| North Korea leader tells military to be ready to use nuclear weapons at any time Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:29 PM PST  By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time and to turn its military posture to "pre-emptive attack" mode in the face of growing threats from its enemies, state media said on Friday. The comments, carried by the North's official KCNA news agency, marked a further escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula after the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday imposed harsh new sanctions against the isolated state for its nuclear program. Kim made the comments as he supervised military exercises involving newly developed rocket launchers, KCNA reported.
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| Syria truce offers glimpses of normality Posted: 03 Mar 2016 08:21 AM PST  By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - In the devastated Syrian city of Aleppo, children are outside playing and many people are going to the shops safely for the first time in months thanks to a partial halt to the war that is providing relief even if most doubt that peace will take hold. Where were all these people hiding?" said a bewildered Mahmoud Ashrafi, speaking to Reuters by telephone after picking through opposition-held areas of Aleppo wrecked by barrel bombs and air strikes. While the "cessation of hostilities" has fallen short of halting the five-year-long war across the country, parts of Syria have enjoyed an unusual period of peace since the U.S.-Russian agreement came into effect on Saturday.
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| EU's Tusk urges migrants to stop coming to Europe Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST  By Dasha Afanasieva and Lefteris Karagiannopoulos ANKARA/ATHENS (Reuters) - EU Council President Donald Tusk told illegal economic migrants on Thursday not to risk their lives or money to make a perilous trip to Europe "for nothing" but said unilateral actions by European Union states to deal with the crisis must stop. The ultimate aim was to eliminate the illegal sea transit of migrants from Turkey to Greece, Tusk said after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens, although he said no specific numbers had been agreed with the Turks.
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| Kerry trip to Cuba for rights dialogue canceled: U.S. officials Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:32 PM PST  By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tentative plans for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to visit Cuba before mid-March for a human rights dialogue have been canceled, two U.S. officials said on Thursday, amid concerns over the Cuban government's human rights record. Kerry told a congressional hearing on Feb. 23 that he might be in Cuba "in the next week or two" to hold a dialogue on human rights, ahead of President Barack Obama's scheduled trip to the island on March 21-22. The sources said the trip had been canceled because U.S. ...
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| Zimbabwe's Mugabe says government will take over all diamond operations Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:11 PM PST  Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe said on Thursday that his government would take possession of all diamond operations because existing miners had robbed the country of its wealth. Mugabe's comments came a week after the ministry of mines ordered all mining companies to halt work and leave the Marange fields, saying they had not renewed their licenses. "The state will now own all the diamonds in the country," Mugabe said during a two-hour interview with state broadcaster ZBC TV.
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| UNICEF says deeply concerned about U.S. citizen jailed in Iran Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:53 PM PST  By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United Nations Children's Fund said on Thursday it is worried about the health and well-being of one of its former officials, an elderly man jailed in Iran for more than a week. Baquer Namazi, whose son Siamak has been jailed in Iran since October, was himself arrested on Feb. 22 and taken to Tehran's Evin Prison, his wife said last week on social media. Baquer Namazi, a former Iranian provincial governor, served as UNICEF representative in Somalia, Kenya, Egypt and elsewhere before retiring in 1996, UNICEF said in a statement.
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| New Zealand names 31 rowers for Rio Olympics Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:56 PM PST WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Reigning Olympic champions Mahe Drysdale, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray have been named to compete at the Rio de Janiero games among 31 athletes in New Zealand's largest-ever rowing team. |
| UN's Ban arrives in Mauritania: report Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:56 PM PST  UN chief Ban Ki-moon began an official visit to the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott late Thursday, as part of a tour of West and North African countries, Mauritania's official AMI news agency said. Before flying to Mauritania from Burkina Faso, the first stop in his tour, Ban had expressed "concern" over a string of jihadist attacks in Africa's Sahel region. "I am deeply concerned by the terrorist attacks in the (Sahel) region," he said in Ouagadougou.
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| New Jamaica prime minister sworn in, vowing to reverse austerity Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:55 PM PST  Jamaica's new prime minister, Andrew Holness, was sworn in on Thursday after a narrow general election win, vowing to increase growth and cut taxes in a reversal of the previous government's austerity program. Holness has been criticized for promising to trim taxes even as Jamaica struggles with a debt-to-GDP ratio of about 125, but he argued economic growth would plug the gap. "The priority of this government is to grow the economy and create meaningful jobs," Holness said in his inauguration speech in Kingston.
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| Kenya tackles poverty by sending teen mothers back to school Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:53 PM PST By Hezron Ochiel Laikipia, KENYA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Christine Gathoni dreamed of becoming a doctor, not a patient, grimacing in pain as she pushed her baby girl into the world. "After a few weeks, I realized I was pregnant." Two out of five 19-year-old women in Kenya are either pregnant or have given birth, with the highest rates among the poorest, according to government statistics. "I hadn't totally lost hope in securing an education to save my family from poverty." When Gathoni's baby turned one, her father brought a goat to Laikipia's Ilpolei Secondary School to pay for her re-entry. |
| N. Korea leader orders nuclear arsenal on standby Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:52 PM PST  Leader Kim Jong-Un has ordered North Korea's nuclear arsenal readied for pre-emptive use at anytime, in an expected ramping up of rhetoric following the UN Security Council's adoption of tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. The North's nuclear warheads must be deployed "on standby so as to be fired at any moment," Kim was quoted as saying by the North's official KCNA news agency on Friday. Kim also warned that the situation on the divided Korean peninsula had become so dangerous that the North needed to shift its military strategy to one of "pre-emptive attack".
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| Spain's Princess Cristina takes stand at her tax evasion trial Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:51 PM PST  Spain's Princess Cristina, the country's first royal to face criminal charges since the monarchy's 1975 restoration, on Thursday took the stand in a landmark corruption case centred on her husband's business dealings. Cristina, who has been charged as an accessory to tax evasion, declined to answer questions from a prosecuting lawyer, responding only to those from her own legal team. Distancing herself from her husband Inaki Urdangarin's business affairs, she told the court she trusted him and never asked about the dealings of a company they co-owned which operated from an office in their Barcelona mansion.
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| Tusk tells economic migrants: stay away from Europe Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:50 PM PST  EU President Donald Tusk on Thursday issued a blunt warning to economic migrants not to come to Europe, and chastised European countries which have taken unilateral action to tackle the crisis. On a busy day of diplomacy, Tusk visited Greece and Turkey, the two countries on the frontline of Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, and acknowledged that the number of people seeking to reach EU territory from Turkey remained "far too high". After talks in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Tusk told economic migrants it was pointless to try to reach the European Union, which is struggling because of the migrant crisis to maintain its prized Schengen passport-free travel area.
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| Gunmen kill Honduran indigenous, environmentalist leader Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:45 PM PST  TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduran indigenous leader Berta Caceres, who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, was shot dead Thursday by multiple gunmen who broke into her home, authorities said.
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| Egyptian student to be deported from US over Trump threat Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:43 PM PST  An Egyptian student attending flight school in California is facing deportation after posting a message on Facebook saying he was ready to kill Donald Trump. Emadeldin Elsayed, 23, was arrested by federal agents on February 12 at the Los Angeles-area flight school he was attending after posting what authorities said was a death threat against the leading Republican presidential candidate. "I am willing to kill Donald Trump and serve a life sentence.
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| UN report: peacekeepers from 21 nations accused of sexual abuse Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:42 PM PST  The United Nations is reporting a "deeply concerning" increase in allegations of sex abuse by its peacekeepers, with 69 claims last year against troops from 21 countries. A much-awaited report by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon obtained by AFP on Thursday provides, for the first time, the nationalities of the troops facing the allegations. First on the "name and shame" list was the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose troops faced seven allegations, followed by Morocco and South Africa, each hit with four accusations.
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| Ukrainian foreign minister says no breakthrough in Paris talks Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:42 PM PST  Ukraine's foreign minister said on Thursday there had been no breakthrough in Paris talks aimed at getting a fragile peace deal back on track, repeating that until security was restored there could be no election in the rebel-held Donbass region. For months, as progress in implementing the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine has stalled, its architects, Germany and France, have held out hope that with time and carefully calibrated pressure on Ukraine and Russia the deal could be pushed back on track.
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| Pensioners share their bread with migrants at Greek border Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:37 PM PST  By Lefteris Papadimas IDOMENI, Greece (Reuters) - Each day, Demetrios Zois buys two loaves of bread. One is for his family, and one for whoever comes knocking on his door. In the past year, there have been plenty of unexpected visitors. He is among 100 mainly elderly people living in Greece's border community of Idomeni, which has become the focal point of a growing migrant crisis that is proving too big for the country to handle. Around 30,000 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece on Thursday, with just over a third of them at Idomeni, waiting for the border with Macedonia to open. ...
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| Australian Olympians to take part in Sydney's Gay Mardi Gras Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:34 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian Olympic Committee says Saturday's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney will be the first time a float full of Olympians, Paralympians and their supporters has been entered in the annual event. |
| Nigeria frees 63 after dislodging Boko Haram Islamists: army Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:27 PM PST  Nigeria's military said on Thursday it had rescued 63 people after dislodging Boko Haram Islamists from villages in the country's restive northeast. Five Boko Haram fighters were also killed at their hideouts in Lawin Meleri, Matiri Bulaka and Aljeri villages during the clampdown, army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement. "During the operation, they (troops) killed five Boko Haram terrorists and also rescued 63 persons held captive by the terrorists," he said, adding that arms and ammunitions were recovered.
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| Maier's goal leads Germany past France 1-0 Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:25 PM PST  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Leonie Maier scored in the 83rd minute, Almuth Schult made a couple of sparkling saves and Germany beat France 1-0 in the opening round of the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday night.
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| Kiev, Moscow agree to hold vote in east Ukraine by end July: French FM Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:05 PM PST  The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France agreed Thursday that elections should be held in eastern Ukraine by the end of July, France's Jean-Marc Ayrault said. "We underlined the importance of adopting an electoral law to hold local elections by the end of the first half of 2016," Ayrault said at the close of a meeting in Paris with his three counterparts. "We must be able to ensure these elections are organised safely, we need our territory to be secure," Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin said.
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| Honduran environmentalist murdered: family Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:03 PM PST  Honduran indigenous activist Berta Caceres, an award-winning environmentalist, was murdered in her home Thursday, her family said, labeling her death an assassination. Caceres, a 43-year-old mother of four who had received death threats for her activism, was shot dead in the early hours of Thursday at her home in the western town of La Esperanza, Flores told TV network Globo. Caceres won the 2015 Goldman Prize, considered the world's top award for grassroots environmental activism, for leading the indigenous Lenca people in a struggle against a hydroelectric dam project that would flood large areas of native lands and cut off water supplies to hundreds.
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| Phelps: No worries about fiance, son traveling to Rio Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:02 PM PST ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Despite an outbreak of the Zika virus, Michael Phelps says his fiance and newborn son will accompany him to the Rio Olympics. |
| Republican old guard Romney labels Trump as 'a fraud' Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:58 PM PST  By Steve Holland DETROIT (Reuters) - Former Republican U.S. presidential nominee Mitt Romney gave a blistering rebuke of 2016 party front-runner Donald Trump on Thursday, the latest sign of how badly mainstream figures in the party want to stop the incendiary New York billionaire. Romney, an elder statesman in the party, urged Republicans in states that have not yet held nominating contests to vote for Trump's opponents to stop his march to the nomination for the Nov. 8 election to succeed President Barack Obama. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," said Romney, 68, who has kept a low profile since losing to Obama in 2012.
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| Top Asian News 11:55 p.m. GMT Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:55 PM PST MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — An American adventurer said Thursday that he discovered part of an aircraft on a sandbar off the coast of Mozambique and initially thought it was from a small plane, and not from a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard. If confirmed that the piece of tail section came from Flight MH370, a small piece of the puzzle will have been found, but it might not be enough to help solve one of aviation's greatest mysteries. In an interview with The Associated Press, Blaine Gibson described how a boat operator took him to a sandbar named Paluma and then called him over after seeing a piece of debris with "NO STEP" written on it. |
| U.S. proposes lifting protections for Yellowstone-area grizzlies Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:50 PM PST  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed on Thursday stripping Endangered Species Act protections from the grizzly bear in and around Yellowstone National Park, saying the animal's numbers have rebounded sufficiently in recent decades. The estimated tally of grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone region, encompassing parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, has grown to a 700 or more today, up from as few as 136 bears in 1975 when they were formally listed as a threatened species throughout the Lower 48 states. Hunters and ranchers, who make up a powerful political constituency in Western states, have strongly advocated de-listing grizzlies, arguing that their increasing numbers pose a threat to humans, livestock and big-game animals such as elk.
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| France calls for prisoner exchange in Ukraine conflict Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:48 PM PST PARIS (AP) — France's foreign minister is calling for an April 30 deadline for a prisoner exchange in the Ukraine conflict and local elections by mid-year in the Donbas region. |
| Barcelona breaks Madrid's 34-game unbeaten record Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:48 PM PST  MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi scored a hat trick as Barcelona defeated nine-man Rayo Vallecano 5-1 to become the first Spanish club to play 35 consecutive matches without a loss, breaking Real Madrid's record of nearly three decades ago.
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| Guatemalan pleads guilty to drug charges in Virginia Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:44 PM PST RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Guatemalan man has pleaded guilty to transporting cocaine on aircraft registered in the United States. |
| AP interview: Man finds possible Malaysian plane debris Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:43 PM PST MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — An American adventurer said Thursday that he discovered part of an aircraft on a sandbar off the coast of Mozambique and initially thought it was from a small plane, and not from a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard. |
| Venezuela opposition sets strategy to oust President Maduro Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:43 PM PST  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A lawmaker says Venezuela's opposition coalition has decided on a triple-barreled strategy to oust President Nicolas Maduro before the end of his term.
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| North Korea leader orders military to be ready to use nuclear weapons at any time Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:29 PM PST By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time and to turn its military posture to "pre-emptive attack" mode in the face of growing threats from its enemies, official media said on Friday. The comments carried by official KCNA news agency marked a further escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula after the U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions against the isolated state for its nuclear program. Kim made the comments as he supervised the exercise of newly developed multiple rocket launchers, KCNA reported. |
| For Zunic, just to be playing at Doral is a thrill Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:24 PM PST  DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Jordan Zunic shot a 3-over 75 Thursday in the first round of the Cadillac Championship, putting the Australian nine shots off the early leaders.
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| Piercy, Fraser lead, Mickelson on their heels at Doral Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:16 PM PST  DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Phil Mickelson's scores from Doral over the past two years clearly suggested that the redesigned Blue Monster wasn't completely to his liking.
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| EU's Mogherini plans Cuba visit as accord nears Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:16 PM PST  The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is set to visit Cuba next week for talks that could finalize an agreement on normalizing relations, Cuba said on Thursday. "Obviously it will be another very important visit, very important in the current situation," Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno told reporters in Havana. The European Union suspended relations with Havana in 2003 over a crackdown on journalists and activists, but both sides are now pushing a new accord in the wake of a historic rapprochement between Washington and Havana.
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| 11 people slain on outskirts of San Salvador Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:13 PM PST  Eleven people were found slain in a town on the outskirts of San Salvador, including eight workers at an electric plant, police said on Thursday. Police investigating the massacre at the electric facility outside El Salvador's capital found the bodies of three other people at a nearby sugar plantation, according to authorities. "We can't rule out the possibility that the same criminal gang is responsible for both" local police chief Howard Cotto said.
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| Rooney all but guaranteed to play for England at Euro 2016 Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:13 PM PST PARIS (AP) — According to England coach Roy Hodgson, Wayne Rooney is guaranteed to make the England squad for the European Championship if he recovers in time from his right knee injury. |
| Vietnam's Communists put to the test as dissidents bid for parliament Posted: 03 Mar 2016 03:12 PM PST  By Martin Petty HANOI (Reuters) - Former IT entrepreneur and banker Nguyen Quang A is running a disciplined campaign to be elected to Vietnam's parliament, declaring his assets, securing voter endorsements and appearing in a slick online video. Quang A is one of its biggest critics and among 19 dissidents trying to run as independents in a May election to the assembly, determined to test the sincerity of promises made by the party to strengthen democracy. "Let's see them turn rhetoric into reality." To pique the Communists further, Quang A is waiting to see if party chief Nguyen Phu Trong will seek re-election to the National Assembly so that he can go head-to-head with him for his seat.
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