| Dozens killed in fighting near Yemen's Aden port Posted: 05 Apr 2015 10:53 AM PDT  By Mohammad Mukhashaf ADEN (Reuters) - Houthi fighters and allied army units clashed with local militias in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Sunday, and eyewitnesses said gun battles and heavy shelling ripped through a downtown district near the city's port. The Houthi forces have been battling to take Aden, a last foothold of fighters loyal to Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, advancing to the city center despite 11 days of air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition of mainly Gulf air forces. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia launched the air strikes on March 26 in an attempt to turn back the Iran-allied Shi'ite Houthis, who already control Yemen's capital Sanaa, and restore some of Hadi's crumbling authority. The fighting has failed so far to inflict any decisive defeat on the Houthis, or the supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh who are fighting alongside them, but the growing death toll and humanitarian suffering has alarmed aid groups.
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| Netanyahu seeks better deal on Iran; Obama says it is best hope on nuclear issue Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:43 PM PDT  By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the United States on Sunday to seek a better deal to curb Iran's nuclear program and said he would press American lawmakers not to give Tehran "a free path to the bomb." President Barack Obama, hoping to sway skeptics at home and abroad to get behind the framework agreement struck on Thursday between world powers and Iran, defended the deal as the best hope to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Obama, whose relations with Netanyahu have frayed badly over the Iran issue, sought to assure Israelis he understands their concerns.
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| Czech president bans U.S ambassador from Prague Castle: media Posted: 05 Apr 2015 02:42 PM PDT  President Milos Zeman has "closed the door" of Prague Castle to the U.S. ambassador following comments perceived as critical of the Czech's decision to attend a World War Two commemoration in Moscow, according to local media reports on Sunday. European Union leaders are boycotting the ceremony in May over Russia's role in the Ukraine conflict but Zeman -- who has frequently departed from the EU line -- has said he would attend. "I can't imagine the Czech ambassador in Washington would give advice to the American president where to travel," Zeman told news portal Parlamentni Listy. "I won't let any ambassador have a say about my foreign travels." "Ambassador (Andrew) Schapiro has the door to the castle closed." A presidential spokesman told local media that Schapiro could still attend social events at Prague Castle, the official residence of the Czech president.
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| Nigeria's neighbors hope for a fresh start with Buhari Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:51 PM PDT  By Madjiasra Nako MALAM FATORI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Surveying the charred ruins of the northern Nigerian town of Malam Fatori, which Chadian troops and his own soldiers from Niger liberated from Boko Haram last week, Colonel Toumba Mohamed paused to reflect on Nigeria's landmark election. As the two nations' forces poured into the border town on Tuesday, driving out the Islamist fighters, Nigeria's election commission was announcing the victory of opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari. "We hope that finally the armies of Chad and Niger will be able to fight Boko Haram side by side with the Nigerian army," said Toumba, who expects to see changes when Buhari, a former general and Muslim from the north, is sworn in.
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| Militants attack church and police in Egypt, one policeman dead Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:19 PM PDT  By Ahmed Tolba and Yousri Mohamed CAIRO/ISMAILIA (Reuters) - Islamist militants hit Egypt's two largest cities on Sunday with a bombing in Cairo and an attack on a church in Alexandria, leaving one policeman dead and seven people wounded, security sources said. In a separate incident, the leader of a militant group that has targeted police and soldiers around the capital was killed in a firefight with security forces early on Sunday, the interior ministry said. Egypt is facing an insurgency based in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of soldiers and police since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.
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| Pope at Easter prays for killed Kenyan students, decries persecution Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:22 PM PDT  By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis prayed for an end to the persecution of Christians in his Easter Sunday address, commemorating the students massacred by Islamist militants at Garissa University in Kenya. Attacks on Christians in Africa and the Middle East have been the grim backdrop of all Holy Week ceremonies leading up to Easter. The pope spoke as churches in Kenya, where al Shabaab gunmen massacred nearly 150 people, singling out Christians for point-blank executions, turned to armed guards to protect their congregations on the most important day of the Christian liturgical year. "May constant prayer rise up from all people of goodwill for those who lost their lives – I think in particular of the young people who were killed last Thursday at Garissa University College in Kenya - for all who have been kidnapped, and for those forced to abandon their homes and their dear ones." The 78-year-old Argentine pope, celebrating the third Easter of his pontificate, spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after saying a Mass below for tens of thousands of people wearing plastic ponchos and holding umbrellas against the driving rain.
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| Obama defends Iran deal as 'once in a lifetime' opportunity Posted: 05 Apr 2015 04:41 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is defending a framework nuclear understanding with Iran as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prevent a bomb and bring longer-term security to the Middle East, insisting the U.S. will stand in defense of Israel. |
| Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 05 Apr 2015 04:32 PM PDT KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Poets, musicians, actors and activists packed an empty shop in a Kabul mall to commemorate the short life and violent death of a woman who has become a symbol for justice and women's rights in a country that historically elevates warlords and battlefield heroes to national icons. The name of Farkhunda, beaten to death by a frenzied mob apparently in the mistaken belief that she had burned a Quran, has become a rallying cry for Afghans hoping the shocking incident will lead to profound changes in Afghanistan. |
| Second of three Spanish cavers dies in Morocco's Atlas mountains Posted: 05 Apr 2015 04:28 PM PDT  Only one of three Spanish cavers trapped at the bottom of a deep ravine in Morocco's High Atlas mountains was extracted alive on Sunday after a complicated rescue operation, officials said. Officials in Ouarzazate, southern Morocco, had said the other two men were "injured" and had received first aid ahead of their planned evacuation.
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| With Placido Domingo ill, Luca Salsi sings Met doubleheader Posted: 05 Apr 2015 04:13 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Luca Salsi was taking a walk with his wife on Manhattan's Upper West Side, when he got a call from Alvaro Domingo, son of the famous singer.
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| PSG beats bitter rival Marseille 3-2 to reclaim top spot Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:58 PM PDT  PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain moved back above Lyon to the top in a hard-fought French title race after twice coming back from a goal down to win 3-2 away to bitter rival Marseille in a frenzied match on Sunday.
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| British Prince Harry arrives in Australia to serve in army Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:44 PM PDT CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Prince Harry arrived in Australia on Monday to begin four weeks of training with the Australian army in the final mission of the British royal's decade-long military career. |
| Abu Dhabi wins 5th leg of Volvo Ocean Race Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:36 PM PDT ITAJAI, Brazil (AP) — Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing won the fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race on Sunday to extend its lead in the overall standings of the nine-month offshore sailing contest. |
| Djokovic overpowers Murray for fifth Miami Masters title Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:31 PM PDT  World number one Novak Djokovic roared home in a 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-0 win over Andy Murray on Sunday to claim a fifth Miami Masters title. Serbia's Djokovic pushed his career record against the Scot to 18-8, adding the triumph in the championship match on the hardcourts of Miami to victories over Murray this year in the Australian Open final and the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters. "I could not ask for a better start of the season, winning three big titles," Djokovic said. Djokovic became the first man to complete the Indian Wells-Miami Masters title sweep three times, having also done so in 2011 and 2014.
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| Sudan rebels seize election material days before vote: spokesman Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:25 PM PDT  Rebels in Sudan's South Kordofan said Sunday they had captured a lorry carrying ballot boxes to polling stations for nationwide elections due next week, vowing to disrupt voting in the conflict-hit region. The Sudan People's Liberation Army-North "ambushed and captured a vehicle loaded fully with ballot boxes" on Saturday on the road linking the state capital Kadugli with the town of Dilling, spokesman Arnu Lodi said. The SPLA-N will press its "military campaign plan" to stop elections in South Kordofan, Lodi said in the statement, warning civilians to avoid military sites "because they are legitimate targets". Last month the SPLA-N announced its campaign to disrupt presidential and legislative elections slated for April 13.
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| Burning Judas: Mexico Easter tradition gets political Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:16 PM PDT  During Holy Week in Mexico there are always processions and prayers, traditionally observed by worshipers across the country. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, gets what's coming to him in this bit of faith-inspired Easter street theater: giant papier mache Judas figures -- they can cost as much as $4,000 to make -- are hung over crowds who light giant sparklers that hiss and crackle as the bad guy goes down in flames. "This has been handed down from generation to generation," said Leonardo Linares at the capital's Sonora marketplace, among a clutch of Judas figures getting ready to be torched. Anybody who is particularly unpopular could be in line, such as President Enrique Pena Nieto.
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| Ronaldo scores 5 in Madrid's 9-1 rout; PSG beats Marseille Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:15 PM PDT  PARIS (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo took his scoring prowess to new levels Sunday, netting five goals for the first time in Real Madrid's 9-1 rout of Granada.
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| Drive, chip and some big putts by the kids at Augusta Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:10 PM PDT AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Toby Wilson had a Sunday to remember. The 15-year-old from Tennessee bumped into former Masters champion Fred Couples for a quick chat, hit two tee shots that went out of bounds and rallied to leave Augusta National with a trophy. |
| AP PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Easter celebrations across the world Posted: 05 Apr 2015 03:09 PM PDT  Christians in the Holy Land and across the world are celebrating Easter, commemorating the day followers believe Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.
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| Abbas threatens to turn to ICC over frozen tax monies Posted: 05 Apr 2015 02:29 PM PDT  Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas threatened Sunday to turn to the International Criminal Court over Israel's refusal to fully release hundreds of millions of dollars in tax monies owed to the Palestinian Authority. In early January, Israel froze the monthly transfer of funds it collects on behalf of the PA as a punitive measure after the Palestinians moved to join the ICC.
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| Ronaldo nets 5 as Madrid routs Granada 9-1, Barca also wins Posted: 05 Apr 2015 02:16 PM PDT  BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo erupted for his first five-goal game on Sunday, ending all talk of a dry spell as he led a 9-1 demolition of Granada for Real Madrid to stay in touch with Spanish league leader Barcelona.
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| Niger's Christians try to forgive on first Easter after church attacks Posted: 05 Apr 2015 02:05 PM PDT  Thousands of Christians across Niger tried to forgive and move on as they celebrated the first Easter since their churches were torched during deadly riots spurred by the publication of a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed. The walls and ceiling are still black from flames at the Saint Gabriel parish church in the capital Niamey, which was left without doors or windows by the unrest in January that killed 10 people and destroyed eight out of ten of the country's churches. We have forgiven, but what happened is still in our hearts," said Father Paul Wendyam Sandwidi, a priest at Saint Gabriel's. Saint Gabriel and 44 other churches were torched -- causing three million euros in damage -- during protests set off when the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo published the image of the Prophet Mohammed on its cover three months ago.
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| Abbas rejects Israel's partial transfer of Palestinian tax revenue Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:55 PM PDT  Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday Israel had released frozen tax revenue to the Authority but that he had ordered the funds to be returned because money had been deducted to cover debts to Israeli utility companies. Israel started withholding around $130 million a month in tax and customs revenue in December. The move came after the Palestinians announced that they were joining the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move finalised on April 1. Under international pressure, Israel agreed last week to resume the transfers, saying it would immediately pay around $400 million, the withheld revenue minus the amount owed by the Palestinians for utilities supplied by Israel.
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| Thongchai says Asia's time for more majors coming Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:53 PM PDT  Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee is well rested and excited for his fourth Masters start this week at Augusta National, confident more Asian success in golf's majors will come in time. South Korean Yang Yong-Eun's victory in the 2009 PGA Championship remains the only major title won by an Asian man, but 45-year-old Asian Tour star Thongchai has watched a rising tide of talent from India, China, Japan and South Korea. World number 43 Thongchai, one year younger than Jack Nicklaus when he became the oldest Masters winner at age 46, has not given up on making it happen himself, saying the Masters offers his best chance to contend. "I've had a full month of not playing in tournaments and was instead getting myself ready for the Masters.
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| Jamaica police order probe into fatal shooting of officer Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:53 PM PDT KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Police commanders in Jamaica have ordered a "high-level probe" into allegations that an officer was fatally shot after staging an attempted robbery with an accomplice at a bar. |
| Brazil demonstrators demand end to police violence Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:25 PM PDT  Demonstrators in Rio de Janeiro took to the famous sands of Copacabana on Sunday to protest the death of boy who was killed in the crossfire during a police gunfight in a favela. Police say Eduardo de Jesus Ferreira died during a shootout between officers and drug traffickers. Antonio Carlos Costa, the founder of the activist group, told AFP the purpose of the demonstration was to "wake up" Rio's population to the major cause of these violent deaths: the gap between rich and poor. "How will the city of Rio de Janeiro respond?
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| Giannena beats league leader Olympiakos 3-1 in Greek league Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:12 PM PDT ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Olympiakos failed to clinch the Greek league title Sunday as it lost 3-1 to Giannena, delaying the leader's celebrations for at least one more round. |
| Residents flee clashes in Palestinian camp in Syrian capital Posted: 05 Apr 2015 01:03 PM PDT  BEIRUT (AP) — Hundreds of residents of a Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital Damascus fled Sunday amid shelling by government forces and clashes between Islamic State fighters and Palestinian militants, activists said.
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| Power outage impacts thousands in US Virgin Islands Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:58 PM PDT CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — More than 15,000 customers are without power due to a glitch at a power plant on the main island of the U.S. Virgin Islands. |
| Defoe wonder goal settles derby, Spurs held Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:55 PM PDT  Jermain Defoe scored a sensational long-range volley as Sunderland leapt three points clear of the Premier League relegation zone by beating derby rivals Newcastle United 1-0 on Sunday. Defoe struck in first-half stoppage-time, crashing a sublime left-foot volley into the top-right corner from 25 yards after Steven Fletcher headed on Costel Pantilimon's punt downfield. The England international's goal gave manager Dick Advocaat his first victory since succeeding Gus Poyet and enabled Sunderland to extend their run of successive wins over Newcastle to five. Now we concentrate on Crystal Palace.
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| WWI graffiti sheds light on soldiers' experience Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:52 PM PDT  NAOURS, France (AP) — A headlamp cuts through the darkness of a rough-hewn passage 100 feet underground to reveal an inscription: "James Cockburn 8th Durham L.I."
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| Senior Yemeni Sunni leaders abducted by Shiite rebels Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:51 PM PDT SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni Shiite rebels, making an aggressive bid for power in the impoverished Gulf state, arrested more than a hundred members from a rival Islamist Sunni political party, including two leaders, the party said in a statement Sunday. |
| Netanyahu blasts Iran nuclear deal Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:50 PM PDT  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday again denounced the agreement between Tehran and world powers as a "bad deal" that "endangers" Israel and will leave Iran with a large nuclear infrastructure. "It doesn't roll back Iran's nuclear program," Netanyahu told CNN, one of several US networks he appeared on to slam the deal Sunday. "It keeps a vast nuclear infrastructure in place. Israel's government reacted angrily to the historic agreement, which aims for a June 30 deadline for a final deal, with Netanyahu demanding that Iranian recognition of the Jewish state's right to exist be written into the agreement.
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| Egypt says after deadly blast that 'terror' chief shot Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:44 PM PDT  A bombing in an affluent Cairo neighbourhood killed a policeman Sunday, police said, as Egypt's interior ministry said later the head of the group behind the attack had been killed. Militants have repeatedly targeted police checkpoints and vehicles in Cairo with bombs. Sunday's attack was claimed by jihadist group Ajnad Misr (Soldiers of Egypt), which has previously admitted being behind similar attacks on security forces in the city. "Once again Allah allowed our brave soldiers to plant a bomb targeting an assembly of the criminal forces," Ajnad Misr said on its Twitter account.
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| Pemex begins to restore production at fire-damaged platform Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:44 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — Officials at Mexico's state-run oil company say they are searching for three missing workers from a platform fire that killed four others, and are beginning to restore production at the damaged gulf facility. |
| ECOWAS says no plans for April 8 summit on Boko Haram Posted: 05 Apr 2015 12:40 PM PDT  West African bloc ECOWAS on Sunday withdrew an earlier statement announcing a regional summit on April 8 to discuss the Boko Haram threat, saying no such meeting was planned for that day. ECOWAS did not specify whether the summit had been cancelled or postponed. "We sincerely apologise for this misunderstanding," ECOWAS said, without giving any further details. Earlier on Sunday, ECOWAS had said leaders of west and central African states would gather in the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo, on Wednesday to try to draw up a joint strategy against Nigeria's Boko Haram militants.
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