Yahoo! News: World News

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• Ukraine begins artillery withdrawal, recognizing truce is holding
• 'Jihadi John' killer from Islamic State beheading videos unmasked as Londoner
• U.S.-led coalition launches 14 air strikes against Islamic State: statement
• As address to U.S. Congress nears, Netanyahu treads a thinning line
• Suspected European arms traffickers extradited from Montenegro to U.S.
• Lesotho prepares for early vote in bid to ease political crisis
• Nigeria's president visits massacre site, as 35 killed in bombings
• Herman survives windy day; McIlroy stumbles at Honda Classic
• China bans ivory imports for 1 year to protect elephants
• Lawyer: Second autopsy shows officers shot man from behind
• Qatar committed to 'stable' Egypt despite tensions: Emir
• Ronda Rousey, Cat Zingano take center stage for UFC 184
• Brazil teen killed by police recorded shooting on phone
• Japan's inflation rate falls in Jan on lower energy costs
• Thousands of Central African refugees face hunger in DR Congo: MSF
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• Officials: Stolen Picasso smuggled into US, labeled 'craft'
• Terror suspect says Internet chats about women, not plot
• US stock indexes drift mostly lower as oil prices sink
• Peru seeks extradition of Greenpeace activist over Nazca damage
• Asia-bound cargo ship held in Alaska harbor cleared to leave
• British claim to have cut EU charge false
• Canadian citizenship oath to Queen to remain law
• UK must appoint Arctic ambassador or risk being 'outmaneuvered': lawmakers
• Imprisoned Mexican drug suspects complain of poor conditions
• Costa Rica says Romanian hanged himself on airline flight
• 6N: Bland France looking for win over Wales and identity
• Victory for Argentine leader as judge rejects cover-up case
• Lawyer for Al-Jazeera journalist blasts Canadian government
• British media unmask killer 'Jihadi John' with first schoolboy photograph
• UN envoy heads to Damascus to pursue Aleppo truce plan
• Florida Panthers add Jaromir Jagr for playoff run
• UN Security Council to meet on Ukraine Friday
• IOC relaxes rule on athletes and sponsors during Olympics
• Jewish MP on Arab Israeli slate rejects 'traitor' label
• 3 deny trying to sell military-grade arms to Colombia rebels
• Roma beats Feyenoord in twice-suspended Europa League match

Ukraine begins artillery withdrawal, recognizing truce is holding Posted: 26 Feb 2015 05:59 AM PST By Alexander Shpigunov and Maria Tsvetkova PARASKOVIYVKA/DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops towed artillery away from the front line in the east on Thursday, a move that amounted to recognizing that a ceasefire meant to take effect on Feb. 15 was holding at last. Earlier, Reuters journalists saw a larger convoy of 30-40 vehicles also towing guns away from the front on a highway. The move was Kiev's most direct step to acknowledge that the ceasefire was finally holding, a week after suffering one of the worst defeats of the war at the hands of rebels who initially ignored the ceasefire to launch a major advance. The pro-Russian rebels, who committed to the truce after their successful offensive, have been pulling back heavy weapons for two days, but Kiev had until now held back from implementing the withdrawal, arguing that fighting had not yet ceased.

'Jihadi John' killer from Islamic State beheading videos unmasked as Londoner Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:27 PM PST By Michael Holden and Mark Hosenball LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The masked "Jihadi John" killer who fronted Islamic State beheading videos has been identified as Mohammed Emwazi, a British computer programming graduate from a well-to-do London family who was known to the security services. The black-clad militant brandishing a knife and speaking with an English accent was shown in videos released by Islamic State (IS) apparently decapitating hostages including Americans, Britons and Syrians. The 26-year-old militant used the videos to threaten the West, admonish its Arab allies and taunt President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron before petrified hostages cowering in orange jump suits. Two U.S. government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to Reuters that investigators believed Jihadi John was Emwazi.

U.S.-led coalition launches 14 air strikes against Islamic State: statement Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:06 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its partner nations launched 14 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria since Wednesday morning, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Thursday. Five air strikes were conducted in Syria, the task force said in a statement. They struck Islamic State tactical units near Al Hasakah and fighting positions near Kobani. In Iraq, nine air strikes were launched near Al Asad, Fallujah, Mosul and other locations, hitting tactical units, buildings, vehicles and a training camp, the statement said. ...

As address to U.S. Congress nears, Netanyahu treads a thinning line Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:51 AM PST By Luke Baker JERUSALEM (Reuters) - When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation to address the U.S. Congress two weeks before an Israeli election, there appeared to be little downside. The primary objective was to warn U.S. lawmakers about the risks of a deal on Iran's nuclear program and keep alive the possibility of further sanctions on Tehran, frustrating President Barack Obama's long-running policy of negotiation with the Islamic Republic. At the same time, it was difficult to ignore the electoral bounce a primetime speech on a critical issue might give Netanyahu and his party ahead of parliamentary elections on March 17, when he will seek a fourth term in office. "There are now many more risks than advantages," said Eytan Gilboa, a professor at Bar-Ilan University and a specialist in ties between Israel and the United States.

Suspected European arms traffickers extradited from Montenegro to U.S. Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:19 PM PST By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three suspected arms traffickers from Europe pleaded not guilty on Thursday to U.S. charges that they conspired to sell military-grade weapons for use against Americans in Colombia. Cristian Vintila and Virgil Flaviu Georgescu, both from Romania, and Massimo Romagnoli of Greece entered the pleas in New York federal court a day after being extradited from Montenegro, where they had been arrested in December. The men were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to kill U.S. officers and employees, and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to the Colombian rebel group FARC. Prosecutors said the men tried to sell anti-aircraft weapons and firearms to confidential sources working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the mistaken belief that those sources were affiliated with FARC.

Lesotho prepares for early vote in bid to ease political crisis Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:02 PM PST By Tiisetso Motsoeneng and Marafaele Mohloboli MASERU (Reuters) - Feuding parties in Lesotho's ruling coalition will face off on Saturday in early national elections staged in a bid to restore stability six months after an attempted coup. The vote is being held around two years ahead of schedule under a political deal brokered by South Africa, which surrounds the mountainous kingdom. Lesotho's prime minister, Thomas Thabane, briefly fled to South Africa in August after soldiers occupied police headquarters and encircled his palace. Thabane accused his deputy Mothetjoa Metsing of working with the army to oust him -- an allegation dismissed by Metsing and the military.

Nigeria's president visits massacre site, as 35 killed in bombings Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:53 PM PST Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday visited the scene of what is feared to be Boko Haram's worst massacre and vowed that the insurgency would soon be over. The bombings raised fears of a renewed wave of attacks against vulnerable targets in urban centres, as troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon make gains against the militants in rural areas. Jonathan's visit to Baga, where hundreds of people, if not more, are feared to have been killed, came after his main election opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, accused him of a lack of leadership in the crisis. "I went... to visit communities devastated by the excesses of Boko Haram," he said.

Herman survives windy day; McIlroy stumbles at Honda Classic Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:52 PM PST PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Playing in America for the first time this year, Rory McIlroy's first shot was a 2-iron out of play.

China bans ivory imports for 1 year to protect elephants Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:52 PM PST BEIJING (AP) — China imposed a one-year ban on ivory imports that took immediate effect Thursday amid criticism that its citizens' huge appetite for ivory has fueled poaching that threatens the existence of African elephants.

Lawyer: Second autopsy shows officers shot man from behind Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:49 PM PST SPOKANE, Washington (AP) — An independent autopsy of an unarmed Mexican man killed by police in Washington state shows he was shot as many as seven times, including twice from behind, contradicting earlier statements from authorities, an attorney for the man's family said Thursday.

Qatar committed to 'stable' Egypt despite tensions: Emir Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:48 PM PST The Emir of Qatar said Thursday he was committed to "stability" in Egypt, despite a recent row between the two nations over Cairo's airstrikes against IS militants in Libya. Islamic State jihadists released a video this month showing the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, most of them Egyptian, prompting Cairo to launch air strikes on IS targets in the eastern city of Derna. Qatar responded by recalling its ambassador to Cairo for consultations.

Ronda Rousey, Cat Zingano take center stage for UFC 184 Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:47 PM PST LOS ANGELES (AP) — By many measures, a historic event will happen when Ronda Rousey steps into the octagon with Cat Zingano in the main event of UFC 184 on Saturday night.

Brazil teen killed by police recorded shooting on phone Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:47 PM PST A 15-year-old Brazilian shot dead by police last week was carrying a mobile phone that caught the incident on camera, according to video published Thursday by a news site. Alan de Souza Lima was killed Friday in a favela near Rio by police gunfire as he was hanging out with friends, including one who was shot in the chest but survived. Officials said an investigation has been launched following the video's release, and that several officers were taken off duty. "After analyzing the video, military police commander Colonel Alberto Pinheiro Neto ordered an immediate investigation.

Japan's inflation rate falls in Jan on lower energy costs Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:46 PM PST TOKYO (AP) — Japan's core inflation rate edged lower in January as lower crude oil prices reduced energy costs, while weak retail sales and manufacturing underscored the fragility of its economic recovery.

Thousands of Central African refugees face hunger in DR Congo: MSF Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:43 PM PST Thousands of Central African Republic (CAR) refugees are threatened by malnutrition in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they have sought refuge, a medical charity said Thursday. CAR is struggling to recover from the coup that ousted president Francois Bozize in March 2013 and triggered a wave of deadly sectarian violence between the country's Christian and Muslim populations. "The majority of the refugees... depend largely on the generosity of the local population," which is itself poverty-stricken, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a statement. These precarious living conditions bring problems of malnutrition and water-borne diseases," it added.

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:32 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — China is expanding its outposts in the South China Sea to include stationing for ships and potential airfields as part of its "aggressive" effort to exert sovereignty, the U.S. intelligence chief said Thursday. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on worldwide threats. His comments underscore U.S. concern over land reclamation activities that could fuel tensions between China and its neighbors over disputed islands and reefs.

Officials: Stolen Picasso smuggled into US, labeled 'craft' Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:31 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say a Pablo Picasso painting worth millions of dollars was stolen in France and smuggled into the U.S. by someone who falsely labeled it as an "art craft" worth about $37 when it was shipped.

Terror suspect says Internet chats about women, not plot Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:30 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — A Pakistani man on trial in the U.S. for planning to bomb a British shopping center testified Thursday he was exaggerating his prowess with women in online chats and emails he sent mentioning potential wedding dates and a bride, denying the communiques were coded to disguise an al-Qaida plot.

US stock indexes drift mostly lower as oil prices sink Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:30 PM PST U.S. stocks drifted to a slightly lower finish on Thursday, weighed down by falling energy stocks as the slump in oil prices deepened.

Peru seeks extradition of Greenpeace activist over Nazca damage Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:29 PM PST Peru is seeking the extradition of a Greenpeace activist from Argentina to face charges he damaged the country's iconic Nazca Lines during a widely criticized stunt last year, a court said on Thursday. The Supreme Court's Permanent Criminal Chamber said Peru was on firm legal ground to ask Argentina to extradite Mauro Fernandez, a regional Greenpeace coordinator who illegally entered the Nazca Lines archaeological site to stage a photo in December.

Asia-bound cargo ship held in Alaska harbor cleared to leave Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:26 PM PST ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A cargo ship that has been detained in an Alaska harbor amid an environmental crimes investigation has been cleared to leave port.

British claim to have cut EU charge false Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:26 PM PST A British government claim to have negotiated the halving of a £1.7 billion ($2.6 billion, 2.3 billion euros) payment demanded by the European Union is "not supported by the facts", lawmakers said in a Friday report. The government of Prime Minister David Cameron claimed last year to have bartered down the sum, which had provoked angry responses from politicians after it was requested by Brussels because Britain's economy had performed better than expected. The report is another blow to Cameron after revelations his government failed to cut immigration, giving fodder to eurosceptic challengers the UK Independence Party on the eve of their final party conference before the May general election. In November last year Chancellor George Osborne declared victory after talks with fellow EU finance ministers, announcing "we've halved the bill" and calling it a "result for Britain".

Canadian citizenship oath to Queen to remain law Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:25 PM PST OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Immigrants to Canada will have to keep taking an oath to the Queen Elizabeth II after the Supreme Court of Canada refused Thursday to hear a challenge to the citizenship requirement.

UK must appoint Arctic ambassador or risk being 'outmaneuvered': lawmakers Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:17 PM PST Britain should appoint an ambassador on the Arctic or risk being "outmaneuvered" in the region by other countries, a committee of lawmakers from Britain's upper house said on Friday. As a near neighbor of the Arctic, Britain's recent engagement with the region has been "too hesitant and cautious" a House of Lords Arctic Committee report said, while countries including France and Japan had already appointed ambassadors. Arctic fish stocks will need better monitoring as sea ice recedes, while more should be done to look at whether oil and gas extraction in the region can be done safely, it said. In May, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will kick off two years at the helm of the Arctic Council, which since 1996 has linked the United States, Russia, Canada and the Nordic countries, to coordinate policy in the polar region.

Imprisoned Mexican drug suspects complain of poor conditions Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:16 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's National Human Rights Commission says it has received a complaint from inmates at a maximum-security prison complaining of poor food and bad conditions.

Costa Rica says Romanian hanged himself on airline flight Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:13 PM PST SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Authorities in Costa Rica say an autopsy has confirmed that a Romanian man hanged himself in an airliner's bathroom on a flight arriving from Bogota, Colombia.

6N: Bland France looking for win over Wales and identity Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:08 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Blues jerseys or red. Home or away. Tweaking or sweeping.

Victory for Argentine leader as judge rejects cover-up case Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:07 PM PST BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday firmly dismissed allegations that Argentine President Cristina Fernandez tried to cover up the involvement of Iranian officials in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center, easing a crisis for her government fed by the death of the prosecutor who brought the case.

Lawyer for Al-Jazeera journalist blasts Canadian government Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:06 PM PST TORONTO (AP) — The lawyer for a Canadian Al-Jazeera journalist criticized the Canadian government Thursday for not doing enough to secure his release from Egypt.

British media unmask killer 'Jihadi John' with first schoolboy photograph Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:05 PM PST The "Jihadi John" killer who fronted Islamic State beheading videos was unmasked publicly for the first time on Friday by British media which published a photograph showing Mohammed Emwazi as a smiling schoolboy. The black-clad militant brandishing a knife and speaking with an English accent was shown in videos released by Islamic State (IS) apparently decapitating hostages including Americans, Britons and Syrians. The Daily Mail newspaper published a schoolboy picture which it said was Jihadi John, who went on to become a menacing symbol of Islamic State brutality and one of the world's most wanted men. Two U.S. government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to Reuters that investigators believed Jihadi John was Emwazi.

UN envoy heads to Damascus to pursue Aleppo truce plan Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:05 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. says its special envoy to Syria is heading to Damascus on Saturday to meet with senior government officials on key details of a proposed six-week suspension of government airstrikes and artillery shelling in the country's largest city, Aleppo.

Florida Panthers add Jaromir Jagr for playoff run Posted: 26 Feb 2015 04:02 PM PST SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jaromir Jagr hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1992. The Florida Panthers have never hoisted hockey's holiest grail, chasing it since their inception in 1993.

UN Security Council to meet on Ukraine Friday Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:56 PM PST The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency session on Friday on the ceasefire deal in eastern Ukraine that is showing tentative signs of taking hold, diplomats said. France and Germany requested the meeting of the 15-member council as Ukraine's military began withdrawing heavy weapons from the frontline and fighting with pro-Russian rebels appeared to subside. It will be the first session of the Security Council since it met on February 17 to endorse the ceasefire deal reached in Minsk between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany.

IOC relaxes rule on athletes and sponsors during Olympics Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:53 PM PST RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The IOC is relaxing a rule that prohibited athletes from promoting non-official sponsors during the Olympics.

Jewish MP on Arab Israeli slate rejects 'traitor' label Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:52 PM PST As a Jewish Israeli Communist running for election under an Arab banner, Dov Khenin is often the butt of jokes. In a country where most of the electorate leans to the right, the 57-year-old member of a Communist party that includes both Jewish and Arab lawmakers is used to threats and hate mail. "I've been subjected to many threats," the father-of-three told AFP, saying that during last year's 50-day war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, the state security services had to protect him and his family. "It wasn't a pleasant situation... but it wasn't enough to make me change my views," he told AFP while campaigning in the Bedouin village of Laqiya in Israel's southern Negev desert.

3 deny trying to sell military-grade arms to Colombia rebels Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:50 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Three men accused of conspiring in Europe to sell military-grade weapons to informants who said they wanted to shoot down American helicopters in Colombia have pleaded not guilty.

Roma beats Feyenoord in twice-suspended Europa League match Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:50 PM PST ROME (AP) — Roma beat 10-man Feyenoord 2-1 in a highly charged Europa League match that was briefly suspended twice because of yet more fan trouble.

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