to start a new life in the United States. It is not clear what charges the 28-year-old Martinez faces in Cuba but, whatever they are, the U.S. government also wants to bring him in. Florida court records show he is a fugitive and faces up to 16 years in prison after he was indicted on Sept. 30 in a Secret Service credit card fraud probe involving $150,000 of purchases at stores including Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us. In recent years, dozens of Medicare, credit card and mortgage fraudsters who came to the United States from Cuba have avoided prosecution by jumping bail and fleeing to their homeland.

Yemen's US-backed president quits; country could split apart Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:31 PM PST SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's U.S.-backed president quit Thursday under pressure from rebels holding him captive in his home, severely complicating American efforts to combat al-Qaida's powerful local franchise and raising fears that the Arab world's poorest country will fracture into mini-states.

New Saudi ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:30 PM PST By Angus McDowall RIYADH (Reuters) - The death on Friday of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah means Salman bin Abdulaziz has become the country's new ruler and the last to be born before the discovery of oil in the world's top crude exporter. As king, Salman, 78, will have to navigate regional turmoil caused by wars in Iraq and Syria, as well as a bitter rivalry with Shi'ite Muslim power Iran and a lingering threat from an al Qaeda wing in neighboring Yemen. "It appeared to me he had a good handle on the delicate balancing act he had to do to move society forward while being respectful of its traditions and conservative ways," said Robert Jordan who was U.S. ambassador in Riyadh from 2001-03.

State Department reduces US Embassy personnel in Yemen Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:29 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says it has reduced the number of American personnel working at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, amid chaos in that country that has led to the resignation of its U.S.-backed president.

Saudi's new king, Salman, a force for unity in royal family Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:28 PM PST DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia's new king, Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, is a veteran of the country's top leadership, versed in diplomacy from nearly 50 years as the governor of the capital Riyadh and known as a mediator of disputes within the sprawling royal family.

Burundian accused over nuns murder 'confession' in solitary confinement Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:27 PM PST A Burundi radio station boss, who broadcast the alleged confession of a man who claimed he was among the killers of three Italian nuns, was placed in solitary confinement in prison Thursday, activists said. Bob Rugurika, director of the popular independent African Public Radio (RPA), was arrested earlier this week on charges of "complicity" in the nuns' murders after broadcasting the purported confession of the man who claimed he was one of the killers.

Saudi's King Salman follows in brother's footsteps Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:25 PM PST Saudi King Salman, who succeeded his half-brother Abdullah on his death on Friday, is a 79-year-old stalwart of the royal family credited with transforming the capital Riyadh during his half-century as governor. Like Abdullah, Salman is seen as a moderate with a reputation for austerity, hard work and discipline, especially in his role overseeing the hundreds of young princes in the royal family. Recent years have seen concerns over his health after operations on his back, but Salman took on an increasingly high-profile role as Abdullah's own health issues forced him from the limelight. Born on December 31, 1935, Salman is the 25th son of the desert kingdom's founder Abdulaziz bin Saud and a prominent member of a formidable bloc of brothers known as the Sudairi seven, after their mother Hassa bin Ahmed al-Sudairi.

UN meeting challenges world to stand up to anti-Semitism Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:23 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The first U.N. General Assembly meeting Thursday on anti-Semitism sparked calls for global action to combat the rising hatred of Jews and a surprising denunciation from the world's 57 Islamic nations of all words and acts that lead "to hatred, anti-Semitism, Islamaphobia."

Japan faces deadline to free Islamic State hostages Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:21 PM PST TOKYO (AP) — The deadline for paying ransom for two Japanese hostages held by the Islamic State group was fast approaching early Friday with no signs of a breakthrough.

Zambia ruling party candidate takes early lead in vote Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:12 PM PST Zambia's ruling party candidate Edgar Lungu on Thursday edged ahead in the race to replace the late president Michael Sata, authorities said as voting continued in parts of the country. According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia, ballots from 90 of the 150 constituencies had been counted by Thursday afternoon. Lungu, the ruling Patriotic Front's candidate, was leading with 590,252 votes, closely followed by opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development with 524,976. Nevers Mumba of the former ruling party Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) was meanwhile trailing a distant third with 8,831 ballots.

Obama to pass on meeting Netanyahu during Washington visit Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:11 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned trip to Washington in March is kicking up a diplomatic dust storm in the nation's capital.

Hostage video: was it really done outside? Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:11 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — The video of two Japanese hostages being held by the Islamic State group seems, like past IS videos, taken in an arid, desert setting. But suspicions are emerging that the message was not prepared outdoors at all.

Saudi state TV reports: King Abdullah has died at 90 Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:08 PM PST RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, the powerful U.S. ally who joined Washington's fight against al-Qaida and sought to modernize the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom with incremental but significant reforms, including nudging open greater opportunities for women, has died, according to Saudi state TV. He was 90.

Saudi King Abdullah dies: royal court statement  Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:07 PM PST Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died on Friday and was replaced by Crown Prince Salman, the OPEC-kingpin's royal court said in a statement. The late monarch's half brother Moqren was named crown prince, according to the statement. King Abdullah, believed to be around 90 years old, was hospitalised in December suffering from pneumonia and had been breathing with the aid of a tube. Abdullah's half-brother Salman, 79, was named crown prince in June 2012 following the death of Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz.

U.N. approved cross-border aid helps 600,000 Syrians in six months Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:56 PM PST By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday that 54 aid shipments to Syria had been made since the U.N. Security Council authorized some cross-border routes in July, supplying food to 600,000 people, along with water and medical supplies. In his latest monthly report to the council, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations and partners had made 40 shipments from Turkey and 14 from Jordan. Deliveries could not be made from Iraq due to insecurity, he said. The Security Council approved humanitarian access without Syrian government consent into rebel-held areas at four border crossings from Turkey, Iraq and Jordan.

Spies, lies and death: plot thickens in Argentine scandal Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:52 PM PST By Nicolás Misculin and Sarah Marsh BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Alberto Nisman was working hard to prepare for a congressional hearing on his claim that Argentina's president tried to whitewash Iran's alleged involvement in a bombing that killed 85 people, a make-or-break day in his career as prosecutor.     In the spotlight since leveling his hefty accusations last week, Nisman needed to make a convincing case, based on a decade of work with spy agencies around the world.     So he put in the extra hours at his Buenos Aires apartment on Saturday. Officials initially said he apparently committed suicide with a 22 caliber gun borrowed from a distant colleague, and a source close to the judicial investigation who visited the scene told Reuters there was so much blood that no one could have left it without leaving a trace.

Egypt to free 100 students ahead of 2011 revolt anniversary Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:50 PM PST Egypt's public prosecutor Thursday ordered the release of 100 students arrested in a crackdown on protests since late 2013, ahead of the fourth anniversary of a popular uprising. The students, who have not been formally charged, will be set free out of "concern for their academic future", the prosecutor's office said in a statement. The decision came hours after a court ordered the release of the two sons of former president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in the 2011 uprising, pending a corruption retrial. The anti-Mubarak revolt started on January 25, 2011, setting off a tumultuous four years during which his Islamist successor Mohamed Morsi was also unseated.

Bomb explodes outside presidential palace in Cairo, one injured Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:49 PM PST A police officer was injured when a small bomb exploded outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Thursday, police sources said. An unknown assailant on a motorbike threw the bomb in front of the main entrance of the Al-Qubba palace before fleeing, the sources said. There has been a wave of violence in Egypt since Islamist president Mohammed Morsi was toppled by the military in July 2013 and a crackdown was launched on his supporters, leaving more than 1,400 people dead.

Israeli man under house arrest for leaked Madonna songs Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:48 PM PST JERUSALEM (AP) — An aspiring singer who auditioned for Israel's top TV song competition was placed under house arrest Thursday on suspicion of hacking into international pop star Madonna's computer and stealing and selling unreleased songs, his lawyer said.

U.N. council urges probe of bus attack in eastern Ukraine Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:43 PM PST The United Nations Security Council on Thursday called for an investigation of a deadly attack on a trolley bus in Ukraine's rebel-controlled eastern city of Donetsk. It also "underlined the need to conduct an objective investigation and bring perpetrators of this reprehensible act to justice." The council did not say who should investigate the incident, which was the result of a shell or mortar attack. The Kiev government and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have blamed each other for the attack.

'Profound differences' but US, Cuba to meet again Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:42 PM PST The United States and Cuba fell short of setting dates Thursday to reopen their embassies but the Cold War foes agreed to meet again to overcome deep rifts and normalize relations. Cuban officials and the highest-ranking US delegation to visit Havana in 35 years said their landmark discussions had been productive as they work to restore ties broken off in 1961. Both sides admitted they had "profound differences" but they decided to see each other again. It was the first get-together since US President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro surprised the world in December when they simultaneously announced plans to normalize ties.

U.S. agency urges cockpit video, better plane-tracking Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:41 PM PST By Alwyn Scott NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. air accident investigation agency on Thursday urged adoption of systems to shoot cockpit video in the crucial minutes before a crash, and called for better tracking to find downed planes. The agency also called for equipment to allow retrieval of critical black box flight data without an underwater search. The recommendations from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board follow a string of accidents in which wreckage and black boxes were difficult or impossible to find, including Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished last March. "Technology has reached a point where we shouldn't have to search hundreds of miles of ocean floor in a frantic race to find these valuable boxes," said Christopher Hart, acting chairman of the NTSB.

U.S. says mistrust must be overcome to restore Cuba ties Posted: 22 Jan 2015 03:39 PM PST By Lesley Wroughton and Daniel Trotta HAVANA (Reuters) - The United States and Cuba moved closer to restoring diplomatic relations on Thursday with historic, high-level talks, but the Americans noted the two sides must overcome more than 50 years of mistrust to normalize trade and travel. The talks were the first since U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced on Dec. 17 that they would work to restore diplomatic ties, which Washington severed in 1961 two years after Raul's brother, Fidel, took power and began implementing communist rule. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson, who led the American delegation, said re-establishing diplomatic ties and opening embassies in Havana and Washington were "not overly cumbersome," but the two sides had profound differences on other issues, such as Cuba's human rights record. Cuba in turn expressed concern over human rights in the United States, a reference to recent police killings of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City.

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