| Exclusive: Russian troops join combat in Syria - sources Posted: 09 Sep 2015 02:18 PM PDT  By Gabriela Baczynska, Tom Perry, Laila Bassam and Phil Stewart MOSCOW/BEIRUT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian forces have begun participating in military operations in Syria in support of government troops, three Lebanese sources familiar with the political and military situation there said on Wednesday. The sources, speaking to Reuters on condition they not be identified, gave the most forthright account yet from the region of what the United States fears is a deepening Russian military role in Syria's civil war, though one of the Lebanese sources said the number of Russians involved so far was small. U.S. officials said Russia sent two tank landing ships and additional cargo aircraft to Syria in the past day or so and deployed a small number of naval infantry forces.
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| Juncker appeals to Europe on refugees, as more move on Posted: 09 Sep 2015 11:37 AM PDT  By Alastair Macdonald STRASBOURG (Reuters) - European Union chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker appealed to European countries on Wednesday to share out a wave of refugees crowding in on their frontiers, but at the same time promised tougher border controls to keep unwanted migrants out. As he spoke, disarray across the continent was driven home when police in Hungary, Austria and Denmark closed major highways as groups of migrants, hundreds strong, marched north. Defying Hungary's new border fence and EU asylum rules, tens of thousands are crossing frontiers to reach Germany and Sweden.
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| Exclusive: Russia building major military base near Ukrainian border Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:18 AM PDT  By Anton Zverev SOLOTI, Russia (Reuters) - Russia has started to build a huge military base housing ammunition depots and barracks for several thousand soldiers near the Ukrainian border, a project that suggests the Kremlin is digging in for a prolonged stand-off with Kiev. The base, when completed, will even have its own swimming pool, skating rink and barber shop, according to public documents. This week workmen were erecting a fence in a cornfield outside the village of Soloti to mark out the perimeter, and told a Reuters reporter to leave, accusing him of being an Ukrainian spy.
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| Confident China moves to challenge U.S. in Beijing's backyard Posted: 09 Sep 2015 02:28 PM PDT  By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - It is the near future, and China prepares to strike back after being attacked, loosing off ballistic missiles to take out an aircraft carrier and destroying an airfield as a fighter jet takes off. The enemy is not named in the animation, released late last month by Chinese internet giant Tencent, but the ship looks a lot like a U.S. Nimitz-class carrier, while the destroyed fighter is clearly a Lockheed Martin Corp F-22. An assertive China under President Xi Jinping now believes its military has the technology to at the very least make the United States think twice before undertaking any military adventures in what China sees as its backyard.
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| Greek political leaders clash over bailout in televised debate Posted: 09 Sep 2015 01:41 PM PDT  Greece's political heavyweights went head-to-head for the first time on Wednesday in campaigning for national elections, trading accusations over the economic crisis as they sought to win over undecided voters. In a televised debate, former prime minister Alexis Tsipras said the international bailout he had agreed to in July had stabilized Greece, while his conservative rival Evangelos Meimarakis said it had damaged the economy. "An agreement is always judged by the outcome and the outcome is unfortunately much more painful than it would have been in January," when Tsipras' left-wing Syriza party won power, Meimarakis said.
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| Indonesian president's latest problem: a loose cannon in the cabinet Posted: 09 Sep 2015 01:58 PM PDT  By Kanupriya Kapoor and Randy Fabi JAKARTA (Reuters) - As Indonesian President Joko Widodo was preparing on Wednesday to present a grand package of measures aimed at restoring investors' faith in the competence of his government, one of his ministers stepped in and spoilt it all. Rizal Ramli, who told Reuters this week that perhaps he is too outspoken, suddenly announced in parliament that fuel pipeline and storage projects worth $7.4 billion had been dropped because they were no longer a priority. Within hours, the cabinet secretary had contradicted him, reinforcing an impression that Widodo's ministers are out of tune with each other and unable to sound united on policy.
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| Brazil taxi drivers protest against Uber Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:55 PM PDT  SAO PAULO (AP) — The Sao Paulo city council voted 43-3 on Wednesday to prohibit the use of smartphone-based ride-sharing-applications like Uber in Brazil's largest city.
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| Desert tribe faces hardship as Venezuela fights-smuggling Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:52 PM PDT  PARAGUACHON, Colombia (AP) — Less than two days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro closed this lonely border outpost on the northern tip of South America, the eight-member Apochana family emerged from the dusty scrubland and shuffled up to a group of Colombian soldiers. The travelers were dripping sweat but dressed impeccably in black-and-white linen robes to attend a relative's funeral on the other side of the border.
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| Secretary of State Kerry in talks with Venezuela counterpart Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:39 PM PDT  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Venezuela's foreign minister as the two countries work to repair their relationship.
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| Fiery Las Vegas plane ordeal played out in minutes Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:37 PM PDT LAS VEGAS (AP) — Passengers saw flames, heard blasts and smelled burning rubber on the runway. Some were already settled in for the long flight to London and didn't wait to grab their shoes before dashing toward the inflatable slides. |
| Haiti: 54 candidates begin presidential campaigns Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:34 PM PDT  Port-au-Prince (AFP) - Presidential campaigning began in Haiti Wednesday, where 54 candidates are vying for the top office amid heightened criticism of the country's electoral commission. The record number of candidates, all of whom hope to replace President Michel Martelly as leader of the Americas' poorest nation, will square off in Haiti's October 25 first-round vote. The election season began with a few hundred protesters rallying against Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
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| Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:32 PM PDT BANGKOK (AP) — Police said Wednesday a key suspect in last month's deadly Bangkok blast has admitted he handed a backpack containing a bomb to a man in a yellow shirt who was later seen leaving a similar bag at a downtown shrine just before the blast occurred. The account offered the first possible reconstruction of events leading to the Aug. 17 attack at Erawan Shrine, an unprecedented act of violence in the Thai capital that left 20 people dead and more than 120 injured. Authorities say they still don't know the motive but are also reluctant to call the blast an act of terrorism, which would harm Thailand's image as a tourist destination. |
| Allies to beef up campaign against Islamic State group Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:25 PM PDT  A US-led coalition is poised to intensify the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, in response to a spiraling humanitarian crisis and lackluster results from a year-long air campaign. Nations from Europe to Australasia are paving the way for increased military involvement in "Operation Inherent Resolve," which aims to degrade and destroy Islamic State jihadists, according to several well-placed officials. Western governments are under fierce pressure to tackle a humanitarian crisis that has seen 380,000 migrants and refugees -- including drowned toddler Aylan Kurdi -- voyage across the Mediterranean already this year.
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| Puerto Rico unveils fiscal reform plan, braces for cuts Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:20 PM PDT  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico is bracing for widespread spending cuts after the government released a long-awaited fiscal reform plan on Wednesday that would reduce much of the island's $72 billion public debt and calls for restructuring the remainder at the expense of bondholders.
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| EU unveils 'bold' plan to take 160,000 refugees Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:19 PM PDT  EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled major plans Wednesday to force the bloc to share 160,000 refugees and ease the pressure on border states from the worst migration crisis since World War II. With Greece and Hungary struggling to cope with the crisis, Juncker urged Europe to look to its history and not be afraid of his "bold" proposals for compulsory quotas for refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and elsewhere. The migrants' plight has touched hearts around the world, spurred especially by pictures last week of three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi, whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach.
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| Trinidad and Tobago gets a new prime minister, government Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:19 PM PDT PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — A new prime minister has taken office in Trinidad and Tobago after the previous ruling party was voted out in general elections. |
| Wall Street selloff cuts short global market rally Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:16 PM PDT  A late selloff on Wall Street cut short a strong global rally in stocks Wednesday as concerns turned to the possibility that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week. Economists had generally decided the Fed would not be ready to launch into a long-awaited series of rate increases beginning at its policy meeting next week, given the recent turbulence in global financial markets. The Federal Reserve has repeatedly put off its first rate hike in nine years because there were no signs that the employment sector was tightening -- which would tend to spur inflation.
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| Las Vegas jet fire engine is safe, maker says Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:15 PM PDT  The manufacturer of the engine that burst into flames on a British Airways jet in Las Vegas said Wednesday that other aircraft powered by the GE90 engines were still safe to fly. The Boeing 777 was preparing to take off with 172 people on board Tuesday when the fire broke out in its left engine. General Electric, maker of the GE90, said it was sending technical representatives to assist an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, but insisted its engine was safe.
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| Hollande, Merkel, Putin, Poroshenko to hold summit on Ukraine Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:01 PM PDT  The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday agreed to hold an October summit on ending the conflict in Ukraine, as they welcomed reports that a truce in the east had been "generally respected since September 1", the French presidency said. In a phone conversation that lasted for 90 minutes, Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko said everything must be done "to make this situation last and allow the OSCE special observer mission to have permanent, safe and unrestricted access" to the affected areas, the Elysee statement said. While the Elysee Palace said the four leaders would meet in "early October" to hold talks on resolving the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin said in its own statement issued after the phone call that the summit would take place in Paris in October 2.
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| US companies plead guilty to conspiracy over halal exports Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:00 PM PDT CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Two related companies that distribute and certify halal food products pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to export misbranded beef products for sale in Malaysia, Indonesia and elsewhere. |
| Halep, Pennetta win in 3 sets in US Open quarterfinals Posted: 09 Sep 2015 04:00 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Simona Halep appreciated the help from the heavens in her U.S. Open quarterfinal.
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| Denmark closes border to German trains over migrant influx Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:54 PM PDT  Danish police on Wednesday ordered the suspension of all rail services to and from Germany as hundreds of migrants refused to disembark from trains arriving from Denmark's southern neighbour, demanding to continue on to Sweden instead. Two trains carrying around 350 refugees spent the day stuck in Rodby, on Scandinavia's busiest ferry crossing to Germany, around 135 kilometres southeast of Copenhagen. The refugees refused to register with Danish authorities, which would mean having to apply for asylum in Denmark or returning to Germany, whereas they want to seek asylum in Sweden.
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| Trump, Cruz join forces to slam Iran deal Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:53 PM PDT  They are rivals on the campaign trail, but Republican presidential challengers Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz joined forces Wednesday at a rally denouncing the Iran nuclear deal being debated by the US Congress. Thousands of people converged on the West Lawn of the Capitol to hear the two Republican powerhouses and to protest President Barack Obama's landmark accord with Iran, saying the international agreement could spell the death knell for Israel and threaten the lives of millions of Americans. Trump, the billionaire real estate tycoon and Republican frontrunner, blasted the "incompetently negotiated" deal and criticized Obama's administration for failing to include the return of four Americans held in Iran as part of the negotiations.
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| Climate change denial days over in oil rich Alberta: minister Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:49 PM PDT  By Mike De Souza CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - The environment minister of Alberta, the province where the oil sands industry is Canada's fastest growing source of carbon emissions, says the days of denying climate change are over. The minister, Shannon Phillips, told a conference on Wednesday that the New Democratic Party provincial government elected in May was taking action after Alberta's climate change record had been targeted by North American environmental groups in recent years.
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| New Zealand cuts benchmark interest rate to 2.75 percent Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:49 PM PDT WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's central bank on Thursday reduced its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-point to 2.75 percent and indicated more cuts were likely. |
| Pope Francis to address refugee crisis in UN speech Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:48 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Pope Francis is expected to focus on the need for peace in a conflict-torn world facing the biggest refugee crisis since World War II when he addresses the United Nations later this month, the Holy See said Wednesday. |
| IS claims to hold Norwegian, Chinese captives Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:44 PM PDT  CAIRO (AP) — The Islamic State group on Wednesday claimed to be holding a Norwegian man and a Chinese consultant hostage and demanded ransom for their release.
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| Union: Australia's 2-match series in United States is off Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:43 PM PDT  SYDNEY (AP) — Australia's two-match series in the United States to face the Women's World Cup champions has been called off as negotiations continue over a new collective bargaining agreement, the players' union said Wednesday.
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| Minnesota man pleads guilty in Islamic State case Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:38 PM PDT  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of seven men awaiting trial in Minnesota on charges of plotting to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State group admitted Wednesday that he knew its members had carried out beheadings, taken hostages and raped women, but he believed they were fighting evil and he wanted to join anyway.
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| Leaders' debate heats up Greek election campaign Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:32 PM PDT  Greece's former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras acknowledged Wednesday that his government had not delivered on all its promises but vowed to keep fighting austerity as he faced off against challengers in a televised election debate. Tsipras, who is locked in a neck-and-neck race with his conservative rival Vangelis Meimarakis of the New Democracy Party, said he had placed the "interests of the Greek people" above all else when he agreed an unpopular third bailout deal with international creditors in July. The 86-billion-euro rescue ($96 billion) package prevented a Greek exit from the eurozone but demands tough reforms in return for the cash, sparking a rebellion within Tsipras's leftist Syriza party, which came to power in January on an anti-austerity platform.
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| Ecuador moves to shut down press freedom group Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:29 PM PDT  QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — President Rafael Correa's government has initiated proceedings to shut down Ecuador's sole remaining press freedom group, accusing Fundamedios of political partisanship.
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| President Morales expected to seek fourth term in Bolivia Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:28 PM PDT  LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — President Evo Morales' backers are seeking to amend Bolivia's constitution so he can run for re-election in 2020.
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| The Latest on US Open: Halep beats Azarenka in 3 sets Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:23 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open (all times local):
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| MoMA: 1st US exhibition of Picasso sculptures in 50 years Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:23 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — New York's Museum of Modern Art is devoting an entire floor to the sculptures of Pablo Picasso in the first major U.S. museum survey of his three-dimensional work in nearly 50 years.
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| US Open Glance Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:19 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A look at Wednesday's play at the $42.3 million U.S. Open tennis championships: |
| Guatemala vote still too close to call Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:17 PM PDT  Guatemala's presidential vote last weekend is still too close to call, officials said Wednesday, as the country awaits the name of the runner-up to face comedian Jimmy Morales in a runoff. Sunday's first-round race ended with two candidates virtually tied for second place: former first lady Sandra Torres and millionaire businessman Manuel Baldizon. With 98.92 percent of the ballots counted, Torres, a social democrat, had 19.74 percent of the vote to 19.65 percent for conservative lawyer Baldizon.
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| Lebanon cabinet approves plan to end trash crisis Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:12 PM PDT  Lebanon's cabinet on Wednesday approved a plan to end a trash crisis that sparked unprecedented protests targeting the country's stagnant political class. After a marathon emergency session, as protesters once again took to the streets in Beirut, Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb said a deal had been reached. The plan incorporates a key demand of activists -- the decentralisation of waste management, with municipalities receiving funds to manage the issue locally.
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| Migrants breach Hungary police lines as army prepares for action Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:01 PM PDT  Röszke (Hungary) (AFP) - Hundreds of migrants broke through police lines in Hungary near the Serbian border Wednesday for a third day running, as the army began mobilising for a possible role in guarding the frontier. The migrants later agreed to be taken to a refugee camp in western Hungary. At Roszke, the main crossing point from Serbia, there were 2,529, including 455 children.
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| The Latest: Iran deal seems on track, House to hold 3 votes Posted: 09 Sep 2015 02:53 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest as the U.S. Congress and the 2016 presidential campaign wrestle with the Iran nuclear deal. All times local (EDT):
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| Vatican undecided if will fly its flag next to Palestine's at U.N. Posted: 09 Sep 2015 02:44 PM PDT By Louis Charbonneau NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Vatican's chief delegate to the United Nations on Wednesday said it was unclear whether the Holy See would choose to fly its flag alongside the Palestinians' at U.N. headquarters if a Palestinian draft resolution is approved this week as expected. The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly is due to vote on Thursday on a Palestinian draft resolution that says the flags of non-member observer states "shall be raised at (U.N.) Headquarters and United Nations Offices following the flags of the member states of the United Nations." Israel has urged member states to oppose the Palestinian draft resolution. |
