Yahoo! News: World News

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• Merkel defends Ukraine arms stance in face of U.S. criticism
• Tunisia arrests 32 militant Islamists planning 'spectacular' attacks
• As Baghdad lifts curfew, bombs are reminder of country at war
• Libyan factions to resume talks on Tuesday; Benghazi death toll hits 700
• Mexican cartel 'Queen of the Pacific' to be released from prison
• Australian PM brings forward vote on leadership to Monday
• England beckons after Kane's derby fireworks
• Gerina Piller tops Bahamas leaderboard at 10 under
• Land Rover, Jaguar will recall 104,000 vehicles
• Holmes, English tied for lead at Torrey Pines
• UK's Prince Charles voices alarm at radicalisation
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Australian prime minister moves up leadership challenge
• Guatemala bikers seek to set world record with 20,000 riders
• Malala calls for 'urgent action' to free Nigerian schoolgirl hostages
• Slovak vote on gay marriage, adoption ban a flop
• Prince Charles says he fears for Christians in Middle East
• Nigeria postpones elections to March 28, cites uprising
• Fire Volcano in Guatemala erupts, spewing rock and ash
• Slovak vote on gay rights curbs not binding due to turnout
• Indictment: Bosnian immigrants plotted over Facebook
• Ire over Netanyahu's speech, but Dems hopes to limit fallout
• Atletico thrashes Madrid 4-0 in derby to open up title race
• Nigeria delays presidential vote by six weeks over security fears
• Juventus beats AC Milan 3-1 to go 10 points clear in Serie A
• Patrick Kueng wins gold in downhill at world championships
• West presses Putin to back 'last-chance' Ukraine peace bid
• Abduction reported in Mexico area where students disappeared
• Islamic State hostage's family hopeful she's still alive
• 8,700-strong African deployment to fight Boko Haram
• US soccer hopes to end winless stretch when Panama visits
• Porto beats Moreirense 2-0 to keep pressure on Benfica
• Ahead of curfew ending, bombs kill 40 in Baghdad area
• Pope's sex abuse commission alarmed by spanking comment
• Bombings in Iraqi capital kill 32, hours before curfew ends
• Tunisia arrests 32 militant Islamists planning 'spectacular' attacks
• Haitian protesters march to demand lower gasoline prices
• South African anti-apartheid writer Andre Brink dies aged 79
• Mexico advances to Caribbean Series final

Merkel defends Ukraine arms stance in face of U.S. criticism Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:36 PM PST By Stephen Brown and Noah Barkin MUNICH (Reuters) - Germany's Angela Merkel said on Saturday that sending arms to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian separatists would not solve the crisis there, drawing sharp rebukes from U.S. politicians who accused Berlin of turning its back on an ally in distress. The heated exchanges at a security conference in Munich pointed to cracks in the transatlantic consensus on how to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over a deepening conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 5,000. Ukraine's military said on Saturday that pro-Russian separatists had stepped up shelling of government forces and appeared to be amassing troops for new offensives on the key railway town of Debaltseve and the coastal city of Mariupol.

Tunisia arrests 32 militant Islamists planning 'spectacular' attacks Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:51 PM PST By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia arrested 32 militant Islamists, some of them returning from fighting in Syria, who planned "spectacular" attacks, officials said on Saturday. News of the arrests came one day after a secular-Islamist coalition cabinet headed by Prime Minister Habib Essid took office. The new cabinet faces many challenges, including Islamist groups that emerged after a 2011 uprising. "Counter-terrorism forces foiled plots to carry out spectacular attacks against vital installations, including the Interior Ministry, security stations and civilian buildings in the capital Tunis," said Mohammed Ali Aroui, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

As Baghdad lifts curfew, bombs are reminder of country at war Posted: 07 Feb 2015 01:19 PM PST By Saif Hameed and Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Five blasts across Baghdad on Saturday tempered Iraqis' anticipation of a more relaxed and accessible capital as the government prepared to lift a night-time curfew that has kept the city on a war-time footing for more than a decade. The attacks included a suicide bombing at a restaurant in a Shi'ite neighborhood and improvised explosives devices planted in a bustling central market district, underscoring the peril ordinary people still face from militant violence in Baghdad. Ending the curfew and "demilitarizing" several neighborhoods is part of a campaign to normalize life in Iraq's war-blighted capital. Officials hope to demonstrate that Baghdad no longer faces a threat from Islamic State, the militant group which seized large areas of northern and western Iraq last year.

Libyan factions to resume talks on Tuesday; Benghazi death toll hits 700 Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:26 PM PST By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI (Reuters) - Libya's warring factions will resume U.N.-sponsored talks on Tuesday inside the country to try to resolve a struggle between two governments and parliaments, officials from both sides said on Saturday. The news came as new clashes between pro-government forces and Islamists in the eastern Benghazi city killed seven soldiers, bringing the death toll of four months of fighting there to almost 700, medics said. Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed revolt ousted Muammar Gaddafi nearly four years ago. Libya's internationally recognized government under Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni and its elected House of Representatives are based in the east of the country after a group called Libya Dawn seized Tripoli last summer, set up its own administration and reinstated the old parliament.

Mexican cartel 'Queen of the Pacific' to be released from prison Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:03 PM PST A jailed Mexican drug smuggler known as the "Queen of the Pacific" is to be released after partially completing a five-year sentence on money-laundering charges, the attorney general's office said on Saturday. A federal judge in Mexico's western Jalisco state accepted the appeal of Sandra Avila Beltran and ordered her immediate release, saying her five-year sentence was based on the same crime that triggered previous stints behind bars. Avila Beltran, the highest-profile woman linked to Mexico's drug trade, was expected to be set free later on Saturday, a federal security official said on condition of anonymity. Avila Beltran was sentenced to a nearly six-year prison term in the United States before being extradited to Mexico in 2013 to face money-laundering charges.

Australian PM brings forward vote on leadership to Monday Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:01 PM PST Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, fighting for his political life, said he would bring forward to Monday a meeting of his parliamentary colleagues to consider a challenge to his leadership, in an effort to halt a destabilizing internal revolt. A member of Abbott's ruling conservative Liberal Party called on Friday for a secret ballot to decide whether to declare the leadership and deputy leadership positions vacant, to be held at a scheduled meeting on Tuesday. No member of the government has so far indicated a direct challenge to Abbott, although most media attention has focused on Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a former party leader toppled by Abbott. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, deputy leader of Abbott's party, has also been touted as a potential successor.

England beckons after Kane's derby fireworks Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:56 PM PST Harry Kane moved closer to an England call-up by scoring twice as Tottenham Hotspur leapfrogged Arsenal in the Premier League table with a 2-1 win over their bitter rivals. Kane has now scored 22 goals this season, and with England manager Roy Hodgson watching, he was the name on everyone's lips as Spurs claimed victory at a jubilant White Hart Lane on Saturday. The 21-year-old's brace enhanced his growing reputation and with Champions League qualification set to go to the wire, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful that Kane will prove the difference.

Gerina Piller tops Bahamas leaderboard at 10 under Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:51 PM PST PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Gerina Piller topped the leaderboard at 10 under Saturday when third-round play in the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic was suspended because of darkness.

Land Rover, Jaguar will recall 104,000 vehicles Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:50 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Land Rover and Jaguar are recalling 104,000 vehicles because of problems with the brakes and lights.

Holmes, English tied for lead at Torrey Pines Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:45 PM PST SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two poor chips wound up costing Harris English three shots. He battled just to get birdie chances on the South Course at Torrey Pines and only converted two of them. He wound up with a 1-over 73 and a share of the lead with J.B. Holmes on Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open.

UK's Prince Charles voices alarm at radicalisation Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:34 PM PST Britain's Prince Charles said the numbers of vulnerable young Muslims being radicalised by "crazy stuff" on the Internet was "frightening", in an interview to be broadcast Sunday. The heir to the throne also voiced concern about Christians fleeing the Middle East in droves, saying the situation might end with very few left in the cradle of the religion. In a BBC radio interview, Charles said radicalisation was "one of the greatest worries" and the issue could not be simply "swept under the carpet. Speaking of "the values we hold dear", Charles said: "You'd think that the people who have come here, born here, go to school here would abide by those values and outlooks.

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:33 PM PST CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Sunday he had moved up a challenge to his own leadership to Monday in the interests of ending damaging uncertainty about his government's future direction. The challenge was triggered by disgruntled government lawmakers last week and was to be discussed on Tuesday at the first scheduled meeting for the year of the ruling Liberal Party's 102 lawmakers. But Abbott said he had arranged a special meeting for Monday morning, leaving some lawmakers scrambling to book earlier flights to the nation's capital.

Australian prime minister moves up leadership challenge Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:29 PM PST CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Sunday he had moved up a challenge to his own leadership to Monday in the interests of ending damaging uncertainty about his government's future direction.

Guatemala bikers seek to set world record with 20,000 riders Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:24 PM PST GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala is trying to set a Guinness world record for the most motorcyclists participating in a caravan, hoping to draw more than 20,000 bikes for an annual trek 223 kilometers (134 miles) from the capital.

Malala calls for 'urgent action' to free Nigerian schoolgirl hostages Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:19 PM PST Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai on Sunday called for global support to help release more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, as they marked 300 days as hostages. Boko Haram fighters seized 276 teenagers from the Government Girls' Secondary School in the remote town of Chibok, in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, on the evening of April 14 last year. The girls' abduction and subsequent claims from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau that they have been forcibly converted to Islam or married off sparked global outrage. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls trended on social media and saw prominent figures, including US First Lady Michelle Obama, tweet their support, as well as global street protests.

Slovak vote on gay marriage, adoption ban a flop Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:16 PM PST A referendum intended to strengthen a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and adoption in socially conservative Slovakia fell flat Saturday with low turnout. While conservatives pitched their campaign as "say 'yes' for the family", gay rights advocates encouraged people to vote with their feet by boycotting it. "I'm happy that the referendum isn't valid but I'm worried that the general election next year will be an occasion of a new wave of anti-gay sentiment," said Bratislava art gallery owner Andrea Pallang, 40, who has been living with her girlfriend for eight years. "We'll continue our struggle to protect the family," Anton Chromik, spokesman for the Alliance for Family (AZR) that spearheaded the referendum, told Slovak public television STV as results showed marginal turnout.

Prince Charles says he fears for Christians in Middle East Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:16 PM PST LONDON (AP) — Britain's Prince Charles says he fears there will be "very, very few" Christians left in the Middle East after the turmoil wracking the region.

Nigeria postpones elections to March 28, cites uprising Posted: 07 Feb 2015 04:04 PM PST ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria is postponing presidential and legislative elections until March 28 because security forces fighting Boko Haram extremists cannot ensure voters' safety around the country, the electoral commission announced Saturday in a decision likely to infuriate the opposition.

Fire Volcano in Guatemala erupts, spewing rock and ash Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:53 PM PST GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A national disaster preparedness official in Guatemala says the Fire Volcano has exploded, spewing incandescent rock and ash that dusted surrounding communities.

Slovak vote on gay rights curbs not binding due to turnout Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A nationwide referendum on restricting gay rights in Slovakia has failed to produce a legally binding result after the required number of eligible voters did not turn out.

Indictment: Bosnian immigrants plotted over Facebook Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:23 PM PST CHICAGO (AP) — Six Bosnian immigrants accused of sending money and military equipment to extremist groups in Syria used Facebook, PayPal and other readily available services to communicate and transfer funds, according to a federal indictment.

Ire over Netanyahu's speech, but Dems hopes to limit fallout Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The Israeli prime minister's upcoming speech to Congress without President Barack Obama's blessing has angered Democratic lawmakers, but they see little remedy except to hope for minimal damage to their party and U.S.-Israel relations.

Atletico thrashes Madrid 4-0 in derby to open up title race Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:11 PM PST BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Atletico Madrid thrashed crosstown rival Real Madrid 4-0 in a dominant derby performance on Saturday that threw open the Spanish league title race.

Nigeria delays presidential vote by six weeks over security fears Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:10 PM PST Nigeria's presidential election was on Saturday postponed on security grounds, handing a potential lifeline to the ruling party as it battles a persistent challenge from the main opposition. The head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the delay after a closed-door meeting in Abuja that followed a recommendation for postponement from security chiefs, who said the military needed more time to secure areas under Boko Haram control. A new date for the poll has been set for March 28 for presidential and parliamentary elections. Gubernatorial and state assembly elections will be held on April 11, INEC's Attahiru Jega said.

Juventus beats AC Milan 3-1 to go 10 points clear in Serie A Posted: 07 Feb 2015 03:08 PM PST MILAN (AP) — Juventus beat fierce rival AC Milan 3-1 to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday as coach Massimiliano Allegri gained more revenge on his old club.

Patrick Kueng wins gold in downhill at world championships Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:58 PM PST BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — Sometimes, even a downhiller needs to be reminded to go fast.

West presses Putin to back 'last-chance' Ukraine peace bid Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:41 PM PST Western leaders challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin Saturday to prove he wants peace in Ukraine, warning both sides a new Franco-German peace drive may be a "last chance" to stop all-out war. In a dramatic gesture at a gathering of world leaders in Germany, Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko brandished passports and military ID cards he said were captured from Russian soldiers deep inside the country, offering what he said was "evidence" of Russia's presence in the country. "Today a former strategic partner is waging a hidden war against a sovereign state," he said at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). Poroshenko was due Sunday to discuss the new initiative in a phone call with German, French and Russian leaders, as fresh fighting in the former Soviet republic claimed 12 more lives and Kiev warned the Russian-backed separatists were planning a new offensive.

Abduction reported in Mexico area where students disappeared Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:36 PM PST CHILPANCINGO, Mexico (AP) — At least 12 people have been kidnapped in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero in the same municipality where federal authorities say 43 college students were killed and burned by a drug cartel in September.

Islamic State hostage's family hopeful she's still alive Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:35 PM PST PRESCOTT, Arizona (AP) — The parents of a 26-year-old American who Islamic State extremists say was killed in an airstrike in Syria said in a statement addressed to group leaders that the claim of their daughter's death concerned them but they were still hopeful she was alive.

8,700-strong African deployment to fight Boko Haram Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:26 PM PST Yaoundé (AFP) - Nigeria and its four neighbouring nations on Saturday pledged to deploy 8,700 troops, police and civilians as part of a regional effort to fight Boko Haram militants. "The representatives of Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad have announced contributions totalling 8,700 military personnel, police and civilians," the countries said in a statement after a meeting in Cameroon's capital Yaounde. The announcement came out of a three-day summit focused on organising the force that will battle the Islamist militants, who are engaged in a worsening six-year insurgency centred in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram's attacks have increasingly spilled over from Nigeria into neighbouring nations.

US soccer hopes to end winless stretch when Panama visits Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:23 PM PST CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Not much has gone right for the United States since the World Cup opener last year, and the Americans want to end their funk before the games that really matter.

Porto beats Moreirense 2-0 to keep pressure on Benfica Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:19 PM PST LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Jackson Martinez scored to help FC Porto win 2-0 at Moreirense on Saturday, as it reduced Benfica's overnight lead of the Portuguese league.

Ahead of curfew ending, bombs kill 40 in Baghdad area Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:12 PM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Baghdad's decade-old nightly curfew ended after midnight Sunday, hours after bombs exploded in and around the Iraqi capital, killing at least 40 people in a stark warning of the dangers still ahead in this country under attack by the Islamic State group.

Pope's sex abuse commission alarmed by spanking comment Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:04 PM PST VATICAN CITY (AP) — Members of Pope Francis' sex abuse commission have criticized his remarks that it is OK for parents to spank their children, saying there is no place for physical discipline and that the commission would be making recommendations to him about protecting kids from corporal punishment.

Bombings in Iraqi capital kill 32, hours before curfew ends Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:01 PM PST Attacks in Baghdad, including a suicide bombing inside a restaurant, killed at least 32 people on Saturday, hours before a years-old nightly curfew was lifted. Doing away with the curfew -- which most recently was in effect from midnight to 5:00 am -- brought an end to a longstanding policy aimed at curbing violence in the capital by limiting movement at night. Another attack -- said to have been either a suicide or roadside bombing -- hit a commercial area in central Baghdad, killing at least nine people and wounding 28, officials said, revising a lower toll. As the attacks are carried out during the day or early evening when most people are out, the curfew has had little impact on that type of violence.

Tunisia arrests 32 militant Islamists planning 'spectacular' attacks Posted: 07 Feb 2015 02:00 PM PST By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia arrested 32 militant Islamists, some of them returning from fighting in Syria, who planned "spectacular" attacks, officials said on Saturday. News of the arrests came one day after a secular-Islamist coalition cabinet headed by Prime Minister Habib Essid took office. The new cabinet faces many challenges, including Islamist groups that emerged after a 2011 uprising to threaten its nascent democracy. "Counter-terrorism forces foiled plots to carry out spectacular attacks against vital installations, including the Interior Ministry, security stations and civilian buildings in the capital Tunis," said Mohammed Ali Aroui, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Haitian protesters march to demand lower gasoline prices Posted: 07 Feb 2015 01:59 PM PST PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — At least 6,000 protesters marched through Haiti's capital Saturday to demand lower gas prices and the ouster of President Michel Martelly.

South African anti-apartheid writer Andre Brink dies aged 79 Posted: 07 Feb 2015 01:58 PM PST Celebrated South African writer and outspoken apartheid critic Andre Brink, author of the novel "A Dry White Season", has died, his university said Saturday. He died Friday night on board a flight home from Belgium where he had received an honorary doctorate from the Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL). "This news is deeply saddening, even as the circumstances of Andre's death underscore the extraordinary life that he lived," said professor Lesley Marx of the University of Cape Town. Winner of several book awards and nominated three times for a Nobel prize, Brink was an emeritus professor of literature at the University of Cape Town after formally retiring in 2005.

Mexico advances to Caribbean Series final Posted: 07 Feb 2015 01:58 PM PST SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Terance Marin pitched six strong innings and Mexico beat the Dominican Republic 5-4 on Saturday to advance to the Caribbean Series final.

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