Yahoo! News: World News

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• U.N. halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo
• Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns: army
• Suicide attack targets home of security chief in Yemen's Lahej: residents
• Militant group Al Shabaab leading suspect in Somalia plane blast: U.S. government sources
• Pressure mounts on North Korea to abandon rocket launch
• Italian student missing in Egypt likely dead: Italian foreign ministry
• Lydia Ko opens season, 4 shots behind Ha Na Jang in Ocala
• Top Asian News 12:57 a.m. GMT
• U.N. halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo
• Churches offer sanctuary as U.N. criticises Australian asylum policy
• Switching plans on U.S. plutonium disposal costly, risky: study
• American midfielder Stuart Holden retires from soccer at 30
• Environmental groups sue to stop federal killings of wolves in Oregon
• APNewsbreak: Few Zika samples being shared by Brazil
• Britain pledges $1.74 bn in aid for Syria and neighbours
• Syrian government signaling aim of military, not political, solution: Kerry
• North Korea's mobile missile launcher seen moving: Japan's NHK
• After 2 days, Syrian peace talks to take a 'temporary pause'
• Number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain falls
• Architect Zaha Hadid awarded Britain's Royal Gold Medal
• Mexico actress seeks to block any arrest in Chapo case
• Syrian talks suspended as regime, Russia hit rebels hard
• PSG sets French league record with 33rd game unbeaten
• Severe weather threatens tornadoes, floods along U.S. Atlantic Coast
• Napoli and Juve win again to continue push for Serie A title
• Big-spending Newcastle stumbles again in Premier League
• Peace envoy suspends Syria talks; U.N. official blames Russian escalation
• Cespedes says staying with Mets always was his preference
• Angola rebel chief's children in court to sue 'Call of Duty' maker
• Barcelona routs Valencia 7-0 in Copa del Rey semifinals
• Use of 'dictator law' rises in Thailand as junta's reforms falter
• Australia resists pressure to allow asylum seekers to stay
• Chelsea held to 0-0 draw by Watford in Premier League
• No boost seen from giving antibiotics to starving kids
• US Zika case sparks questions about sex and mosquito germs
• Envoy suspended Syria talks over Russian escalation: U.N. official
• The Latest: 'Serial' podcast victim's family gives statement
• Mexican actress seeks injunction in possible drug lord case
• Gasquet reaches Montpellier quarterfinals as Cilic goes out
• Everton beats Newcastle 3-0 after 2 penalties from Barkley

U.N. halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:20 PM PST By John Irish and Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - A United Nations envoy halted his attempts to conduct Syrian peace talks on Wednesday after the army, backed by Russian air strikes, advanced against rebel forces north of Aleppo, choking opposition supply lines from Turkey to the city. Another senior U.N. official said the Russian escalation was the main reason for the suspension of the peace talks, which have made little progress since beginning earlier this week. Staffan de Mistura announced a three-week pause in the Geneva talks, the first attempt to negotiate an end to Syria's war in two years, saying they needed immediate help from the rival sides' international backers, principally the United States and Russia.

Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns: army Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:05 AM PST By Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and its allies have broken a three-year rebel siege of two Shi'ite towns in northwest Syria, government and rebel groups said on Wednesday, cutting off a main insurgent route to nearby Turkey. The two towns of Nubul and Zahraa, with an estimated 60,000 population, are connected to the border by areas under the control of Kurdish militias that provided them some access. Al Manar, television channel of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, joined Syria's army and state media in reporting the breakthrough, which it said came after the army moved in from towns secured in a recent offensive in northern Aleppo province.

Suicide attack targets home of security chief in Yemen's Lahej: residents Posted: 03 Feb 2016 01:25 PM PST A suicide bomber blew himself up outside the home of the security chief of the Yemeni province of Lahej on Wednesday night, killing himself and wounding seven people, residents and a security official said.

Militant group Al Shabaab leading suspect in Somalia plane blast: U.S. government sources Posted: 03 Feb 2016 01:51 PM PST By Abdi Sheikh and Mark Hosenball MOGADISHU/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Investigators suspect the Al Shabaab militant group was behind a likely bomb blast that forced an Airbus A321 into an emergency landing this week in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, U.S. government sources said Wednesday. One U.S. government source said investigators believe the Islamic militant group Al Shabaab perpetrated the attack.

Pressure mounts on North Korea to abandon rocket launch Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:35 PM PST By Jack Kim and Nobuhiro Kubo SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - International pressure grew on North Korea to call off a planned rocket launch, seen by some governments as another missile test, while Japan put its military on alert to shoot down any rocket that threatens its territory. North Korea notified United Nations agencies on Tuesday of its plan to launch what it called an "earth observation satellite" some time between Feb. 8 and 25. Pyongyang has said it has a sovereign right to pursue a space programme, although the United States and other governments suspect such rocket launches are tests of its missiles.

Italian student missing in Egypt likely dead: Italian foreign ministry Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:01 PM PST An Italian student from Britain's Cambridge University who went missing last week in Cairo is likely dead, the Italian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. It said that it was still waiting for official confirmation from Egyptian authorities about the fate of Giulio Regeni, 28, who disappeared on Jan. 25, the five-year anniversary of the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. "The Italian government had learnt of the probable tragic end to this affair," the foreign ministry said in a statement issued in Rome.

Lydia Ko opens season, 4 shots behind Ha Na Jang in Ocala Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:59 PM PST OCALA, Fla. (AP) — Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 3-under 69 on Wednesday in the Coates Golf Championship in her first round of the season, leaving her four strokes behind leader Ha Na Jang.

Top Asian News 12:57 a.m. GMT Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:57 PM PST SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea warned on Wednesday of "searing" consequences if North Korea doesn't abandon plans to launch a long-range rocket that critics call a banned test of ballistic missile technology. The South's rhetoric about unspecified harsh consequences comes less than a month after North Korea's defiant fourth nuclear test and as diplomats at the U.N. work on strong new sanctions against the North. North Korea on Tuesday informed international organizations of its plans to launch an Earth observation satellite on a rocket between Feb. 8 and 25, and if North Korea's past patterns are any clue, angry warnings by its neighbors and Washington probably won't dissuade a coming launch.

U.N. halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:47 PM PST By John Irish and Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - A United Nations envoy halted his attempts to conduct Syrian peace talks on Wednesday after the army, backed by Russian air strikes, advanced against rebel forces north of Aleppo, choking opposition supply lines from Turkey to the city. Another senior U.N. official said the Russian escalation was the main reason for the suspension of the peace talks, which have made little progress since beginning earlier this week. Staffan de Mistura announced a three-week pause in the Geneva talks, the first attempt to negotiate an end to Syria's war in two years, saying they needed immediate help from the rival sides' international backers, principally the United States and Russia.

Churches offer sanctuary as U.N. criticises Australian asylum policy Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:41 PM PST By Jane Wardell SYDNEY (Reuters) - The United Nations strongly criticised on Thursday an Australian court ruling that paves the way for the deportation of dozens of Australian-born infants to an offshore immigration camp, while church leaders offered sanctuary to asylum seekers on the list. On Wednesday, the High Court rejected a legal test case brought by an unidentified Bangladeshi woman that challenged Australia's right to deport detained asylum seekers to the tiny South Pacific island of Nauru, about 3,000 km (1,800 miles) northeast of Australia. Some 267 people who were brought from Nauru to Australia for medical treatment, including up to 80 children, are now at risk of being returned to the detention centre that houses around 500 people.

Switching plans on U.S. plutonium disposal costly, risky: study Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:36 PM PST By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Switching the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium to New Mexico from an existing South Carolina site could cost the U.S. government more than $20 billion and raise safety concerns, according to a new study commissioned by the firms building the current site. The report by High Bridge Associates, the consulting firm hired by the joint venture building the South Carolina site, is the latest of several dueling studies. Others say a shift to a New Mexico facility could save billions of dollars.

American midfielder Stuart Holden retires from soccer at 30 Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:30 PM PST CHICAGO (AP) — American midfielder Stuart Holden is retiring from soccer, unable to recover from knee injuries that have sidelined him for most of the past four years.

Environmental groups sue to stop federal killings of wolves in Oregon Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:27 PM PST By Courtney Sherwood PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Environmentalists sued a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday in a bid to block federal agents from carrying out targeted killings of gray wolves in Oregon, as debates simmers over protections afforded the animals in the wild. The lawsuit against the USDA's Wildlife Services agency came two months after a U.S. judge in neighboring Washington state ruled that the federal agency's environmental assessment of its work was inadequate, and blocked wolf kills in the state. "The environmental analysis they put out for both Washington and Oregon were virtually identical, which is part of the reason we don't think they did a meaningful analysis in Oregon," said Nick Cady, legal director of Cascadia Wildlands, one of five groups suing to block the wolf-culling program.

APNewsbreak: Few Zika samples being shared by Brazil Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:24 PM PST RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — U.N. and U.S. health officials tell The Associated Press that Brazil has yet to share enough samples and disease data needed to answer the most worrying question about the Zika outbreak: whether the virus is actually responsible for the increase in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads in Brazil.

Britain pledges $1.74 bn in aid for Syria and neighbours Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:23 PM PST "More money is needed to tackle this crisis and it is needed now," Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement announcing the pledge, which will fund education, jobs and humanitarian relief in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The promise amounts to an extra £1.2 billion, to be spent between 2016 and 2020, to address "the world's biggest humanitarian crisis", Cameron's office said.

Syrian government signaling aim of military, not political, solution: Kerry Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:15 PM PST Continued attacks by Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air strikes, against opposition-held areas signal their intention to pursue a military rather than a political solution to the Syrian conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday. In a statement, Kerry called on the Syrian government and its supporters to halt bombardment of opposition-held areas, especially in Aleppo, and end sieges of civilians in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution, the State Department said in a statement. "It is past time for them to meet existing obligations and restore the international community's confidence in their intentions of supporting a peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis," Kerry said.

North Korea's mobile missile launcher seen moving: Japan's NHK Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:12 PM PST North Korea's mobile missile launcher, carrying a ballistic missile, has been seen moving near the east coast and activity has also been seen at a long-range rocket launch pad on the west coast, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday. International pressure has grown on North Korea to call off a planned rocket launch, seen by some governments as another missile test, since Pyongyang told U.N. agencies this week it would launch what it called an "earth observation satellite". Japan has put its military on alert to shoot down any rocket that threatens its territory.

After 2 days, Syrian peace talks to take a 'temporary pause' Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:05 PM PST GENEVA (AP) — The peace talks in the Syrian civil war are taking a break. The fighting is not.

Number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain falls Posted: 03 Feb 2016 04:04 PM PST The number of anti-Semitic incidents reported in Britain dropped by a fifth last year, although the figure was still the third-highest on record, a Jewish advisory body said on Thursday. The Community Security Trust (CST), which advises Britain's estimated 260,000 Jews on security matters, said there were 924 incidents during 2015, including 86 violent assaults. The overall figure was a 22 percent reduction from the 1,168 anti-Semitic incidents in 2014, a record level which the CST had attributed to a reaction to fighting in the Middle East involving Israeli forces and Palestinians.

Architect Zaha Hadid awarded Britain's Royal Gold Medal Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:56 PM PST Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid was awarded Britain's Royal Gold Medal on Wednesday, becoming the first individual woman to win the award. Known for works including the Guangzhou Opera House in China and the London Aquatics Centre, Hadid was presented the medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects after her selection was personally approved by Queen Elizabeth II. "I am very proud to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal, in particular, to be the first woman to receive the honour in her own right," Hadid said.

Mexico actress seeks to block any arrest in Chapo case Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:49 PM PST Mexican-American actress Kate del Castillo is seeking an injunction to block any attempts to arrest her over an investigation into her links to drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Del Castillo has been in the spotlight since it was revealed that she arranged a meeting between Guzman and US actor Sean Penn in October, six months before the Sinaloa drug cartel leader's capture. The judicial council disclosed on Wednesday that the actress filed a petition in a Mexico City court last week to prevent any potential arrest.

Syrian talks suspended as regime, Russia hit rebels hard Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:39 PM PST Talks aimed at securing peace in Syria were suspended Wednesday as President Bashar al-Assad's regime secured a major battlefield victory against rebels and his ally Russia vowed no-let up in air strikes. The United States and France condemned the Russian bombing around Syria's second city of Aleppo, with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius accusing the government and its backers of "torpedoing the peace efforts". After failing over several days to get peace negotiations off the ground in Geneva, UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura announced a suspension of the talks.

PSG sets French league record with 33rd game unbeaten Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:35 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored again as Paris Saint-Germain beat Lorient 3-1 to set a new French league record of 33 consecutive games unbeaten on Wednesday.

Severe weather threatens tornadoes, floods along U.S. Atlantic Coast Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:29 PM PST By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - A handful of tornadoes were spotted in the U.S. Southeast on Wednesday as a storm system brought high winds, rain and threats of flooding to the East Coast, according to the National Weather Service. Tornadoes were suspected or confirmed in Georgia and South Carolina about 5:30 p.m. ET, according to national and local weather officials. Rough threatened to delay flights and slow commutes along the East Coast as the severe weather was expected to last at least through the Wednesday evening commute, Accuweather.com forecasters said.

Napoli and Juve win again to continue push for Serie A title Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:29 PM PST MILAN (AP) — Napoli and Juventus delivered club record winning streaks to maintain their Serie A title challenges on Wednesday, while Hellas Verona finally recorded its first victory of the season.

Big-spending Newcastle stumbles again in Premier League Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:19 PM PST Newcastle was among the top spenders in Europe in the winter transfer window in a last-gasp bid to escape relegation from the lucrative English Premier League.

Peace envoy suspends Syria talks; U.N. official blames Russian escalation Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:13 PM PST By John Irish and Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks being mediated by the United Nations to end the war in Syria are on hold, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said on Wednesday, while another official at the United Nations blamed the suspension on Russia's latest military escalation. "I have indicated from the first day that I won't talk for the sake of talking." He was speaking after meeting opposition coordinator Riad Hijab, who had just arrived in Geneva. A senior U.N. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that de Mistura called a halt to the talks after Russia increased air strikes to help the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, undermining the negotiating process.

Cespedes says staying with Mets always was his preference Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:13 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Yoenis Cespdes says he chose happiness over more dollars.

Angola rebel chief's children in court to sue 'Call of Duty' maker Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:11 PM PST The children of slain Angolan rebel chief Jonas Savimbi urged a French court on Wednesday to punish the makers of the wildly popular video game "Call of Duty" for representing their father as a "barbarian". Savimbi's son Cheya, 42, told the court in Nanterre, just outside Paris, that he wanted to "rehabilitate the memory and image" of his father, who led a brutal 27-year war against the government in Luanda. Call of Duty, the world's best-selling video game last year, puts the player in the role of a shooter, and often features characters based on historical and political figures.

Barcelona routs Valencia 7-0 in Copa del Rey semifinals Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:09 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Luis Suarez scored four goals and Lionel Messi a hat trick as Barcelona defeated 10-man Valencia 7-0 on Wednesday to move into position to reach the Copa del Rey final for the third straight season.

Use of 'dictator law' rises in Thailand as junta's reforms falter Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:02 PM PST By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Andrew R.C. Marshall BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha is relying increasingly on a security measure dubbed "the dictator's law" to push through unpopular policies and kickstart stalled reforms, say critics, who warn it could spark further opposition to military rule. Prime Minister Prayuth has used the measure, known as Article 44, to fast-track projects ranging from power stations to special economic zones, often over the objections of activists and some members of the public. Prayuth has used Article 44 more than 50 times since seizing power in a 2014 military coup, and increasingly so since the middle of last year, said Narongsak Niamsorn of iLaw, a Bangkok-based legal monitoring group.

Australia resists pressure to allow asylum seekers to stay Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:58 PM PST CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia was resisting mounting international pressure not to deport child asylum seekers, with a minister warning on Thursday that allowing them to stay could attract more refugees to come by boat.

Chelsea held to 0-0 draw by Watford in Premier League Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:58 PM PST WATFORD, England (AP) — Chelsea failed to turn sustained late pressure into a goal in a 0-0 draw at Watford in the English Premier League on Wednesday.

No boost seen from giving antibiotics to starving kids Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:56 PM PST Children who suffer from severe malnutrition are routinely given antibiotics as part of their medical treatment, but a study Wednesday found the practice offered no boost to their nutritional recovery. "Our results from Niger were surprising, as they challenge the current WHO recommendations and a recent well-conducted trial from Malawi," said lead author Sheila Isanaka, assistant professor of nutrition at Harvard University. The study in Niger involved nearly 2,400 children, aged six months to five years, who were suffering severe acute malnutrition.

US Zika case sparks questions about sex and mosquito germs Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:54 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — A sexually transmitted case of Zika in Texas has scientists scrambling to understand how much of a risk infection through sex is for the usually mosquito-spread illness.

Envoy suspended Syria talks over Russian escalation: U.N. official Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:52 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Syria peace mediator Staffan de Mistura suspended peace talks between the government and rebels due to the Russian military escalation, which is aimed at humiliating the opposition, a senior U.N. official said on Wednesday. "I think the special envoy decided to suspend the talks because the organization did not want to be associated with the Russian escalation in Syria, which risks undermining the talks completely," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. De Mistura halted until Feb. ...

The Latest: 'Serial' podcast victim's family gives statement Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:52 PM PST BALTIMORE (AP) — The Latest on a hearing for a convicted murderer seeking a new trial in a case that was examined in the podcast "Serial." (all times local):

Mexican actress seeks injunction in possible drug lord case Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:51 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Actress Kate del Castillo has filed a petition seeking an injunction against any arrest related to Mexico's investigation of her relationship with detained drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, a court official confirmed Wednesday.

Gasquet reaches Montpellier quarterfinals as Cilic goes out Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:48 PM PST MONTPELLIER, France (AP) — Top seed Richard Gasquet comfortably reached the quarterfinals of the Open Sud de France by beating Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-4, 6-4, while second-seeded Marin Cilic went out to lowly ranked Alexander Zverev 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) on Wednesday.

Everton beats Newcastle 3-0 after 2 penalties from Barkley Posted: 03 Feb 2016 02:47 PM PST LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Ross Barkley marked his 100th appearance in the English Premier League by converting two late penalties to complete Everton's 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Newcastle on Wednesday.

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