Yahoo! News: World News

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• Greek PM Tsipras to resign on Thursday: government official
• Tensions rise as North and South Korea exchange fire
• As refugee crisis worsens, Merkel and Hollande want EU to move faster
• Islamic State destroys Syrian monastery, moves Christian captives: monitor
• More needed from Turkey in Islamic State fight: U.S. defense chief
• Brazil's lower house speaker Cunha charged in corruption probe
• North Korea threatens military action if South continues loudspeaker broadcasts
• North Korea says willing to end conflict with South over propaganda broadcasts
• Australia, New Zealand sending firefighters to US
• Arsenal clash provides early test of Liverpool's progress
• Peruvian Congress authorizes shooting down drug planes
• France, Britain ink Calais deal as Europe grapples with migrants
• Brazil house leader, ex-president hit with corruption charge
• Brazil's embattled left strikes back
• Kim Jong-Un orders frontline N. Korea troops onto war footing
• Former rugby league star Hayne continues to make NFL strides
• Computer error changes Presidents Cup standings
• Dennis nabs victory, overall lead at USA Pro Challenge
• Colombia: China commutes deaths sentence for drug mule
• Danny becomes first hurricane of Atlantic season
• Mexico's Treasury lowers GDP growth forecast, to 2-2.8 pct
• Brazil and Germany to expand trade and combat climate change
• Greek opposition party leader to get mandate to form government on Friday
• S. Sudan journalist slain after threat against reporters
• North Korea seeks UN meeting on US-SKorea military exercises
• Raptors sign 7-foot Jonas Valanciunas to $64M extension
• Mexico finds 63 children working in vegetable packing firm
• North Korea to Security Council: Address US military drills
• Djokovic rallies to win at Cincy; Serena Williams wins too
• Firefighters face high winds stoking deadly blazes in U.S. Northwest
• Israel responds to Syria rocket fire with artillery, air strikes
• Alexis Tsipras: PM locked in an endless Greek drama
• Israeli army: 4 rockets from Syria hit Israel; no injuries
• Mauritania court upholds conviction against anti-slavery activists
• Calipari, Kentucky sign 7-foot Australian Isaac Humphries
• Iraq could face 'partition' without reform: top Shiite cleric

Greek PM Tsipras to resign on Thursday: government official Posted: 20 Aug 2015 12:33 PM PDT ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will submit his resignation to the country's president later Thursday to clear the way for early elections on Sept. 20, a government official said. Tspiras, elected in January, is expected to make a televised state address on Thursday evening. Tsipras effectively lost his parliamentary majority after a rebellion by hardliners in his Syriza party who oppose a bailout agreement struck with international lenders. (Reporting By Renee Maltezou, writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Deepa Babington)

Tensions rise as North and South Korea exchange fire Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:54 PM PDT By Ju-min Park and Tony Munroe SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea fired a barrage of artillery rounds into North Korea on Thursday after the North shelled across the border to protest against anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts by Seoul, moves that raised tensions on the divided peninsula. Washington urged Pyongyang to halt any "provocative" actions in the wake of the first exchange of fire between the two Koreas since last October. North Korea did not return fire but warned Seoul in a letter that it would take military action if the South did not stop the broadcasts along the border within 48 hours, the South's Defense Ministry said.

As refugee crisis worsens, Merkel and Hollande want EU to move faster Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:31 PM PDT By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany and France will press the European Union to move faster and with more unity to deal with the worsening refugee crisis, amid complaints from Germany that it is shouldering too big a burden. Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will meet in Berlin on Monday to discuss how to speed up relief for thousands of migrants, many of whom risk dangerous sea voyages to reach southern Europe before making their way across the continent. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a news conference on Thursday with his French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve that the EU must move more quickly as migrant numbers across the EU have surged in recent months.

Islamic State destroys Syrian monastery, moves Christian captives: monitor Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:47 PM PDT Islamic State militants have demolished a monastery in the central Syrian province of Homs, a monitor said on Thursday, in a strategically located town the jihadist group wrested from government control earlier this month. The group has also transferred several dozen Christians, captured during its offensive, to a location near its stronghold in northeastern Syria, the monitor said. Militants used bulldozers to raze the monastery in the town of Qaryatain, which they had captured in early August, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

More needed from Turkey in Islamic State fight: U.S. defense chief Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:18 PM PDT By David Alexander WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkey needs to do more in the fight against Islamic State militants and has indicated it is willing to go beyond its recent decision to allow U.S. planes to conduct air strikes from Turkish bases, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Thursday. Carter said Turkey had agreed in principle to participate in the coalition bombing campaign against the militants, but the United States also needed Ankara to step up its efforts to control its long border with Iraq and Syria. "It's a border over which logistics for ISIL and the fighters cross," Carter said, using an acronym for the militant group.

Brazil's lower house speaker Cunha charged in corruption probe Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:13 PM PDT By Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian federal prosecutors charged the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, with corruption and money laundering on Thursday in a widening political kickback scandal linked to contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras, the prosecutor's office said. Cunha, the first sitting politician charged in Brazil's largest-ever corruption scandal, was accused of taking a $5 million bribe on contracts for two drillships. A member of Brazil's largest party, known as the PMDB, Cunha quit President Dilma Rousseff's coalition last month to join opposition lawmakers seeking her impeachment.

North Korea threatens military action if South continues loudspeaker broadcasts Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:54 PM PDT North Korea warned of military action should South Korea continue anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts along their shared border, the South's defense ministry said on Thursday, telling Seoul to halt the loudspeaker broadcasts within 48 hours. In a statement, the South's defense ministry said North Korea's armed forces sent a letter around 5 p.m., calling the South's propaganda broadcasts a "major challenge" to the North.

North Korea says willing to end conflict with South over propaganda broadcasts Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:54 PM PDT North Korea told Seoul it was willing to end an ongoing conflict over anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts, which it demanded that the South stop, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry. North Korea's Kim Yang Gon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, sent a letter saying the South Korean broadcasts were a declaration for war but North Korea was "willing to offer an exit to settle the current situation and improve the relations," the ministry said. South Korea fired tens of artillery rounds toward North Korea on Thursday after the North fired shells into the South in an apparent protest against Seoul's anti-Pyongyang broadcasts, the defense ministry in Seoul said.

Australia, New Zealand sending firefighters to US Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:51 PM PDT BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Australia and New Zealand are sending firefighters to help battle wildfires burning in the western United States.

Arsenal clash provides early test of Liverpool's progress Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:41 PM PDT Liverpool midfielder James Milner claims Monday's clash with Arsenal is the perfect opportunity to test his side's improvement since last season. Brendan Rodgers' team have been widely written off as also-rans in this season's title race after limping to a sixth place finish that saw the Reds trail in 25 points behind champions Chelsea last term. The departure of star forward Raheem Sterling to Manchester City and the continued fitness problems of England striker Daniel Sturridge have also played a role in Liverpool's low approval rating.

Peruvian Congress authorizes shooting down drug planes Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:39 PM PDT LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru's Congress has unanimously approved legislation authorizing military planes to shoot down suspected drug flights, which police say smuggle more than a ton of cocaine to Bolivia daily.

France, Britain ink Calais deal as Europe grapples with migrants Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:39 PM PDT Britain and France announced a new "command and control centre" Thursday to tackle smuggling gangs in Calais, as Europe grapples with its biggest migration crisis since World War II. Under a deal signed by Home Minister Theresa May and her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve, British teams will help bust smuggling gangs and reduce nightly attempts by desperate migrants and refugees to break into the Channel Tunnel. Cazeneuve separately announced that Europe's interior and foreign ministers would hold a meeting in Paris in mid-October to discuss how to cope with the influx of migrants and refugees seeking a better life in the European Union.

Brazil house leader, ex-president hit with corruption charge Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:36 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's attorney general filed corruption charges Thursday against the speaker of the lower house of congress and against a current senator who was impeached while serving as president in the early 1990s.

Brazil's embattled left strikes back Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:30 PM PDT Brazil's embattled left staged a string of protests Thursday in a show of support for President Dilma Rousseff, although turnout was markedly lower than at massive anti-government rallies over the weekend. The protests struck back at the right's push to impeach Rousseff, who less than a year into her second term is struggling for political survival. No to the coup, no to fascism!" said Jorge Salomao, 68, a poet attending a rally of more than 10,000 called by Rousseff's Workers' Party in Rio de Janeiro.

Kim Jong-Un orders frontline N. Korea troops onto war footing Posted: 20 Aug 2015 05:02 PM PDT North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered his frontline troops onto a war-footing from Friday, as military tensions with South Korea soared following a rare exchange of artillery shells across their heavily fortified border. The North's official KCNA news agency said the move came during an emergency meeting late Thursday of the powerful Central Military Commission of which Kim is the chairman. During the meeting, Kim ordered frontline, combined units of the Korean People's Army (KPA) to "enter a wartime state" from Friday 5:00pm (0800 GMT).

Former rugby league star Hayne continues to make NFL strides Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:15 PM PDT SANTA CLARA, California (AP) — Jarryd Hayne certainly had no intention of inducing a collective laugh when it came to his thoughts on the fair catch in football.

Computer error changes Presidents Cup standings Posted: 20 Aug 2015 04:10 PM PDT PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Robert Streb and Charley Hoffman now have more work to do if they want to make the Presidents Cup team for the first time.

Dennis nabs victory, overall lead at USA Pro Challenge Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:55 PM PDT BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — Rohan Dennis rode to victory in Stage 4 of the USA Pro Challenge on Thursday, grabbing the overall lead by adding his name to the list of BMC Racing riders to capture a stage.

Colombia: China commutes deaths sentence for drug mule Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:50 PM PDT BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's Foreign Ministry says a Colombian arrested in China on drug charges has had his death sentence commuted and will soon be coming home.

Danny becomes first hurricane of Atlantic season Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:46 PM PDT Tropical Storm Danny was upgraded to a hurricane Thursday, the first of the Atlantic season, strengthening slightly as it barreled through the Caribbean, forecasters said. The hurricane was expected to gain force over the next 24 hours "but a weakening trend is expected to begin after that," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest update.

Mexico's Treasury lowers GDP growth forecast, to 2-2.8 pct Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:35 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican Treasury Department on Thursday lowered its economic growth forecast for 2015 to between 2 percent and 2.8 percent.

Brazil and Germany to expand trade and combat climate change Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:29 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said Thursday that she and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have agreed to expand trade and take joint action to combat climate change.

Greek opposition party leader to get mandate to form government on Friday Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:25 PM PDT ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's main opposition party leader Vangelis Meimarakis will meet the country's president Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Friday morning to receive a mandate to form a new government, an official from Meimarakis' New Democracy party said. Given the arithmetic of the current parliament, New Democracy has little chance of pulling a coalition together after Greece's left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned on Thursday, making national elections the most likely outcome. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou in Athens; Writing by Greg Roumeliotis; Editing by James Dalgleish)

S. Sudan journalist slain after threat against reporters Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:25 PM PDT Colleagues, who gathered at the hospital in the capital Juba where Peter Moi's body was taken, said the reporter's money and his telephone were reportedly not taken by the gunmen after the killing. "This was an intentional killing," said Oliver Modi, chairman of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan. "Freedom of the press does not mean you work against the country," Kiir told journalists Sunday as he left for peace talks in neighbouring Ethiopia, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

North Korea seeks UN meeting on US-SKorea military exercises Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:20 PM PDT Pyongyang has asked the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting to discuss joint US-South Korean military exercises, the North Korean mission to the United Nations said Thursday. North Korean Ambassador Ja Song Nam made the request in a letter to the council sent Wednesday, a day before Pyongyang and Seoul exchanged fire on their border. North Korea has repeatedly asked the council to discuss the annual Ulchi Freedom military drill, which this year kicked off on Monday and will run until August 28.

Raptors sign 7-foot Jonas Valanciunas to $64M extension Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:13 PM PDT Jonas Valanciunas has been the big man in the middle of the Toronto Raptors' rise for the last three seasons.

Mexico finds 63 children working in vegetable packing firm Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:11 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in northern Mexico found 63 children between the ages of 8 and 17 working long hours in miserable conditions at a vegetable packing company, officials said Thursday.

North Korea to Security Council: Address US military drills Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:09 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — North Korea is asking the United Nations Security Council to put the ongoing military exercises by the United States and South Korea on the council's agenda as a matter of international peace and security.

Djokovic rallies to win at Cincy; Serena Williams wins too Posted: 20 Aug 2015 03:09 PM PDT MASON, Ohio (AP) — Novak Djokovic smacked his racket on the court after losing serve, seemingly headed for another unexplainable loss at a tournament that has eluded him. In the end, he stopped fuming and started playing like the best.

Firefighters face high winds stoking deadly blazes in U.S. Northwest Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:59 PM PDT By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE (Reuters) - Crews battling a flurry of wildfires raging unchecked in the Pacific Northwest braced on Thursday for high winds forecast in the region a day after three firefighters were killed and four others were injured in Washington state. Authorities late on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of about 4,000 homes threatened by fire in the riverfront towns of Twisp and Winthrop in the Methow Valley, nestled in the foothills of the Cascade mountains in north-central Washington. The so-called Twisp River fire has roared through 16,000 acres (6,475 hectares) of rural brush and dry timber about 115 miles (185 km) northeast of Seattle since erupting on Wednesday.

Israel responds to Syria rocket fire with artillery, air strikes Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:55 PM PDT Israel launched artillery and air strikes against Syrian army positions in the Golan Heights on Thursday night in response to rocket fire, military sources said. The army launched "five to six" strikes against Syrian positions, the sources said, after four rockets crashed in the Galilee region of northern Israel and in the occupied Golan, in attacks that did not cause any casualties. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group had earlier reported that the Israeli army had launched strikes on regime positions in the Syrian-held sector of the Golan and that Syrian troops were killed in the strikes.

Alexis Tsipras: PM locked in an endless Greek drama Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:50 PM PDT Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras knew all too well that Greece's huge bailout would appall many in his radical leftist party -- but now the hard-fought rescue has cost him his government. Tsipras, who resigned Thursday calling for snap elections, had swept to power in January vowing an end to the deep and painful spending cuts demanded by Greece's creditors in exchange for 240 billion euros of financial aid since 2010. Then, after months of bitter negotiations with the creditors, he reluctantly signed his debt-crippled government up to more of the same tough reforms -- despite having earlier convinced Greeks to reject such measures in a referendum.

Israeli army: 4 rockets from Syria hit Israel; no injuries Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:47 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Militants in Syria fired several rockets into northern Israel on Thursday afternoon, prompting Israeli retaliatory fire, the military said — the first time since the 1973 Mideast war that rockets from Syrian territory have slammed into Israel.

Mauritania court upholds conviction against anti-slavery activists Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:42 PM PDT A Mauritanian court on Thursday upheld a two-year prison sentence against three anti-slavery activists who were arrested during a protest against bondage in the west African nation. Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, runner-up in the 2014 presidential elections and head of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA), was jailed in January alongside two other activists. In an open letter published after the ruling he vowed to continue his fight against slavery and appealed for the United States and European Union to put pressure on Mauritania to act against the practice, including stopping financial aid.

Calipari, Kentucky sign 7-foot Australian Isaac Humphries Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:31 PM PDT LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky coach John Calipari has signed Australian 7-footer Isaac Humphries to a Wildcats' frontcourt that lost four big men to the NBA draft.

Iraq could face 'partition' without reform: top Shiite cleric Posted: 20 Aug 2015 02:25 PM PDT Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned on Thursday that the country faces dire consequences including possible "partition" if real reform is not carried out. Sistani, who is revered by millions and has unmatched prestige in Iraq, has made several calls for reforms this month that have played a major role in a wide-ranging anti-corruption drive by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. "Today, if true reform is not realised by fighting corruption without mercy and realising social justice on different levels, it is expected that circumstances will become worse than before," Sistani said in a written response from his office to questions from AFP.

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