Yahoo! News: World News

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• Kiev accuses Russia of sending more tanks to east Ukraine
• Greece, euro zone agree four-month loan extension, avert crunch
• Fire breaks out at Dubai Torch apartment skyscraper
• Russian Finance Minister says Moody's downgrade had 'political character'
• Venezuela opposition urges release of mayor accused of conspiring
• 'Self-censoring' scandal at newspaper roils UK press landscape
• African jihadism movie 'Timbuktu' wins seven Cesars
• Pacquiao-Mayweather mega-fight confirmed
• Building in Dubai's Marina district in flames
• Top Asian News at 1:00 a.m. GMT
• Antarctica: Mystery continent holds key to mankind's future
• Ant gin, cricket soup: Bugs crawl onto menu at Cordon Bleu
• New Sri Lanka gov't ends US lobbying contracts
• Movie 'Timbuktu' sweeps France's Cesar awards, gets 7 prizes
• Suspect in Canadian WWII veteran attack charged in unsolved murders
• Duke Energy fined over $100 million for environmental violations
• US phone-card company strikes deal with Cuba
• It's on: Mayweather says he and Pacquiao to fight May 2
• Moody's downgrades credit rating on Russia
• Arrest of Caracas mayor sign of broader Venezuela crackdown
• Lockheed testing nanotech filters for U.S. oil industry wastewater
• Bosnian man accused of financing terrorists remains jailed
• Ecuadorean satirist halts jokes after death threats
• Lions rescued from circuses in Peru get their teeth fixed
• Iran's Atomic chief to meet the US energy secretary
• Kanye, Beckham mourn tutor as London Fashion Week opens
• Greece and eurozone settle their differences _ for now
• As ravaged Ukraine town regains peace, fear of war remains
• Greece wins eurozone bailout deal with strict conditions
• Wawrinka loses in quarterfinals at Open 13
• Concern in Britain over diminished role on world stage
• Finding Libya solution daunting task for world: experts
• Iraqis worry they won't be ready for Mosul operation
• Lesotho to hold snap vote under heavy regional police presence
• Ten-man Monaco wins 1-0 at Nice in French league
• Jury may see butt-injecting defendant's self-enhancements
• Juventus beats Atalanta 2-1, extends lead to 10 points
• Islamic State bombers kill dozens in Libyan suicide attacks

Kiev accuses Russia of sending more tanks to east Ukraine Posted: 20 Feb 2015 11:20 AM PST By Anton Zverev and Alessandra Prentice DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine/KIEV (Reuters) - Kiev accused Russia on Friday of sending more tanks and troops into eastern Ukraine and said they were heading towards the rebel-held town of Novoazovsk on the southern coast, expanding their presence on what it fears could be the next battlefront. Russia did not immediately respond to the accusation which, if confirmed, would go further to kill off a European-brokered truce that was met by relentless rebel advances after it came into force on Sunday. Moscow has always denied accusations in the past that its forces are fighting in Ukraine. Nevertheless, there were signs that the rebels may be prepared to halt their advance, having achieved their main military objective this week by seizing the strategic town of Debaltseve in defiance of the ceasefire.

Greece, euro zone agree four-month loan extension, avert crunch Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:06 PM PST By Jan Strupczewski and Renee Maltezou BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers agreed in principle on Friday to extend Greece's financial rescue by four months, averting a potential cash crunch in March that could have forced the country out of the currency area. The deal, to be ratified once Greece's creditors are satisfied with a list of reforms it will submit next week, ends weeks of uncertainty since the election of a leftist-led government in Athens which pledged to reverse austerity. "Tonight was a first step in this process of rebuilding trust," Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chairman of the 19-nation Eurogroup, told a news conference. "We have established common ground again to reach agreement on this statement." The agreement, clinched after the third ministerial meeting in two weeks of acrimonious public exchanges, offers a breathing space for the new Greek government to try to negotiate longer-term debt relief with its official creditors.

Fire breaks out at Dubai Torch apartment skyscraper Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:47 PM PST By David French DUBAI (Reuters) - Hundreds of people were evacuated from one of the world's tallest residential buildings on Saturday when fire swept through the more than 330-metre (1,082-foot) tall skyscraper "The Torch" in Dubai, residents said. Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf Arab trade and investment hub.

Russian Finance Minister says Moody's downgrade had 'political character' Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST Moody's downgrade of Russia's sovereign rating was based on "factors of a political character," Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said early on Saturday following news that Moody's had cut the rating to below investment grade. Siluanov also said that the downgrade was based on "unrealistic" forecasts with "no analogies", as the agency had made pessimistic assumptions that went well beyond forecasts by the IMF, World Bank and international banks. He said the downgrade would not have a serious additional impact on the capital market as Russia's local currency rating from two other agencies remains at the investment grade level of BBB-. Local treasury bonds are currently seen by Russia as the only source of borrowing, Siluanov said.

Venezuela opposition urges release of mayor accused of conspiring Posted: 20 Feb 2015 12:36 PM PST By Andrew Cawthorne and Alexandra Ulmer CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leaders and protesters on Friday demanded the release of a veteran Caracas mayor arrested on accusations of plotting violence against President Nicolas Maduro's government. The socialist leader and successor to Hugo Chavez cast Antonio Ledezma's detention on Thursday night as part of efforts to stop a U.S.-backed coup, but opponents scoffed at that as a smokescreen to distract from Venezuela's economic crisis. "He's in good spirits and very optimistic of demonstrating he has no links with any wrongdoing," his lawyer Omar Estacio said after a brief visit to Ledezma with his wife Mitzy. Ledezma is the highest-profile Maduro opponent in custody after fellow opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, arrested a year ago for his role in street protests that brought four months of violence and led to the death of 43 Venezuelans.

'Self-censoring' scandal at newspaper roils UK press landscape Posted: 20 Feb 2015 01:14 PM PST By Kate Holton and Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - One of Britain's most storied newspapers has been accused of self-censoring for commercial gain, raising awkward questions about a centuries-old press culture which has prided itself on its no-holds-barred approach to truth telling. The 160-year-old Daily Telegraph strongly denied accusations in a resignation letter by one of its best known writers, who said the paper had soft-pedalled coverage of a banking scandal to curry favor with an advertiser. Britain's press, known collectively as "Fleet Street" in reference to the London lane where newspapers were based for generations, is proud of its independence - able to make or break a political reputation with a merciless approach. In his letter, Peter Oborne, known for caustic attacks on politicians as the Telegraphs's chief political commentator, said the paper had curbed coverage of reports that the Swiss arm of Europe's biggest bank HSBC helped clients avoid taxes.

African jihadism movie 'Timbuktu' wins seven Cesars Posted: 20 Feb 2015 05:07 PM PST Timbuktu, which won seven Cesar awards -- France's version of the Oscars -- on Friday tells the story of northern Mali under the control of jihadists, in a foreshadowing of the rise of the Islamic State group. Among its haul, it scooped the coveted best film and best director gongs for Mauritania's Abderrahmane Sissako. The ancient caravan town of the title, often a by-word for otherworldly remoteness, was seized by armed Islamists who cut a swathe through the west African nation's vast desert for most of 2012. Originally to be filmed in Mali, most of the movie -- the only African nominee for the best foreign film Oscar -- ended up being shot under military protection in Mauritania, Sissako's home country, with just a few scenes captured in Timbuktu itself.

Pacquiao-Mayweather mega-fight confirmed Posted: 20 Feb 2015 05:05 PM PST Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will meet Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on May 2 in the mega-fight their fans have long clamored for, Mayweather confirmed Friday. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao on May 2, 2015, is a done deal," Mayweather wrote. Eight-division world champion Pacquiao dedicated the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to fans who "willed" it into being. "I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years," he said.

Building in Dubai's Marina district in flames Posted: 20 Feb 2015 05:05 PM PST DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A high-rise tower in Dubai's Marina district caught fire early Saturday, but there were no immediate details on casualties.

Top Asian News at 1:00 a.m. GMT Posted: 20 Feb 2015 05:03 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Bugs in a gourmet kitchen are usually something to be squashed or swatted. But at Le Cordon Bleu, the esteemed French cooking school, chefs and food scientists spent a week simmering, sauteing and grilling insects to extract innovative flavors they say could open a new gastronomic frontier. As a finale to their research, the school's Bangkok branch held a seminar Thursday called "Edible Insects in a Gastronomic Context," which booked up weeks in advance. The event included lectures and a tasting menu for 60 open-minded participants, a mix of student chefs, scientists, professors and insect farmers.

Antarctica: Mystery continent holds key to mankind's future Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:57 PM PST DECEPTION ISLAND, Antarctica (AP) — Earth's past, present and future come together here on the northern peninsula of Antarctica, the wildest, most desolate and mysterious of its continents.

Ant gin, cricket soup: Bugs crawl onto menu at Cordon Bleu Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:49 PM PST BANGKOK (AP) — Bugs in a gourmet kitchen are usually something to be squashed or swatted. But at Le Cordon Bleu, the esteemed French cooking school, chefs and food scientists spent a week simmering, sauteing and grilling insects to extract innovative flavors they say could open a new gastronomic frontier.

New Sri Lanka gov't ends US lobbying contracts Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:42 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — In a sign of improving relations with the U.S., Sri Lanka has terminated lobbying contracts worth tens of thousands of dollars a month that the previous government had signed to help it win friends in Washington amid war crimes allegations, the nation's ambassador says.

Movie 'Timbuktu' sweeps France's Cesar awards, gets 7 prizes Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:39 PM PST PARIS (AP) — The French film industry has showered honors on "Timbuktu," selecting it as best movie at the 40th annual Cesar awards — France's equivalent of the Oscars — one in eight prizes it scooped up days before competing in Hollywood for best foreign film.

Suspect in Canadian WWII veteran attack charged in unsolved murders Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:38 PM PST A Canadian man accused of robbing a World War II veteran was charged Friday in the 2007 triple murder of a retired judge, his wife and their neighbor. Ian Bush, 59, was taken in for questioning about the killings after appearing in court briefly to face the previous charges, whereby he was declared mentally fit for trial. Hours later, Ottawa police announced new charges against the management consultant in the unsolved murders of Alban Garon, his wife Raymonde, and Marie-Claire Beniskosin, all in their 70s. "This is an important development in a case that has troubled the community, investigators, and the family and friends of these people for several years," acting Ottawa police chief Jill Skinner told a press conference.

Duke Energy fined over $100 million for environmental violations Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:35 PM PST (Reuters) - Duke Energy Corp has agreed to pay a fine of about $102 million for environmental violations related to a power plant's coal ash spill into a North Carolina river last year and the company's management of coal ash basins in the state. Duke set aside $100 million in the fourth quarter in anticipation of the settlement, the company said in an earnings statement. The U.S. Department of Justice fined the company for five Clean Water Act violations at its Dan River and Riverbend steam stations and four Clean Water Act violations at the company's H.F. Lee Steam, Cape Fear and Asheville electricity-generating plants, according to a company statement on Friday. Apart from the monetary fines, Duke Energy will enter a five-year probation period, during which the company agreed to establish environmental compliance plans under the supervision of a court-appointed monitor, the cost of which shall be borne by the company.

US phone-card company strikes deal with Cuba Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:30 PM PST HAVANA (AP) — A New Jersey-based company has struck the first publicly announced deal under reforms enacted this year that allow U.S. telecom firms to do business with Cuba.

It's on: Mayweather says he and Pacquiao to fight May 2 Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:23 PM PST LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Fight is finally on.

Moody's downgrades credit rating on Russia Posted: 20 Feb 2015 04:18 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Moody's Investors Service says it has cut Russia's credit rating to junk grade, citing the crisis in Ukraine and a slide in oil prices and the ruble.

Arrest of Caracas mayor sign of broader Venezuela crackdown Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:56 PM PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Opponents of President Nicolas Maduro poured into the streets Friday to condemn the surprise arrest of Caracas' mayor for allegedly participating in a U.S.-backed plot to overthrow his government.

Lockheed testing nanotech filters for U.S. oil industry wastewater Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:49 PM PST By David Alexander WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp is developing filters using nanotechnology to help solve a problem facing the booming U.S. oil and gas industry: 18 billion gallons of wastewater each year. Lockheed's patented Perforene is a one-atom thick membrane of graphene, made of pure carbon. The sheets can be produced with precisely sized holes as small as 1 nanometer, or a billionth of a meter, and the company's goal is to eventually use it for desalination. In the meantime, Lockheed is looking at other commercial applications, including the oil and gas industry and medical care, which are not as technically challenging, Daniel Heller, Lockheed vice president for sustainability technologies, said in an interview this week.

Bosnian man accused of financing terrorists remains jailed Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:48 PM PST ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Bosnian immigrant accused of funneling money and military supplies to terror groups in Iraq and Syria will remain in federal custody after a brief court hearing Friday.

Ecuadorean satirist halts jokes after death threats Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:45 PM PST QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — An Ecuadorean satirist whose biting online political humor provoked the ire of President Rafael Correa announcing on Friday that he's ceasing and desisting after receiving anonymous death threats.

Lions rescued from circuses in Peru get their teeth fixed Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:30 PM PST LIMA, Peru (AP) — King was unable to chew normally because most of his teeth had been pulled by the circus owners. Simba's front claws had been removed and his fangs broken.

Iran's Atomic chief to meet the US energy secretary Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:19 PM PST TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's official news agency is reporting that country's vice president is going to meet the U.S. energy secretary in Geneva to discuss the ongoing nuclear negotiations.

Kanye, Beckham mourn tutor as London Fashion Week opens Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:16 PM PST London Fashion Week opened Friday on a sombre note, as Kanye West and Victoria Beckham joined some of the leading lights of the British industry at a memorial to inspirational tutor Louise Wilson. Catwalk shows were put on hold for the morning to remember the straight-talking 52-year-old, who was director of the fashion course at Central Saint Martins (CSM) college for 22 years until her death last May. Wilson had a passion for riding, and a model wearing a black top hat, veil, jacket and trailing skirt by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen stood guard on a horse outside St Paul's Cathedral as 1,300 guests mourned inside. The list of Wilson's alumni is a roll call of London's most talented designers, from the late McQueen to Stella McCartney, and many joined family and friends on Friday in paying tribute.

Greece and eurozone settle their differences _ for now Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:06 PM PST BRUSSELS (AP) — Following weeks of recrimination and distrust, Greece and its creditors in the 19-nation eurozone reached an agreement Friday on extending the country's rescue loans, a move that should dramatically ease concerns it was heading for the euro exit as soon as next month.

As ravaged Ukraine town regains peace, fear of war remains Posted: 20 Feb 2015 03:04 PM PST DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine (AP) — Almost every building was gravely damaged, nearly every window smashed in this Ukrainian town left unrecognizable by months of relentless shelling. Children played in the rubble where their homes once stood, while neighbors boiled water in open fires as temperatures dipped below freezing.

Greece wins eurozone bailout deal with strict conditions Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:58 PM PST The 19 eurozone finance ministers reached the hard-won deal at tense talks pitting Greece against an angry Germany, suspicious that the new radical leftist government in Athens was looking to ditch its austerity obligations. "The meeting was intense because it was about building trust between us," said Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem, after the talks ended with a two-page statement setting out the tough conditions Athens will have to fulfil. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said the deal marked a new era for Athens and its relationship with the European Union, after two painful bailouts put together at the height of the debt crisis to save the euro. Athens claimed the rescues and the austerity measures it had to follow since its first 2010 bailout had wrecked the Greek economy, making it impossible to manage its mountain of debt.

Wawrinka loses in quarterfinals at Open 13 Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:57 PM PST MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Second-seeded Stan Wawrinka was knocked out of the Open 13 by Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine after a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 loss in the quarterfinals Friday.

Concern in Britain over diminished role on world stage Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:54 PM PST British lawmakers accused the government of failing to show leadership over Ukraine on Friday in what the opposition Labour party said was "a growing chorus of concern" about Britain's foreign policy. The report from a parliamentary committee said that Europe as a whole was guilty of "sleepwalking" into the crisis and Britain "has not been as active or as visible on this issue as it could have been". The accusation resonates in Britain, where analysts said the last few years have seen a diminishing role for the second strongest NATO power and the third largest economy in the European Union. The memory of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has made the public and the government particularly risk averse in foreign affairs, and budget cuts and electoral worries have played their part too.

Finding Libya solution daunting task for world: experts Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:52 PM PST Having balked at Egypt's call for military intervention in Libya, the international community faces a daunting task to find a political solution to the lawless North African country's crisis, analysts say. Roiled by turmoil ever since the NATO-backed ouster of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Libya's security has continued to deteriorate, prompting calls for an easing of an arms embargo to help the internationally recognised government regain some control. The beheading this week of 21 mainly Egyptian Coptic Christians by the Islamic State group sparked Cairo to launch air strikes against the jihadists in Libya and call for an international coalition to hit IS.

Iraqis worry they won't be ready for Mosul operation Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:50 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Questions persist about whether the struggling Iraqi military will be ready for the operation to retake the country's second largest city from Islamic State militants in just a few months.

Lesotho to hold snap vote under heavy regional police presence Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:34 PM PST Troubled southern African mountain nation Lesotho's plan to hold a snap election at the end of the month was approved Friday by key regional authorities who will deploy hundreds of police to oversee the ballot. Six months after a failed army coup against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, observers from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) okayed the early election, which will be held with 475 police officers from around the region keeping the peace. "The SADC electoral observation mission has reported that the political atmosphere and security situation is conducive to hold elections as scheduled," said Stergomena Lawrence Tax, executive secretary of the 15-nation economic and security organisation. The vote is being held two years early in a bid to restore stability following the failed August putsch that highlighted friction between Lesotho's military and police.

Ten-man Monaco wins 1-0 at Nice in French league Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:32 PM PST NICE, France (AP) — Substitute Bernardo Silva scored a late winner as ten-man Monaco geared up for its Champions League trip to Arsenal with a 1-0 win at local rival Nice in the French league.

Jury may see butt-injecting defendant's self-enhancements Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:25 PM PST PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A hip-hop artist who has testified clients of her side gig call her the "Michelangelo of buttocks injections" may get to show off her own curves to the jury in her murder trial.

Juventus beats Atalanta 2-1, extends lead to 10 points Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:19 PM PST TURIN, Italy (AP) — Juventus extended its Serie A lead to 10 points after coming from behind to beat relegation-threatened Atalanta 2-1 on Friday.

Islamic State bombers kill dozens in Libyan suicide attacks Posted: 20 Feb 2015 02:18 PM PST TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Islamic State militants unleashed suicide bombings Friday in eastern Libya, killing at least 40 people in what the group said was retaliation for Egyptian airstrikes against the extremists' aggressive new branch in North Africa.

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