| U.S. Senate rejects bid to consider Iran nuclear deal treaty Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:53 PM PDT  The U.S. Senate rejected on Tuesday an effort to require an international nuclear agreement with Iran to be considered a treaty, requiring the approval of two-thirds of the Senate's 100 members to go into effect. With some votes still being counted, 56 senators had opposed the proposed amendment to a bill requiring an Iran nuclear deal to be reviewed by Congress, guaranteeing that it would not reach the 60-vote threshold required to move ahead.
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| Indonesia executes drug convicts, sparks anger from Australia, Brazil Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:35 PM PDT  By Kanupriya Kapoor CILACAP, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Indonesian firing squad executed eight convicted drug-traffickers from several countries on Wednesday, prompting Australia to recall its envoy to Jakarta and bringing an angry reaction from Brazil. The leaders of Australia and Brazil had made personal appeals for clemency for their citizens among the group, raising the stakes for Indonesia's new president, Joko Widodo, who has stepped up the pace of executions since coming to office. Australia has deep commercial and political ties with its big neighbour, while Brazil has a $5 billion trade surplus with Southeast Asia's biggest economy. Brazil is at risk of losing a major military export deal to Indonesia over the executions row.
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| Nigerian army says rescues hundreds of girls from Boko Haram camps Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:03 PM PDT  By Bate Felix and Ardo Abdallah BAUCHI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's army has rescued 200 girls and 93 women during a military operation to wrest back the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram Islamist militant group, it said on Tuesday. Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls near the northern village of Chibok in April 2014, causing an international outcry. "Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa Forest. We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in this group," army spokesman Major General Chris Olukolade said, adding Nigerian troops had also destroyed three camps run by the militants there.
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| Nepal quake victims still stranded, PM says toll could be 10,000 Posted: 28 Apr 2015 12:44 PM PDT  By Sanjeev Miglani and Rupam Jain Nair JHARIBAR/SINDHUPALCHOWK, Nepal (Reuters) - People stranded in remote villages and towns across Nepal were still waiting for aid and relief to arrive on Tuesday, four days after a devastating earthquake destroyed buildings and roads and killed more than 4,600 people. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala told Reuters the death toll could reach 10,000, as information on damage from far-flung villages and towns has yet to come in. "It is a challenge and a very difficult hour for Nepal." Nepal told aid agencies it did not need more foreign rescue teams to help search for survivors, because its government and military could cope, the national head of the United Nations Development Programme told Reuters. "After the first 72 hours the survival rate drops dramatically and we are on day four," said Wojtek Wilk of the Polish Center for International Aid, an NGO which has six medical staff and 81 firefighters in Nepal.
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| Iranian Revolutionary Guards seize cargo ship in Gulf Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:43 PM PDT  By Noah Browning and David Alexander DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iranian patrol boats intercepted a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday and forced it into Iranian territorial waters by firing shots across its bow, prompting the U.S. Navy to send a destroyer and reconnaissance plane to monitor the situation. Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats confronted the MV Maersk Tigris, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, as it was traversing one of the world's most important oil shipping channels and forced it to divert toward Larak Island near Bandar Abbas, where it was boarded by Iranian forces, U.S. officials said. The Iranian action occurred amid heightened tensions over the conflict in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition supported by Washington has been bombing Iranian backed Houthi rebels, who have seized much of the country and sidelined the U.S.-backed president. The ship seizure also came at a sensitive time as Tehran is inching toward a final deal with major powers on its nuclear programme.
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| Houthis, tribesmen battle in central Yemen, 15 killed Posted: 28 Apr 2015 08:53 AM PDT  By Mohammed Ghobari CAIRO (Reuters) - Heavy fighting between Iranian-allied Houthi militia and local tribesmen killed at least 15 people in Yemen's oil-producing Marib province and an air strike targeted the home of a senior Houthi official, residents and tribal and medical sources said. Yemeni Vice President Khaled Bahah had called on the Houthis on Monday to heed a U.N. Security Council demand for an end to fighting. The conflict has pushed Yemen into a humanitarian "catastrophe", according to the Red Cross. Top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia, rattled by what it sees as expanding Iranian influence in the region, has been leading a Gulf Arab coalition in waging air strikes on Houthi targets since late March.
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| Indonesia executes foreign drug convicts, defying global anger Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:08 PM PDT  Indonesia executed seven foreign drug convicts including two Australians by firing squad Wednesday, causing Canberra to withdraw its ambassador over the "cruel" punishment. Authorities put the seven plus a local man to death after midnight (1700 GMT Tuesday) on the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan in central Indonesia, but a Filipina was spared at the 11th hour. "We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual," said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" heroin-trafficking gang, were described as reformed men after years in prison by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who joined Abbott at a press conference in Canberra.
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| Togo President Gnassingbe wins election - provisional result Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:07 PM PDT  Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe won re-election to a third term based on provisional results with more than 1.2 million votes or 58.75 percent of the total, the West African country's election commission head said on Tuesday. His nearest rival was opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre with 34.95 percent of the vote, the provisional results showed. "In light of these results, the election commission deems that Faure Gnassingbe won the election provided that they are confirmed by the constitutional court," commission head Issoufou Taffa Tabiouon said on state television.
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| Hundreds protest Japanese leader ahead of California visit Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:07 PM PDT  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hundreds of people protested outside the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco, calling on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to apologize for his country's treatment of people from other Asian countries during World War II.
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| UK's Cameron pledges not to increase taxes in life of next parliament Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:05 PM PDT (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron will on Wednesday pledge not to increase taxes if his Conservative Party wins the May 7 general elections. Cameron will announce that the future Conservative Government will introduce a law within the first 100 days that will guarantee no increases to income tax, VAT or national insurance during the lifetime of the next parliament. The Conservatives tax pledge will ensure that people working 30 hours on minimum wage will not pay income tax, the tax-free personal allowance will rise to 12,500 pounds by 2020 and the 40 pence tax threshold will increase to 50,000 pounds by 2020. Or do you trust the Conservatives, who have cut income taxes for 26 million people, and who will cut your taxes again next time?" Cameron is expected to say. |
| Obama, Abe declare progress, but no breakthrough, on trade Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:04 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama acknowledged Tuesday the challenge he faces winning congressional support for a major Asia-Pacific trade deal that has become a cornerstone of his second term agenda. "It's never fun passing a trade bill in this town," the president said as he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared their determination to seeing the deal through.
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| Top Asian News at 11:00 p.m. GMT Posted: 28 Apr 2015 04:02 PM PDT PASLANG, Nepal (AP) — There is almost nothing left of this village but enormous piles of broken red bricks and heaps of mud and dust. One of those piles was once Bhoj Kumar Thapa's home, where his pregnant wife pushed their 5-year-old daughter to safety in a last, desperate act before it collapsed and killed her during Saturday's earthquake. |
| Zarif, Mogherini hold nuclear talks as deadline looms Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:59 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The European Union's foreign policy chief says she will go through "all the parts of concern" with Iran's foreign minister as world powers press toward a comprehensive deal on the country's nuclear program. |
| Pacquiao readies 'killer instinct' for Mayweather Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:58 PM PDT  Manny Pacquiao warned Floyd Mayweather he has been honing his killer instinct here Tuesday as he was welcomed to Las Vegas by a deafening horde of supporters. Most bookmakers have made the unbeaten Mayweather the favorite for Saturday's eagerly-anticipated welterweight bout at the MGM Grand, the most lucrative in boxing history.
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| Bayern loses to Dortmund in German Cup Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:46 PM PDT  FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Bayern Munich's bid for a trophy treble ended on Tuesday when the holders lost 2-0 on penalties to 10-man Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup semifinals, after missing four spot-kicks in the shootout.
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| Argentina foreign minister quits membership in Jewish group Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:45 PM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina's foreign minister on Tuesday quit his membership in a leading Jewish organization targeted by a deadly bombing in 1994. |
| Iran seizes cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:44 PM PDT  Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized control of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, prompting the US Navy to dispatch a destroyer to "monitor" the situation, officials said. Iranian military ships fired across the bow of the Maersk Tigris when the captain initially refused a demand to head towards Iranian territory, US government and cargo company officials said. Iran said it had ordered the ship to be impounded at the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas because of a commercial dispute. An Iranian court had ordered the ship's confiscation over alleged unpaid debts, Hadi Haghshenas of the Iran Ports and Maritime Organisation was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.
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| U.S. says Iranian forces fire on and board cargo ship in Gulf Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:43 PM PDT By Noah Browning and David Alexander DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iranian forces boarded a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf on Tuesday after patrol boats fired warning shots across its bow and ordered it deeper into Iranian waters, the Pentagon said. U.S. planes and a destroyer were monitoring the situation after the vessel, the MV Maersk Tigris, made a distress call in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping channels. Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted an unidentified source who sought to play down the incident, saying it was a civil matter with no military or political dimension. The incident came as the United States and five other global powers aim to secure a final nuclear deal with Iran by the end of June. |
| Music legend Joni Mitchell in coma, unresponsive: report Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:41 PM PDT  Folk music legend Joni Mitchell is in a coma and unresponsive, the TMZ celebrity news website reported Tuesday, four weeks after she was hospitalized. TMZ said a friend of the singer-songwriter -- who had been reportedly improving in hospital a few days after she was admitted on March 31 -- had filed legal documents to obtain legal guardianship over her. Mitchell, whose real name is Roberta Joan Anderson, is known for hits including "Big Yellow Taxi," and "The Circle Game," as well as her role in the 1960's music scene.
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| Day brings an edge to Match Play Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:40 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — This is one week where Jason Day is not trying to make friends. |
| US Supreme Court divided on gay marriage Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:40 PM PDT  The US Supreme Court appeared divided Tuesday on whether gay couples have a constitutional right to wed -- as it weighs a decision that could see same-sex marriage recognized nationwide. Supported by the Obama administration, the 16 plaintiffs want their marriages to be recognised as constitutionally protected in all US states.
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| Messi, Suarez on target as Barcelona routs Getafe 6-0 Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:29 PM PDT  BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Getafe 6-0 on Tuesday to stay on course to reclaim the Spanish league title.
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| Canadian swim coach Randy Bennett dies at 51 Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:26 PM PDT VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) — Longtime Canadian swim coach Randy Bennett has died. He was 51. |
| State dinner offers new chef _ and chopsticks for the brave Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:22 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — A new chef and new china are on the menu for Tuesday's big White House dinner for Japan — and chopsticks for guests brave enough to go there.
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| Philippine woman drug convict's execution delayed Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:17 PM PDT  CILICAP, Indonesia (AP) — A Philippine woman convicted of drug smuggling — one of nine people due to face a firing squad — has been granted a stay of execution, Indonesia's attorney general said Wednesday.
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| PSG moves 3 points clear of Lyon after beating Metz 3-1 Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:14 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain won its game in hand against relegation-threatened Metz 3-1 on Tuesday to move three points clear of Lyon at the top of the French league with four games remaining. |
| Chileans brace for volcano impact on livestock, agro Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:13 PM PDT  SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The eruption of Chile's Calbuco volcano threatens to cause widespread, lasting economic damage, turning cattle pastures barren and choking fish with volcanic ash in one of the world's top salmon-producing countries.
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| Chibok girls not among group rescued by Nigerian army: spokesman Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:08 PM PDT By Lanre Ola and Ardo Abdallah MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - More than 200 schoolgirls abducted from their school dormitories by Boko Haram militants last year are not among the nearly 300 girls and women rescued in an army operation on Tuesday, an army spokesman said. Nigeria's army said it had rescued 200 girls and 93 women on Tuesday during a military operation to wrest back the Sambisa Forest in the northeast from the militant group. "The troops rescued 200 abducted girls and 93 women," Colonel Sani Usman told Reuters in a text message. They were not, however, from Chibok, the village from which more than 200 girls were abducted in April 2014, he said. |
| Ding on verge of defeat as Trump excels Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:01 PM PDT  China's Ding Junhui's hopes of becoming the first snooker player from his country to be crowned world champion hung by a thread on Tuesday as he ended the day trailing Judd Trump 12-4 in their best of 25 frame quarter-final. Five-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan also had ground to make up, but the unpredictable Englishman was only 5-3 behind compatriot Stuart Bingham after their one session -- with their game due to resume on Wednesday. Ding will also play on Wednesday but the manner in which Trump, who beat Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the previous round, outclassed him in the first two sessions of play suggest the chances of a remarkable comeback are a longshot. Trump, who beat Ding in the 2011 semi-finals but lost in the final to John Higgins, rattled in three century breaks in the second session to stamp his authority on the clash.
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| Peru declares Chile spying row over Posted: 28 Apr 2015 03:00 PM PDT  Peru said Tuesday it had received a satisfactory explanation from Chile after accusing it of spying and would begin resuming normal relations, sending its ambassador back to Santiago. Relations between the two countries soured in February when Peru said it had arrested three members of the Peruvian navy for selling intelligence to Chile from 2005 to 2012. In response, Chile has sent Peru three letters, in which it provided "satisfactions," or satisfactory explanations, Humala said, without going into detail.
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| Di Natale matches Baggio with 205th goal; Carpi promoted Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:55 PM PDT  ROME (AP) — Antonio Di Natale matched Roberto Baggio with his 205th Serie A goal on Tuesday, as his nine-man Udinese side lost 2-1 to Inter Milan.
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| Australia recalls ambassador to Indonesia after executions Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:51 PM PDT Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday he was recalling nation's ambassador to Indonesia in protest against the execution of two Australian drug smugglers. "We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual," Abbott told reporters in Canberra. "I want to stress that this is a very important relationship between Australia and Indonesia but it has suffered as a result of what's been done over the last few hours." Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were executed by firing squad along with six other drug convicts from several countries shortly after midnight on Wednesday, local media said. Ambassador Paul Gibson will return to Australia at the end of the week, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said. |
| Amid drought, California's Brown wants big fines for wasting water Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:48 PM PDT  By Robin Respaut SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Governor Jerry Brown proposed legislation on Tuesday that would impose steep fines for wasting water in drought-parched California. In a meeting with California mayors, Brown said the legislation would allow wholesale and retail water agencies, along with city and county governments, to issue fines of up to $10,000 per violation. Currently, there is a $500 per day maximum, established in drought legislation last year. "As this drought stretches on, we'll continue to do whatever is necessary to help communities save more water." The changes would speed up enforcement and allow local public agencies to deputize staff to issue warnings and citations.
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| Wigan, Millwall relegated to League One Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:41 PM PDT  Rotherham's 2-1 defeat of Reading did it for Wigan, who will be joined in League One by Millwall and already-relegated bottom side Blackpool. With only one game of the season remaining the out-of-form Wigan who recently appointed former club captain Gary Caldwell as their new manager after dismissing Malky Mackay, are second from bottom, with just nine wins and 39 points.
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| Nigeria claims rescue of nearly 300 women, girls from Boko Haram stronghold Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:37 PM PDT  Nigeria's military on Tuesday claimed the rescue of 200 girls and 93 women from a notorious Boko Haram stronghold, but said there was no confirmation the hostages were those kidnapped from Chibok a year ago. "It is not yet confirmed if the girls are the Chibok girls. Boko Haram claimed the abduction of 276 girls from a secondary school in Chibok, also in Borno, on April 14 of last year.
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| US Senate debates bill on approval of Iran deal Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:34 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and Republicans backing a bill to give the U.S. Congress a chance to review a nuclear deal with Iran insisted on Tuesday that it be passed free of controversial add-ons that they claim could scuttle negotiations with Tehran, draw a presidential veto or leave lawmakers with no say on a national security threat.
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| Dawson damages Liverpool's Europe dream Posted: 28 Apr 2015 02:29 PM PDT  Michael Dawson, the Hull City captain, scored a goal that secured a 1-0 home win over Liverpool and had a significant impact on both ends of the Premier League table on Tuesday. This was Liverpool's game in hand over Manchester United and their failure to win it leaves Brendan Rodgers's team seven points adrift of the Old Trafford club with an inferior goal difference. Both of them now have four games to play and Liverpool's pursuit of a Champions League place looks to be over.
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