| Syria extends major offensive to retake territory in west Posted: 08 Oct 2015 01:23 PM PDT  By Sylvia Westall and Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops and allied militia backed by a fresh wave of Russian air strikes and cruise missiles fired from warships attacked rebel forces on Thursday as the government extended an offensive to recapture territory in the west of the country. The assault focused on western areas where rebel advances earlier this year had threatened the coastal region vital to President Bashar al-Assad's support base. The Russian Defence Ministry said it fired missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea for a second day and had hit weapons factories, arms dumps, command centers and training camps.
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| EU gets tough on expelling migrants, talks to neighbors Posted: 08 Oct 2015 12:56 PM PDT  By Alastair Macdonald and Tom Körkemeier LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - European Union governments agreed on Thursday to step up deportations of illegal immigrants and discussed creating an EU border force among measures to cope with hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria's civil war. Underlining the havoc brought by chaotic mass treks across Europe's open borders over recent months, the German state of Bavaria threatened to break ranks with Berlin and send back to Austria migrants who cross its Alpine frontier. Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose welcome for refugees has taken a toll on her ratings, insists she will not shut the door.
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| U.N. to audit its dealings with entities tied to alleged bribe scheme Posted: 08 Oct 2015 01:15 PM PDT  By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has ordered an audit of all dealings the organization had with two entities that are the subjects of a U.S. bribery probe, a U.N. spokesman said on Thursday. Ban asked the Office of Internal Oversight Services to audit all of the U.N.'s interactions with the Global Sustainability Foundation and the Sun Kian Ip Group, as well as the use of any funds received from them, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Speaking to reporters at U.N. headquarters, Dujarric said Ban was "committed to ensuring that funds received from such private entities were handled properly, according to relevant U.N. rules and regulations." There "will be no tolerance for any corruption at the United Nations or in the name of the United Nations," he added.
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| No quick fix for latest 'wave of terror': Israel's Netanyahu Posted: 08 Oct 2015 01:25 PM PDT  By Jeffrey Heller and Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday there was no quick fix for a spate of Palestinian "lone-wolf" attacks that the Jewish state has faced in recent days. Four people, including an Israeli soldier, were stabbed and wounded near a military headquarters in Tel Aviv as a rash of such Palestinian attacks spread to Israel's commercial capital. "We are in the midst of a wave of terror ... There is no magic solution and the actions (we are taking) will not yield instant results, but with methodical determination we will prove that terror does not pay and we will defeat it," Netanyahu said in a prime time news conference, with top security officials by his side.
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| Pope Francis, anti-nuclear activists among Nobel Peace Prize contenders Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:49 PM PDT  By Gwladys Fouche and Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - Pope Francis and a line-up of anti-nuclear campaigners headed lists of favorites to win the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize on the eve of Friday's announcement. The Geneva-based International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was named as a leading contender for the $972,000 prize by Norway's state broadcaster NRK and by Nobeliana, a website run by historians who specialize in tracking the award. NRK said Pope Francis' opposition to nuclear weapons boosted his chances, alongside his help in brokering a deal between the United States and Cuba, and his encyclical on climate change.
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| Three bridegrooms among 25 killed in Yemen rocket strike: residents Posted: 08 Oct 2015 01:09 PM PDT  SANAA/ADEN (Reuters) - Three brothers waiting to get married were killed in a rocket attack alongside at least 22 other people in southwest Yemen on Thursday, residents and medics said. Local people told Reuters jets from a Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen was probably to blame, but the coalition's spokesman said it had carried out no air strikes in that part of the country. The three brothers were waiting for their brides' party to arrive when a missile hit their house in the town of Sanban in Dhamar region, residents said.
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| Libya agrees new national unity government: UN Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:48 PM PDT  Skhirat (Morocco) (AFP) - Libya has agreed to form a new national government headed by Prime Minister Fayez el-Sarraj after months of tortuous negotiations, United Nations envoy Bernardino Leon said Friday.
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| British lawmakers, businesses launch campaign to leave EU Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:47 PM PDT  A cross-party campaign to take Britain out of the European Union launched on Thursday, backed by three major political donors ahead of a referendum expected by 2017. The "Vote Leave" campaign revealed on its website that it would be run by lawmakers from a range of political parties, including from the Conservative party of Prime Minister David Cameron, the opposition Labour party, and the eurosceptic UK Independence Party. "I will vote to leave so that we can end the supremacy of EU law and the British public can take back control," said UKIP lawmaker Douglas Carswell in a statement.
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| Americans jump out to another lead in Presidents Cup Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:45 PM PDT  INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — The Presidents Cup wasn't an hour old when Nick Price looked at the scoreboard and had that sinking feeling.
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| With Platini suspended, FIFA election field more uncertain Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:43 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — From sure bet to suspended, Michel Platini's career in soccer politics could be over.
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| US treasury secretary blames Congress for debt limit delays Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:37 PM PDT LIMA, Peru (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew admonished Congress for not moving fast enough to raise the government borrowing limit at a time of heightened fragility in the global economy. |
| UN announces government of national unity for divided Libya Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:36 PM PDT SKHIRAT, Morocco (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Libya has announced a national unity government for Libya after months of difficult talks between the north African country's two rival governments. |
| Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:33 PM PDT PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — With the international media, foreign guests and ethnic Koreans from around the region descending on their capital, North Koreans are being mobilized en masse to put the finishing touches on one of the few things their country wants the whole world to see — a lavish celebration and military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the nation's ruling party. Masses of Pyongyang residents, many carrying bouquets of pink or red plastic flowers, gathered in public squares across the city Thursday to practice their roles in the grand show to be held on Saturday for the anniversary of the 1945 founding of the Workers' Party of Korea. The city has also undergone an extensive face-lift, with soldier-builders working around the clock to build high-rise apartments, pave roads and even put in bicycle lanes. |
| Portugal, Northern Ireland book Euro 2016 places Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:27 PM PDT  BERLIN (AP) — Portugal and Northern Ireland booked their places at Euro 2016 on Thursday, while world champion Germany was made to wait after being upset 1-0 by Ireland in Dublin.
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| Suzuki's deal includes $2 million Marlins option for 2017 Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:23 PM PDT MIAMI (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki's new contract with the Miami Marlins includes a $2 million club option for 2017 with a $500,000 buyout, raising the guarantee to $2.5 million. |
| Is a serial dog killer on the loose in Mexico City? Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:21 PM PDT  The sudden deaths of several dogs after walks in a popular Mexico City park has raised fears that a serial canine killer is on the loose, poisoning unsuspecting pets. A section of Parque Mexico where dozens of dogs normally play with their owners has been cordoned off while police guard the area and investigate the recent deaths. "We recommend shortening walks until the investigation of the dog poisonings is concluded," reads another warning.
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| All Blacks mum about path to final Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:14 PM PDT  If the All Blacks wanted to, they could reveal now their likely starting XV and game strategy for every match they could possibly play through to the end of the World Cup. After their final pool game against Tonga on Friday, the All Blacks will play the loser of Sunday's Pool D showdown between France and Ireland as they head into the sudden death phase of the tournament. Assistant coach Ian Foster said every eventuality has been taken into account.
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| China says must make $315 billion - $630 billion green investments per year Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:13 PM PDT China must make green investments of between 2 trillion and 4 trillion yuan ($315-630 billion) per year over the next five years, but the government can only cover 15 percent of that, China's central bank deputy governor, Yi Gang, said on Thursday. "Most of the finance has to come from the private sector, so we have to provide a positive incentive mechanism," Yi said on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund meetings in Lima. Earlier this week, China confirmed it would launch a nationwide "cap-and-trade" program in 2017 to force big greenhouse gas emitters to buy credits to meet pollution reduction targets. |
| Monarch butterflies begin entering Mexico on migration Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:11 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — Monarch butterflies have begun entering Mexico on their annual migration from the United States and Canada. |
| U.N. proposes national unity government for Libya's warring factions, obstacles remain Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:09 PM PDT  The United Nations on Thursday proposed to a national unity government to Libya's warring factions meant to end their conflict, but any deal must overcome resistance from hardliners and pass a vote in their rival parliaments to succeed. Four years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has descended into a war between Libya's recognized government and its elected parliament, and the self-declared rulers set up in Tripoli last year in a battle for control of the OPEC member state. Western powers are pushing for both sides to accept the U.N. agreement, fearing violence has allowed Islamist militants to gain ground in Libya and permitted illegal migrant smugglers to take advantage of the chaos.
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| Guatemala mudslide death toll climbs to 237: official Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:09 PM PDT  Rescuers have recovered 237 bodies from the remains of a village near the Guatemalan capital that was buried under a landslide one week ago, an official said Thursday. About 150 other people are still missing in Santa Catarina Pinula, where houses were covered last Thursday by a mountain of mud and debris following heavy rains. Julia Barrera, a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office, said 237 bodies had been recovered, revising an earlier toll of 221.
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| Challenges facing Juergen Klopp at Liverpool Posted: 08 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT  Juergen Klopp takes over a Liverpool team in transition, in 10th place in the Premier League, and — unfortunately in the eyes of many fans — lumbered with the Europa League.
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| EU agrees to speed migrant deportation, buttress borders Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:56 PM PDT  LUXEMBOURG (AP) — The European Union on Thursday took measures to buttress its porous external borders and toughen up its migrant return program in an attempt to build a credible refugee policy that would continue to embrace those fleeing for their lives yet punish those seeking economic gain.
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| Texas sues VW over consumer protection, clean air violations Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:54 PM PDT AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has filed suit against Volkswagen, charging that the automaker's emissions rigging violated state consumer protection laws and clean air standards. |
| NJ's Governor Christie takes sand dune fight to court Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:53 PM PDT  By Daniel Bases NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's administration on Thursday went to court in an effort to seize beach front property owned by the city of Margate in order to complete an Atlantic coastline storm protection system of sand dunes. The coast was severely damaged in 2012's Superstorm Sandy, which was directly responsible for 147 deaths in the United States, destroyed more than 650,000 homes and overall caused nearly $50 billion in damages. Margate, located on a coastal barrier island south of Atlantic City, resists voluntarily providing property easements on 87 parcels of city land necessary for the project.
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| 'England can't afford me', jokes Gatland Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT  Although under contract until 2020, Lancaster's time in his job could soon be up after England became the first World Cup hosts to be knocked out of the tournament at the group stage. Wales played a key role in England's demise with a thrilling 28-25 win over their old rivals at Twickenham. Australia then delivered the telling blow to England's hopes of getting out of the 'Pool of Death' with a comprehensive 33-13 win over Lancaster's team last weekend.
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| Merkel, Zerai, Pope Francis all in Nobel Peace Prize buzz Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:49 PM PDT  OSLO, Norway (AP) — Europe's record-breaking refugee crisis was a hot topic ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize announcement on Friday, but a Saudi blogger, a pope who reveres the Earth and its poorest people and the key players in the Iranian nuclear deal were also generating buzz.
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| Serbia snatches 2-0 win in Albania in tense Euro qualifier Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:48 PM PDT  ELBASAN, Albania (AP) — Serbia snatched a late 2-0 over Albania with injury-time goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Adem Ljajic, stunning the hosts in a tense European qualifier.
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| Messi to stand trial in Spain on 3 counts of tax fraud Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:46 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi will stand trial in Spain on three counts of tax fraud and could be sentenced to nearly two years in prison if found guilty. |
| Former Guatemala dictator's amnesty appeal denied Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:45 PM PDT  A Guatemalan appeals court rejected an amnesty request from former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, whose retrial for genocide during the country's civil war is due to begin in January, the civil parties to the case said Thursday. The court found the appeal, which would have ended the criminal proceedings, was "unfounded," the Association for Justice and Reconciliation and the Center for Legal Action on Human Rights said in a statement. "This is a very important decision as it confirms that amnesty cannot be granted for the crime of genocide," the groups added.
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| US women's team beats Dike Naples 86-50 Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:40 PM PDT NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner scored 15 points and the U.S. women's team beat Dike Naples 86-50 on Thursday night in the third game of the Americans' European tour. |
| US, European experts to probe case of missing Mexican students Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:37 PM PDT  Mexican authorities have invited international experts from the United States, Canada and Europe to join a new investigation into whether 43 missing students were incinerated at a garbage dump last year. Attorney General Arely Gomez said Thursday that three forensic experts from Mexico and four others from the United States, Canada, Germany and Spain will take part in the probe.
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| At least 160 people die violently each day in Brazil: report Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:34 PM PDT  A total of 58,559 people died violent deaths in Brazil in 2014, or about 160 every day -- and police actions were the second-biggest cause, new statistics said Thursday. The Brazilian Public Security Forum's annual study, considered a key reference, said the total number of such deaths -- mostly murders -- during 2014, the year Brazil hosted the World Cup, was 4.8 percent up on 2013. The leading category of violent death was intentional homicide at 89.3 percent, but the distant second cause was killings by the security forces, amounting to 5.2 percent, the study said.
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| New tally in Saudi hajj disaster shows at least 1,399 killed Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:32 PM PDT  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The crush and stampede last month outside of Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca killed at least 1,399 people during the hajj pilgrimage, a new tally Thursday showed, 630 more than the kingdom's official toll.
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| Jury deliberating in trial of Atlanta Hawks' Thabo Sefolosha Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:31 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — A jury began deliberating in the criminal case against NBA player Thabo Sefolosha on Thursday, six months after he was arrested outside a trendy nightclub following a confrontation with police.
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| Poaching threatens Mali's rare desert elephants: U.N. mission Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:26 PM PDT  By Emma Farge DAKAR (Reuters) - About a fifth of Mali's rare desert elephants have been killed this year as ivory poachers exploit a security vacuum in the country's north, the United Nations said on Thursday. At least 57 elephants died between January and June among the West African country's only herd of around 300 animals, the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA said in a statement. The WILD Foundation, which helps protect Mali's northern Gourma herd, estimates that around 90 of the mammals have been killed since late 2014.
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| Celtics end European tour with 111-96 win at Real Madrid Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:26 PM PDT  MADRID (AP) — Avery Bradley scored 17 points and the Boston Celtics ended their two-game European tour with a 111-96 victory over Real Madrid on Thursday night.
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| Romania captain banned for 2 weeks for dangerous tackle Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:22 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — Romania captain Mihai Macovei was suspended for two weeks on Thursday for a dangerous tackle in the 17-15 win against Canada in the Rugby World Cup.
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| Juergen Klopp takes over as new Liverpool manager Posted: 08 Oct 2015 03:21 PM PDT  Liverpool hired Juergen Klopp as its new manager on Thursday, turning to one of Europe's most respected and charismatic coaches to reverse a slump in form and return success to the fallen English giant.
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