Yahoo! News: World News

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• U.N. criticizes Czech detentions and strip-searches of refugees
• U.S commando killed in raid to free hostages of ISIS in Iraq
• After Netanyahu talks, Kerry says Israeli-Palestinian strife may ease
• Putin says Syria's Assad is open to working with some rebels
• U.N. council will examine details of Iran's missile test: Russia
• Obama urges Pakistan to avoid raising nuclear tensions with new weapons
• Pentagon: American killed in raid to free Iraqis held by IS
• Patricia grows into major hurricane threatening Mexico
• Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT
• Indigenous 'Olympics' gets underway in remote Brazilian city
• 49ers Jarryd Hayne inactive for first time this season
• Category 4 Hurricane Patricia nears Mexico's Pacific Coast
• Clinton stands ground through Benghazi grilling
• Portugal president reappoints centre-right PM
• Indonesian tofu makers help produce energy, cut pollution
• Klopp thwarted by 10-man Rubin on home bow
• Saturday's lineups in the Rugby World Cup semifinals
• Five arrested in lynching of two Mexican brothers
• Drama on field and off in history of All Blacks v Springboks
• Ex-Guantanamo inmate facing hearing in Morocco
• Mladic defence witness found dead in Hague hotel
• Guyana accuses Venezuela of claiming gold mine land as own
• US, Pakistan call for Taliban to return to peace talks
• Bromance nearly over as All Blacks meet Springboks in semi
• Teacher, student killed in stabbing attack on Swedish school
• 10-man Rubin Kazan spoil Klopp's Anfield debut with 1-1 draw
• Obama vetoes $612 bn defense bill citing Gitmo, 'gimmicks'
• 5 not-guilty pleas and bail for a billionaire in UN case
• 2 Indian men accused of conspiring to smuggle people into US
• Next Guatemala president must respond to restive populace
• Obama, Pakistan's Sharif discuss U.S. nationals held hostage
• Legendary jazz vocalist Mark Murphy dies in New Jersey at 83
• Afghan special forces in firing line as fighting spreads
• Mexico extradites NYC forced-prostitution ring suspect to US
• Western trio seeks UN action on Syria barrel bombs
• Pope speeds up Vatican streamlining in surprise synod move
• Dutch football great Johan Cruyff has lung cancer
• 13 killed in violence linked to Guinea election: Amnesty

U.N. criticizes Czech detentions and strip-searches of refugees Posted: 22 Oct 2015 09:08 AM PDT By Tom Miles and Jan Lopatka GENEVA/PRAGUE (Reuters) - U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein accused the Czech Republic on Thursday of committing systematic human rights violations by detaining refugees for up to 90 days, strip-searching them for money to pay for their own detention. Human rights violations appeared to be "an integral part" of a Czech government policy designed to deter migrants and refugees from entering the country or staying there, he said in a statement. The Czech Republic lies to the north of the main migration routes taking refugees through the Balkans to Germany.

U.S commando killed in raid to free hostages of ISIS in Iraq Posted: 22 Oct 2015 12:27 PM PDT By Phil Stewart and Isabel Coles WASHINGTON/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - One member of a U.S. special operations force was killed during an overnight mission to rescue hostages held by Islamic State militants in northern Iraq, the first American to die in ground combat with the militant group, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Sixty-nine hostages were rescued in the action, which targeted an Islamic State prison around 7 kilometers north of the town of Hawija, according to the security council of the Kurdistan region, whose counterterrorism forces took part. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said at a news briefing the operation did not mark a change in U.S. tactics in the war on Islamic State militants, who pose the biggest security threat to Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

After Netanyahu talks, Kerry says Israeli-Palestinian strife may ease Posted: 22 Oct 2015 02:48 PM PDT By Arshad Mohammed BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday voiced cautious hope there may be a way to defuse Israeli-Palestinian violence that has killed nearly 60 people this month. Speaking to reporters after about four hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kerry said he thought there were steps that could reduce the violence and said they needed to be discussed with Jordanian and Palestinian officials. "I would characterize that conversation as one that gave me a cautious measure of optimism that there may be ... a way to defuse the situation and begin to find a way forward," Kerry told reporters after he met Netanyahu at a Berlin hotel.

Putin says Syria's Assad is open to working with some rebels Posted: 22 Oct 2015 11:20 AM PDT By Denis Dyomkin and Maria Tsvetkova SOCHI, Russia/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad had told him he was ready to talk to armed opposition groups if they are genuinely committed to dialogue and to combating Islamic State. Speaking a day after Assad made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Putin -- underlining Moscow's new role as a central player in Syria's conflict -- Putin said the two men had talked about the need for a political solution. Some Western governments have portrayed Russia as an obstacle to a political deal, especially since it started air strikes on Islamist groups in Syria opposed to Assad, including some backed by the United States and its allies.

U.N. council will examine details of Iran's missile test: Russia Posted: 22 Oct 2015 10:07 AM PDT By Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia's U.N. envoy on Thursday said the United Nations Security Council will examine the technical details of a ballistic missile test by Iran, which the United States and its European allies have said violated U.N. sanctions. The United States, Britain, France and Germany called on Wednesday for the council's Iran sanctions committee to take action over the launch, which they said involved a ballistic missile "inherently capable of delivering a nuclear weapon." Reporters asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin if Moscow believed it was a violation that would necessitate punitive steps by the committee.

Obama urges Pakistan to avoid raising nuclear tensions with new weapons Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:58 PM PDT By David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At a time of heightened tensions between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Pakistan on Thursday to avoid developments in its nuclear weapons program that could increase risks and instability. In talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the White House, Obama also sought help in getting the Afghan Taliban back to peace talks, something vital to his faltering bid to bring U.S. troops back from Afghanistan.

Pentagon: American killed in raid to free Iraqis held by IS Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:57 PM PDT IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Acting on word of an "imminent mass execution" by Islamic State militants, dozens of U.S. special operations troops and Iraqi forces raided a northern Iraqi compound Thursday, freeing approximately 70 Iraqi prisoners in an operation that saw the first American killed in combat in the country since the U.S. campaign against IS began in 2014, officials said.

Patricia grows into major hurricane threatening Mexico Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:42 PM PDT Fast-moving Patricia grew into an "extremely dangerous" major hurricane off Mexico's Pacific coast on Thursday, forecasters said, warning of possible landslides and flash flooding. The US National Hurricane Center said "preparations should be rushed to completion" as Patricia increased ominously from a category two to a category four storm in the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale. "Some strengthening is forecast tonight and Patricia is expected to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall," it said in a statement.

Top Asian News at 11:30 p.m. GMT Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:33 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States won't consider North Korea's call for a peace treaty unless it abandons its pursuit of nuclear weapons and improves human rights, a senior U.S. diplomat said Thursday. Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, described Pyongyang's proposal for negotiations on a treaty as "disingenuous."

Indigenous 'Olympics' gets underway in remote Brazilian city Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:27 PM PDT PALMAS, Brazil (AP) — What's billed as the first "indigenous Olympics" kicked off Thursday with a raucous cultural mash-up that saw grimacing Maori warriors, gong-bearing Filipinos and feather-crowned tribespeople from Brazil preside over a traditional fire-lighting ceremony.

49ers Jarryd Hayne inactive for first time this season Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:18 PM PDT SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Former Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne is inactive for San Francisco for the first time this season as the 49ers were set to host the rival Seahawks on Thursday night.

Category 4 Hurricane Patricia nears Mexico's Pacific Coast Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:14 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — A powerful Hurricane Patricia bore down on Mexico's central Pacific Coast on Thursday for what forecasters said could be a devastating blow, and officials began handing out sandbags in preparation for possible flooding.

Clinton stands ground through Benghazi grilling Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:14 PM PDT Hillary Clinton stood her ground Thursday through a grueling day of questioning over the 2012 Benghazi attacks, at a high-stakes congressional hearing that could impact her bid for the White House. Partisan fireworks exploded repeatedly between Republican and Democrat members of the House Select Committee on Benghazi. In more than six hours of highly-anticipated testimony, broadcast live across US television networks, Clinton accepted -- as she has done in the past -- her share of blame for the attack which cost the lives of four Americans including ambassador Christopher Stevens.

Portugal president reappoints centre-right PM Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:05 PM PDT Portugal's president on Thursday reappointed outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and tasked him with forming a new centre-right coalition, despite the lack of a majority in parliament. "I have designated Mr Passos Coelho as prime minister because he is the head of the coalition which won the October 4 parliamentary elections," conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva said in a televised address. Coelho's coalition took more than 38 percent of votes in the election, despite overseeing four years of painful austerity in the bailed-out country, but it lost its absolute parliamentary majority.

Indonesian tofu makers help produce energy, cut pollution Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:04 PM PDT Tofu makers in a small village on the island of Java are putting waste water from producing the soybean-based product to good use by generating biogas, a source of renewable energy, and reducing environmental pollution. In a pioneering project by Indonesia's Agency for the Assessment of Application of Technology (BPPT), tofu makers are filtering the waste water, which is an environmental pollutant, and then it is treated with methane bacteria to produce biogas.

Klopp thwarted by 10-man Rubin on home bow Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT Jurgen Klopp's first home game as Liverpool manager ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw as his side failed to kill off 10-man Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday. Emre Can cancelled out Marko Devic's well-taken opener for Rubin to notch the first goal of the Klopp era, but despite playing against 10 men for 54 minutes following Oleg Kuzmin's dismissal, Liverpool could not find a winner against a side who are currently 12th in the Russian Premier League.

Saturday's lineups in the Rugby World Cup semifinals Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT Saturday's lineups in the Rugby World Cup semifinals:

Five arrested in lynching of two Mexican brothers Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:02 PM PDT Authorities have arrested five people suspected of being part of a mob that lynched and burned two brothers in central Mexico, officials said Thursday. Police are looking for four more suspects following Monday's killing in the state of Puebla, Governor Rafael Moreno Valle told reporters. Federal and state police were deployed to the town of Ajalpan to take over security from the municipal force after it failed to prevent the lynching.

Drama on field and off in history of All Blacks v Springboks Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:00 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — For 60 years until the Rugby World Cup, each series between the All Blacks and Springboks was for the mythical world championship.

Ex-Guantanamo inmate facing hearing in Morocco Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:57 PM PDT RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A judge in Morocco has postponed a decision on releasing a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who was released and sent back to his homeland after he was held without charge on the U.S. base in Cuba for more than 13 years.

Mladic defence witness found dead in Hague hotel Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:56 PM PDT A defence witness in the genocide and war crimes case against former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic has been found dead in his Hague hotel room, the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal said Thursday. Dusan Dunjic, a forensic pathologist from Belgrade, was "found dead at his hotel by a hotel staff member and a representative of the tribunal," the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said in a statement. "Emergency services were immediately notified and ascertained Mr Dunjic's death," the ICTY added.

Guyana accuses Venezuela of claiming gold mine land as own Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:48 PM PDT GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Guyana's president says Venezuela is inflaming a border dispute by claiming territory in his country where one of South America's largest gold mines is.

US, Pakistan call for Taliban to return to peace talks Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:47 PM PDT US President Barack Obama and Pakistan's prime minister issued a joint call for the Taliban to return to peace talks with the Afghan government, as the pair stressed the positives of a troubled alliance Thursday. Amid smiles and handshakes, Obama welcomed Nawaz Sharif to the White House and hailed a "long-standing relationship" between the United States and Pakistan. The leaders later "called on Taliban leaders to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work toward a sustainable peace settlement," according to a joint statement.

Bromance nearly over as All Blacks meet Springboks in semi Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:47 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — The bromance ends on Saturday at Twickenham, 4 p.m. local time.

Teacher, student killed in stabbing attack on Swedish school Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:44 PM PDT COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A sword-wielding masked man who students thought was playing a Halloween prank stabbbed four people at a school with a large immigrant community in southern Sweden on Thursday, killing a teacher and a student before being shot dead by police.

10-man Rubin Kazan spoil Klopp's Anfield debut with 1-1 draw Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:43 PM PDT Liverpool was applauded off the field following its 1-1 draw against 10-man Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday but it's hard to imagine new manager Juergen Klopp offering his players the same sort of praise.

Obama vetoes $612 bn defense bill citing Gitmo, 'gimmicks' Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:33 PM PDT US President Barack Obama vetoed a $612 billion defense spending bill Thursday, saying it prevented the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison and wasted money on unwanted programs. Making a rare public show of rejecting a law, Obama said the text agreed by the Republican-controlled Congress "falls woefully short" in key areas. Obama said the bill did "a number of good things," including reforming military retirement and funding cyber security, but "resorts to gimmicks" and funded unwanted programs.

5 not-guilty pleas and bail for a billionaire in UN case Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:29 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A former president of the U.N. General Assembly, another diplomat and a Chinese billionaire were among five defendants who pleaded not guilty Thursday in a bribery case that has invited scrutiny of the world body's operations.

2 Indian men accused of conspiring to smuggle people into US Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:20 PM PDT NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — Two Indian nationals conspired with an undercover federal agent to smuggle people from Thailand to New Jersey, prosecutors said Thursday.

Next Guatemala president must respond to restive populace Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:19 PM PDT GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A TV comic and a former first lady will vie for Guatemala's presidency Sunday, and the winner will face a tide of public anger at politicians that already drove the last elected president and vice president from office in disgrace.

Obama, Pakistan's Sharif discuss U.S. nationals held hostage Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:18 PM PDT President Barack Obama and Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, discussed ways to work together on counterterrorism at a meeting on Thursday, including helping free U.S. nationals being held hostage, the White House said. "President Obama further raised his concern regarding the U.S. nationals held hostage by terrorist groups in the region, and he welcomed the Prime Minister's offer to assist in every way possible with their safe return," the White House said in a statement about the meeting.

Legendary jazz vocalist Mark Murphy dies in New Jersey at 83 Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:07 PM PDT ENGLEWOOD, N.J. (AP) — Legendary jazz vocalist Mark Murphy has died in New Jersey after a lengthy illness that kept him from performing since 2012. He was 83.

Afghan special forces in firing line as fighting spreads Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:04 PM PDT By Jessica Donati and Hamid Shalizi PATKIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan/KABUL (Reuters) - As Afghan soldiers and police struggle to contain an escalating insurgency that has targeted several cities in recent weeks, the country's special forces are being tested as never before. Trained in counter-insurgency tactics at the elite School of Excellence near Kabul, these soldiers led the battle to retake Kunduz, after regular forces fled their posts last month to cede the northern city to militants they easily outnumbered. "The credit for the Kunduz victory goes to the Afghan special forces of the police and Afghan National Army," said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, referring to the government's recapture of most of Kunduz a few days after it fell to the Taliban in late September.

Mexico extradites NYC forced-prostitution ring suspect to US Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:03 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — U.S. officials say Mexico has extradited an alleged leader of a forced-prostitution ring that operated in the New York City area to face charges in the United States.

Western trio seeks UN action on Syria barrel bombs Posted: 22 Oct 2015 03:00 PM PDT Britain, France and Spain will soon present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on stopping the Syrian regime from using barrel bombs, the French envoy said Thursday. French Ambassador Francois Delattre told the 14-member council that barrel bombs were a "weapon of terror" that was fueling the exodus of refugees to neighboring countries and to Europe.

Pope speeds up Vatican streamlining in surprise synod move Posted: 22 Oct 2015 02:53 PM PDT Pope Francis on Thursday accelerated his streamlining of the Vatican bureaucracy by announcing plans to create a new ministry which will increase the role of lay believers in the Church. Effectively three existing Vatican bodies will be merged into one in a move that had been trailed but had not been expected to be confirmed during the ongoing synod on Catholic teaching on the family. Francis made the announcement to an afternoon session of the synod, which is due to conclude at the weekend after three weeks of often heated discussions on issues such as divorce, homosexuality and cohabitation.

Dutch football great Johan Cruyff has lung cancer Posted: 22 Oct 2015 02:52 PM PDT THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch football great Johan Cruyff is battling lung cancer, his spokeswoman said Thursday.

13 killed in violence linked to Guinea election: Amnesty Posted: 22 Oct 2015 02:47 PM PDT At least 13 people were killed in a week of violence in Guinea before and after its contested presidential election, with the security forces responsible for the deaths of unarmed civilians, Amnesty International said in a report published Thursday. The toll covers the period October 8-13, the days surrounding the October 11 vote which, according to the country's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), handed victory and another five-year term to incumbent Alpha Conde. Rights group Amnesty spoke of "fears that future protests could lead to more deaths unless security forces show restraint and those suspected of firing on civilians are brought to justice".

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