Yahoo! News: World News

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• Iran frees U.S. sailors with start of nuclear deal in sight
• South Korea, China defense officials to discuss North Korea test: Yonhap
• Istanbul bomber entered Turkey as refugee from Syria, PM says
• Hollywood's Sean Penn lied about 'Chapo' trafficking claim: lawyer
• Special U.S. targeting force 'now in place' in Iraq: U.S.
• Obama discusses Syria, Ukraine with Russia's Putin: White House
• Smitten with actress, Mexico's 'Chapo' tripped up by flirting
• Guzman, actress talked of 'dream' meeting in texts
• Tomic, Azarenka move into top 16 in Australian Open seedings
• Anxious phone calls, tense moments before Iran's Supreme Leader okayed U.S. sailors' release
• Iraqi refugee held without bail on terror-related charges
• Britain: Removal of Congo peacekeepers sends strong message
• Drug lord flirted with Mexican actress, cared less for movie
• Pentagon lays out plan to take back Mosul, Raqqa from IS
• Arsenal draws 6-goal thriller at Liverpool, Leicester wins
• Former Danish prime minister to run Save the Children International
• Mexico expands search for 43 students: official
• Border Patrol reunites mother, baby separated at border
• Britain urged to give transgender people full legal equality
• US, Iran forge new relationship as nuke deal advances
• Dead fish blight Rio Olympic bay, again
• Officials: 3 US volunteers killed in Honduras bus crash
• Iranian official says US sailor issue 'is being resolved'
• Leibovitz seeks Merkel for new 'outstanding women' exhibition
• South Korea calls for 'bone-numbing' sanctions on North for nuclear test
• Niger says four have confessed to planning foiled coup
• Two French teens, Ukrainian man killed in Alpine avalanche
• Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials
• Klopp goes wild as Liverpool salvages 3-3 draw vs Arsenal
• Taiwan poll looms as unwanted headache for Obama in final year
• Iran state TV shows footage of U.S. sailor apologizing
• Manchester City stays third in Premier League after draw
• Leicester reboots surprise title charge by beating Tottenham
• Ebola epidemic is over but expect flare-ups: UN
• Peruvian drug lord freed from prison, slams Fujimoris
• Tuilagi tipped to be England's Nonu
• Head of Venezuela's new opposition congress ready to fight
• UN criticises 'sudden' closure of camp for displaced people in DR Congo
• Allen stuns Arsenal as Leicester go joint-top
• Argentina seeks better terms for $10B of defaulted debt

Iran frees U.S. sailors with start of nuclear deal in sight Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:28 PM PST By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Phil Stewart DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran freed 10 U.S. sailors on Wednesday, a day after detaining them aboard two U.S. Navy patrol boats in the Gulf, bringing a swift end to an incident that had rattled nerves just before the expected implementation of a landmark nuclear accord. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had released the sailors after determining they had entered Iranian territorial waters by mistake. IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said the boats had strayed because of a broken navigation system.

South Korea, China defense officials to discuss North Korea test: Yonhap Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:14 PM PST Defence officials from South Korea and China will meet on Friday to discuss North Korea's latest nuclear test, the Yonhap news agency reported, after the South and the United States put pressure on China to rein in its neighbor. The North's nuclear test on Wednesday last week angered both China and the United States and again raised questions about what can be done to stop its development of nuclear weapons.

Istanbul bomber entered Turkey as refugee from Syria, PM says Posted: 13 Jan 2016 11:15 AM PST By Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk ISTANBUL (Reuters) - An Islamic State suicide bomber who killed 10 German tourists in the heart of Istanbul's historic district entered Turkey as a refugee from Syria and went undetected as he was not on any watch lists, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday. The bomber, who blew himself up among groups of tourists on Tuesday near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the top sites in one of the world's most visited cities, had registered with immigration authorities in the city a week ago. Turkey has kept an open border to refugees from Syria's civil war and is now home to more than 2.2 million, the world's largest refugee population.

Hollywood's Sean Penn lied about 'Chapo' trafficking claim: lawyer Posted: 13 Jan 2016 01:25 PM PST By Lizbeth Diaz MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hollywood star Sean Penn lied when he reported that Mexican kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman told him he is the world's foremost drugs trafficker, and he should be called to testify, one of Guzman's lawyers said on Wednesday. Penn published an article in Rolling Stone magazine on Saturday in which he quotes Guzman boasting about his drug shipments and laundering money through major Mexican and foreign companies. "He (Guzman) could not have made these claims... Mr Guzman is a very serious man, very intelligent," Badillo said.

Special U.S. targeting force 'now in place' in Iraq: U.S. Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:11 PM PST By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new U.S. force of special operations troops has arrived in Iraq and is preparing to work with Iraqi forces to go after Islamic State targets, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday. Carter disclosed the deployment in a broad speech to U.S. soldiers that sought to underscore American efforts to accelerate the campaign against Islamic State, both in Iraq and Syria.

Obama discusses Syria, Ukraine with Russia's Putin: White House Posted: 13 Jan 2016 01:22 PM PST President Barack Obama, in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, emphasized the need to work toward a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine and address the conflict in Syria, the White House said. Obama told Putin that a key next step in resolving the Ukrainian crisis was for all sides to agree on the modalities of local elections in the Donbas region of Ukraine, the White House said in a statement.

Smitten with actress, Mexico's 'Chapo' tripped up by flirting Posted: 13 Jan 2016 05:00 PM PST By Ana Isabel Martinez MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Details of flirtatious phone messaging chats between Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and actress Kate del Castillo have gripped Mexico, and an official said his "obsession" with her led him to lower his guard and be caught. Guzman, 57, was arrested in the northern city of Los Mochis on Friday, six months after a dramatic second jailbreak through a tunnel in his cell. Mexican authorities said they intercepted a series of instant message conversations in which del Castillo, 43, brokered a secret meeting between Guzman, herself and Hollywood star Sean Penn in October, helping them trace the kingpin.

Guzman, actress talked of 'dream' meeting in texts Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:57 PM PST Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman fawned over the "beautiful" actress Kate del Castillo, while she confessed her "dream" of meeting him in leaked text messages filled with warm exchanges. The chats, published by the newspaper Milenio on Wednesday, took place before and after Guzman, Del Castillo and US actor Sean Penn sat down for a now notorious meeting in the Mexican jungle in October. The messages provide a new window into the mysterious relationship between the then-fugitive and Del Castillo, who brokered the get-together between Guzman and Penn -- even though the fugitive appeared to know little about the actor.

Tomic, Azarenka move into top 16 in Australian Open seedings Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:51 PM PST MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Defending champions and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams top the Australian Open seedings lists, which follow rankings ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2016.

Anxious phone calls, tense moments before Iran's Supreme Leader okayed U.S. sailors' release Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:47 PM PST In the end it came down to a series of telephone calls between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had forged a close bond during months of tense negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. As the Iranian and U.S. governments scrambled for details of the incident, the two men spoke at least five times by phone, U.S. and Iranian officials said.

Iraqi refugee held without bail on terror-related charges Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:39 PM PST HOUSTON (AP) — An Iraqi refugee who is facing charges he tried to help the Islamic State group was denied bond Wednesday after a federal agent testified the Iraqi man had wanted to set off bombs at two Houston malls.

Britain: Removal of Congo peacekeepers sends strong message Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:35 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Britain welcomed the decision to pull hundreds of Congolese troops out of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, saying Wednesday that it sends a clear message that sexual abuse by peacekeepers will not be tolerated.

Drug lord flirted with Mexican actress, cared less for movie Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:31 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Transcripts of over a month of text messages between drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo showed the capo was less interested in making a movie about his life than he was in flirting with the actress.

Pentagon lays out plan to take back Mosul, Raqqa from IS Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:31 PM PST FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky (AP) — Defense Secretary Ash Carter laid out broad plans Wednesday to defeat Islamic State militants and retake the group's key power centers in Iraq and Syria. And he announced that a special commando force has now arrived in Iraq.

Arsenal draws 6-goal thriller at Liverpool, Leicester wins Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:27 PM PST LONDON (AP) — Arsenal conceded a 90th-minute equalizer at Liverpool to lose its outright lead at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday, and surprise challenger Leicester won 1-0 at Tottenham.

Former Danish prime minister to run Save the Children International Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:25 PM PST By Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Denmark's first female prime minister is to become the new head of Save the Children International, one of the world's leading charities that works in some 120 nations, it announced on Thursday. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a Social Democrat who led a Danish coalition government from 2011 to 2015, succeeds Jasmine Whitbread as chief executive of the umbrella charity organization, the London-based group said. Thorning-Schmidt said she looked forward to working on Save the Children International's "bold but simple" goals that children do not die from preventable causes, have access to quality education and do not live with violence and abuse.

Mexico expands search for 43 students: official Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:24 PM PST Mexican authorities have expanded the search for 43 students who vanished after they were abducted by corrupt police in 2014, a government official said. Relatives of the students have questioned the conclusions of the investigation, urging authorities to keep looking for them despite claims they were killed and incinerated at a landfill by a drug gang in southern Guerrero state. Roberto Campa, the deputy interior minister for human rights, told AFP that the authorities are looking into allegations that the students were taken to other locations.

Border Patrol reunites mother, baby separated at border Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:22 PM PST TUCSON, Arizona (AP) — A mother and her young child were reunited by U.S. Border Patrol agents after they were separated by a smuggler while trying to cross into the United States illegally, officials said Wednesday.

Britain urged to give transgender people full legal equality Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:21 PM PST By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britain has "a long way to go" to ensure full equality for transgender people and needs to update the law to give them the same opportunities as everyone else, a parliamentary committee said on Thursday. The hostility experienced by transgender people on a daily basis undermines their careers, living standards and access to services, the Women and Equalities Committee, which monitors the performance of the government's Equalities Office, said in a report. "Britain leads the way when it comes to many issues on LGB (rights) but not when it comes to trans issues," Maria Miller, the committee chairwoman, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

US, Iran forge new relationship as nuke deal advances Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:21 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — For diplomats from countries without diplomatic relations, Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sure are doing a lot of diplomacy.

Dead fish blight Rio Olympic bay, again Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:18 PM PST Thousands of dead fish were found floating in Rio de Janeiro's picturesque but polluted bay Wednesday, not far from where the Olympic sailing competitions will be held in August. Bobbing in the waves alongside floating garbage, the fish, mostly sardines, washed ashore near the international airport, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from where Brazil will hold the 2016 Olympic sailing courses. Masses of dead fish have previously been found floating in the bay in October 2014 and February 2015, when more than 12 tons were removed.

Officials: 3 US volunteers killed in Honduras bus crash Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:17 PM PST TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Two Columbia University students and a U.S. health-care worker died Wednesday in this Central American nation when their bus crashed while taking them to the airport to fly home after a volunteer mission helping poor Hondurans.

Iranian official says US sailor issue 'is being resolved' Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:12 PM PST DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — It turned out to be the international crisis that wasn't.

Leibovitz seeks Merkel for new 'outstanding women' exhibition Posted: 13 Jan 2016 04:07 PM PST She managed to photograph American TV host Ellen DeGeneres topless apart from a sparkly bra, her face daubed in a mime's white paint, and got into Buckingham Palace for a photoshoot with the Queen. "She's probably the most important woman in the world today," the celebrated 66-year-old photographer told reporters, speaking at a converted east London power station by the River Thames. Famous for snapping the world's glitterati, the exhibition is titled "Women: New Portraits", and juxtaposes the world's most politically powerful and glamorous women with scientists and writers, soldiers and cooks.

South Korea calls for 'bone-numbing' sanctions on North for nuclear test Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:49 PM PST By Ju-min Park and Tony Munroe SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea warned North Korea on Wednesday that the United States and its allies were working on sanctions to inflict "bone-numbing pain" after its latest nuclear test, and urged China to do its part to rein in its isolated neighbor. With tension high on the border after the North's fourth nuclear test on Wednesday last week, South Korean forces fired shots toward what Yonhap News Agency said was a suspected North Korean drone.

Niger says four have confessed to planning foiled coup Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:46 PM PST By Abdoulaye Massalaki NIAMEY (Reuters) - Four people arrested for ties to an attempted coup in Niger in December have confessed to the plot and asked for clemency, the defence minister said on Wednesday. At least 13 people, including a civilian, had been arrested, Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidio said. Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou said on national television on Dec. 17 that the coup had been foiled.

Two French teens, Ukrainian man killed in Alpine avalanche Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:42 PM PST Two French teenagers and a Ukrainian man were killed Wednesday when an avalanche swept away skiers in the French Alps, including a group on a school outing, local officials said. The avalanche hit a piste at the Deux Alpes resort in eastern France which has been closed to the public all season, engulfing a group of French pupils and their teacher from the city of Lyon, according to police sources. "A judicial inquiry will say why the teacher who was himself injured took (the group) onto a piste which was not open," French Minister for Youth and Sports Patrick Kanner told reporters.

Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:42 PM PST Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad:

Klopp goes wild as Liverpool salvages 3-3 draw vs Arsenal Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:38 PM PST LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — His eyes bulging and his teeth gritted, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp sprinted along the touchline, gave a double fist pump and furiously beat his chest.

Taiwan poll looms as unwanted headache for Obama in final year Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:36 PM PST By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With all the other issues on his plate, probably the last thing U.S. President Barack Obama will want to deal with in his final year in office is a possible return to crisis in Taiwan-China relations. While Tsai Ing-wen has said she will not provoke China if elected president, the risk of worsening China-Taiwan ties is viewed with concern in Washington at a time when it is trying to tamp down tension over growing Chinese military power and assertive pursuit of territorial claims elsewhere in Asia.

Iran state TV shows footage of U.S. sailor apologizing Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:27 PM PST Iranian state television on Wednesday released footage of a detained U.S. sailor in which he apologizes for his patrol boat having entered Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf by mistake. "It was a mistake, that was our fault, and we apologize for our mistake," the sailor, who was introduced as a U.S. navy commander, said in English on IRIB state TV. All 10 detained sailors were released by Iran on Wednesday morning after being held overnight, quickly ending an incident that rattled nerves days ahead of the expected implementation of a landmark nuclear accord between Iran and world powers.

Manchester City stays third in Premier League after draw Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:14 PM PST MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City was denied a late penalty as it remained third in the Premier League after a goalless home draw with Everton on Wednesday.

Leicester reboots surprise title charge by beating Tottenham Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:13 PM PST LONDON (AP) — After a three-game winless run and goal drought exceeding six hours in the Premier League, Leicester reignited its title bid by displaying grit and resilience in grinding out a 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday.

Ebola epidemic is over but expect flare-ups: UN Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:13 PM PST West Africa can expect flare-ups of Ebola in the coming year even if the world's worst outbreak of the disease will be declared effectively over, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday. The World Health Organization on Thursday will declare Liberia Ebola-free, joining Guinea and Sierra Leone, which earned that status at the end of last year. "We can anticipate future flare-ups of Ebola in the coming year," Ban said.

Peruvian drug lord freed from prison, slams Fujimoris Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:11 PM PST A notorious former Peruvian cocaine kingpin who was released from prison after 22 years on Wednesday criticized Keiko Fujimori's run for president and said the Andean country became a "narco-state" during her father's 1990-2000 government. Demetrio Chavez, nicknamed "The Vatican," reiterated that he once paid the government of former president Alberto Fujimori $50,000 per month to fly drugs to Colombia from his private runway near a military base without interference. Alberto Fujimori has denied any dealings with Chavez.

Tuilagi tipped to be England's Nonu Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:06 PM PST Powerhouse centre Manu Tuilagi could have the same impact as New Zealand great Ma'a Nonu, according to new England coach Eddie Jones. Samoa-born Tuilagi won the last of his 25 England caps in 2014 and is currently working his way back to full fitness following a longstanding groin injury. The Leicester midfielder is unlikely to be available for the Six Nations opener away to Scotland on February 6 but that did not stop Jones including him in his first England squad on Wednesday.

Head of Venezuela's new opposition congress ready to fight Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:05 PM PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Leaning back in the mahogany chair that belonged to his imposing socialist predecessor, new congress boss Henry Ramos doesn't seem worried about being branded an out-of-touch conservative intent on burying the memory of late President Hugo Chavez and ousting his successor.

UN criticises 'sudden' closure of camp for displaced people in DR Congo Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:04 PM PST The United Nations on Wednesday said it deplored the sudden dismantling of a camp for internally displaced persons in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing authorities of driving out thousands of vulnerable people. The head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the country, Rein Paulsen, said in a tweet that Tuesday's camp closure in the restive North Kivu province saw "4260 people forced to move". "I regret the manner in which this dismantling was carried out and I am very concerned by the collective punishment imposed on these vulnerable displaced people," he said in a separate statement.

Allen stuns Arsenal as Leicester go joint-top Posted: 13 Jan 2016 03:02 PM PST Joe Allen's dramatic last-minute equaliser earned Liverpool a 3-3 draw at home to Arsenal on Wednesday that enabled Leicester City to move level on points at the Premier League summit. The Welsh midfielder volleyed home in front of the Kop at a wintry Anfield to deny leaders Arsenal a victory that would have kept Arsene Wenger's men two points clear at the top of the table. Robert Huth scored an 83rd-minute winner as Leicester won 1-0 at fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur, while Manchester City remain three points off the pace in third after drawing 0-0 at home to Everton.

Argentina seeks better terms for $10B of defaulted debt Posted: 13 Jan 2016 02:56 PM PST BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine Finance Minister Alfonso de Prat-Gay says the country is in a position to negotiate better terms for $10 billion in defaulted debt.

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