Yahoo! News: World News

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• Prosecutors open probes as world's wealthy deny 'Panama Papers' links
• Migrants sent back from Greece arrive in Turkey under EU deal
• U.S. think tank sees suspicious activity at North Korea nuclear site
• Islamic state militants use mustard gas in attack on Deir Zor airport: Syrian state TV
• Afghan forces' retreat in Helmand should help battle Taliban: minister
• U.S. Navy says it seized weapons from Iran likely bound for Houthis in Yemen
• Singapore man charged with illegal exports to Iran
• Brazil impeachment battle rests on a handful of votes
• Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark enters race to lead UN
• Top Asian News 11:26 p.m. GMT
• Family deny alleged Messi involvement in tax scheme
• Treasury Department sets its sights against inversions
• India sacks some foreign-funded consultants; health programs may suffer
• Levante and Sporting Gijon draw, stay in relegation zone
• Thousands protest as Panama Papers put pressure on Iceland PM
• Sporting stays close to Benfica in Portugal
• Olympic champions will receive more than a gold medal in Rio
• McIlroy ace sparks Masters roar as Grand Slam bid looms
• 'Batman v Superman' flies high at top of box office
• Threats of terrorism, migration will worsen without greater action, warns forum
• Just 10 percent of world military spending could knock off poverty: think tank
• Man gets 13 years in prison in drugs and dirty bomb case
• Military spending rises again in 2015
• Thousands flee gunbattles in Congo capital after disputed polls
• Ex-New Zealand leader Clark announces bid for top UN post
• Argentina's Macri denies wrongdoing at 'Panama Papers' offshore firm
• American soprano Tamara Wilson wins singers' Heisman Trophy
• European stocks rise on labor data; US stocks dip
• Big 3 of best without a major hope to change that at Masters
• Pressure mounts on Iceland government over PM scandal
• Panama lawyer at center of data leak denounces attack on privacy
• Brazil attorney general challenges impeachment proceedings
• Turkish Cypriot coalition to resign
• US says Iran forces pulling back in Syria; others say no
• US website: Steam seen at North Korea nuke reprocessing lab

Prosecutors open probes as world's wealthy deny 'Panama Papers' links Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:20 PM PDT By Kylie MacLellan and Elida Moreno LONDON/PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Governments across the world began investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful on Monday after a leak of four decades of documents from a Panamanian law firm that specialized in setting up offshore companies. The "Panama Papers" revealed financial arrangements of politicians and public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. While holding money in offshore companies is not illegal, journalists who received the leaked documents said they could provide evidence of wealth hidden for tax evasion, money laundering, sanctions busting, drug deals or other crimes.

Migrants sent back from Greece arrive in Turkey under EU deal Posted: 04 Apr 2016 08:47 AM PDT By Dasha Afanasieva and Karolina Tagaris DIKILI, Turkey/LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - The first migrants deported from Greek islands under a disputed EU-Turkey deal were shipped back to Turkey on Monday in a drive to shut down the main route used by more than a million people fleeing war and poverty to reach Europe in the last year. Under a pact criticized by refugee agencies and human rights campaigners, Ankara will take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean to enter Greece illegally, including Syrians. In return, the European Union will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations.

U.S. think tank sees suspicious activity at North Korea nuclear site Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:02 PM PDT Recent satellite images have shown "suspicious" activity at North Korea's main nuclear site at Yongbyon, which could mean reprocessing is under way to produce more plutonium for atomic bombs, a report published by a U.S. research institute said on Monday. The report on the 38 North website said that in the past five weeks, exhaust plumes had been detected on two or three occasions from the thermal plant at Yongbyon's Radiochemical Laboratory, the site's main reprocessing installation to produce plutonium. "Whether that activity ... means reprocessing additional plutonium is underway or will be in the near future remains unclear," it said.

Islamic state militants use mustard gas in attack on Deir Zor airport: Syrian state TV Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:02 PM PDT Islamic State militants attacked Syrian army troops with mustard gas in an offensive against a Syrian military airport in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor that borders Iraq, state media said on late Monday. Syrian state media did not disclose how many casualties were sustained in the latest drive by the hardline fundamentalist Sunni militants to capture the heavily defended airport located south of Deir al Zor city, whose main neighborhoods are under the militants control.

Afghan forces' retreat in Helmand should help battle Taliban: minister Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:04 PM PDT By Mohammad Stanekzai and James Mackenzie LASHKAR GAH/SORAB, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The surprise withdrawal of Afghan forces from parts of Helmand province may leave large areas under Taliban control, but it should bolster the defenses of the volatile southern region, the country's top defense official said. Acting Defence Minister Masoom Stanekzai said it made little sense to spread forces across sparsely populated districts like Musa Qala and Naw Zad, where government troops pulled out in February. There was a lot of pressure in different parts of Helmand," he told Reuters in Helmand, where he met local tribal elders and commanders of the Afghan army's 215th Corps last week.

U.S. Navy says it seized weapons from Iran likely bound for Houthis in Yemen Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:06 PM PDT U.S. Navy ships in the Arabian Sea intercepted and seized an arms shipment from Iran likely bound for Houthi fighters in Yemen, the military said in a statement on Monday. "This seizure is the latest in a string of illicit weapons shipments assessed by the U.S. to have originated in Iran that were seized in the region by naval forces," the military said in the statement. It cited a Feb. 27 incident in which the Australian Navy intercepted a dhow in late February and confiscated nearly 2,000 AK-47s, 100 RPG launchers, and other weapons.

Singapore man charged with illegal exports to Iran Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:41 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A Singapore man accused of helping to export technology to Iran that was later found in undetonated improvised explosive devices has been extradited to the United States to face charges, the Justice Department said Monday.

Brazil impeachment battle rests on a handful of votes Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:35 PM PDT By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - With neither side commanding enough firm support in the battle to impeach Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, the outcome of a crucial vote in Congress this month may boil down to a handful of no-shows and abstentions. Brazil's lower house is due to vote within two weeks on a committee report about whether Rousseff, the country's first female president, broke fiscal laws to secure her 2014 re-election. With her allies wavering following mass protests against her scandal-hit government, Rousseff risks losing the impeachment vote in the 513-seat lower house.

Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark enters race to lead UN Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:35 PM PDT New Zealand's former prime minister Helen Clark on Monday entered the race to be the next UN secretary-general, touting her decades of leadership as she aims to become the first woman to head the world body. The search for a successor to Ban Ki-moon comes at a time of high anxiety in global affairs as the United Nations grapples with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II and raging conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. "I am putting myself forward based on proven leadership experience over close to three decades, both in my own country and here at the United Nations," Clark told AFP in an interview, ending months of speculation.

Top Asian News 11:26 p.m. GMT Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:26 PM PDT FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A leak of 11.5 million documents from a Panama-based law firm offers a glimpse into the shadowy world where the rich and powerful hide their money, raising sharp questions about the use of shell companies that obscure the identities of their true owners. Leaders of the Group of 20 — representing about 80 percent of the global economy — have vowed to crack down on the practice, which is blamed for helping conceal money laundering, corruption and tax evasion. By themselves, shell companies aren't illegal. Countries have tightened rules on using them — but not enough to satisfy anti-corruption activists.

Family deny alleged Messi involvement in tax scheme Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:20 PM PDT Barcelona forward Lionel Messi's family have denied Spanish media reports that arose following the leak of the 'Panama papers' that said he was involved in a tax evasion scheme. The so-called 'Panama papers' revealed the financial arrangements of global political and public figures. While holding money in offshore companies is not illegal, Messi, 28, was on Sunday accused by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial of creating a company with the aim of evading tax.

Treasury Department sets its sights against inversions Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:19 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department announced a new package of rules Monday aimed at making "tax inversions" — when U.S. companies move abroad for lower tax rates — less financially appealing.

India sacks some foreign-funded consultants; health programs may suffer Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:09 PM PDT By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is firing dozens of foreign-funded health experts working inside the government, seen as part of a broader clampdown to reduce the influence of non-government organizations (NGOs) on policy. A shortage of technical experts has for years forced India to turn to the World Health Organization (WHO) and aid groups like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to manage large-scale public health schemes. Of the nearly 140 people who run India's HIV/AIDS program, 112 are consultants seconded from foreign organizations.

Levante and Sporting Gijon draw, stay in relegation zone Posted: 04 Apr 2016 04:06 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Levante and Sporting Gijon played to a 0-0 draw in the Spanish league on Monday, a result that kept both clubs in the relegation zone.

Thousands protest as Panama Papers put pressure on Iceland PM Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:59 PM PDT Iceland's prime minister is in the hot seat after the leaked "Panama Papers" sparked allegations that he and his wife used an offshore firm to hide million-dollar investments, with thousands taking to the streets demanding he quit. Huge crowds poured into the square outside parliament in Reykjavik late Monday calling for Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to step down over financial records showing that he and his wife bought a company in the British Virgin Islands in 2007. The issue is particularly sensitive in Iceland, a country marked by the excesses of the 2000s when senior bankers used shell companies in tax havens to conceal their dealings in risky financial products.

Sporting stays close to Benfica in Portugal Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:58 PM PDT LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Islam Slimani and Teo Gutierrez scored a pair of goals each as Sporting Lisbon defeated Belenenses 5-2 Monday to stay close to Portuguese leader Benfica, while Porto fell further behind after a shock 1-0 home loss to last-place Tondela.

Olympic champions will receive more than a gold medal in Rio Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:58 PM PDT AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — When golf returns to the Olympics in Rio, the winners will receive more than a gold medal.

McIlroy ace sparks Masters roar as Grand Slam bid looms Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:53 PM PDT Rory McIlroy didn't let the Masters field finish Monday's opening practice day before sending the message that he will contend to complete a career Grand Slam this week at Augusta National. "I don't think I've ever heard a roar that loud in a practice round," McIlroy said. McIlroy is trying to win the Masters to become sixth player to complete a career Grand Slam, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.

'Batman v Superman' flies high at top of box office Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:50 PM PDT Los Angeles (AFP) - "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" leaped to the top of the box office for a second straight week, although with greatly diminished ticket sales, industry figures showed Monday.

Threats of terrorism, migration will worsen without greater action, warns forum Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:38 PM PDT By Belinda Goldsmith STOCKHOLM (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The threat of terrorism and global migration will grow worse in both rich and poor nations without greater worldwide cooperation to tackle the root causes of poverty and extremism, leaders of an international forum on peace building said on Tuesday. The Swedish co-chair of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) said recent violent extremism - such as the attacks in Paris and Brussels - coupled with mass migration present major challenges to all nations. Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation Isabella Lövin called for all nations to speed up and scale up efforts to tackle the causes of conflict and achieve a global goal to end extreme poverty by 2030.

Just 10 percent of world military spending could knock off poverty: think tank Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:38 PM PDT By Belinda Goldsmith STOCKHOLM (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - World military spending rose 1 percent in 2015, the first annual increase in four years, a Stockholm think tank said on Tuesday as it estimated 10 percent of this could cover the costs of global goals aiming to end poverty and hunger in 15 years. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said military expenditure nudged up to almost $1.7 trillion last year, with the United States accounting for by far the greatest amount despite its spending dipping 2.4 percent to $596 billion. SIPRI said military expenditure amounted to 2.3 percent of global gross domestic product - and 10 percent of this would be enough to fund the global goals agreed upon by United Nations' 193 member states in September to end poverty and hunger by 2030.

Man gets 13 years in prison in drugs and dirty bomb case Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:36 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A Colombian man who had a role in what prosecutors said were efforts to transport drugs and help a terror group obtain weapons to build a dirty bomb to attack Americans was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison.

Military spending rises again in 2015 Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:35 PM PDT For the full-year 2015, world military spending totalled $1.67 trillion, a rise of one percent from the previous year. The increase was attributed primarily to more expenditure in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East, while the decline in spending in the West was levelling off, SIPRI said. Washington's military spending budget of $596 billion was down by 2.4 percent from the previous year, a smaller decline than in recent years.

Thousands flee gunbattles in Congo capital after disputed polls Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:29 PM PDT Thousands fled fighting in Congo's capital Brazzaville on Monday as the government blamed hours of heavy clashes in opposition bastions on a rebel group known as "The Ninjas". There was no official toll from what the government called "a terrorist action", as it said it was investigating whether the assailants were linked to opposition leaders contesting President Denis Sassou Nguesso's re-election last month. Late Monday, Congo's constitutional court confirmed the March 20 election victory of the former paratrooper colonel, who has ruled the country for more than 32 years despite accusations from critics of rampant corruption and nepotism.

Ex-New Zealand leader Clark announces bid for top UN post Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:27 PM PDT WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Former New Zealand Prime Minister and senior United Nations official Helen Clark has announced she is running for the top position at the U.N. with the backing of the New Zealand government.

Argentina's Macri denies wrongdoing at 'Panama Papers' offshore firm Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:22 PM PDT By Sarah Marsh BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - President Mauricio Macri, who won last year's election in Argentina partly on promises to fight corruption, on Monday denied any wrongdoing in his connection with an offshore company in the Bahamas which emerged in a leak of documents. Macri was among the tens of thousands of rich and powerful people named in the leak of four decades worth of documents from Mossack Fonseca, a law firm based in the tax haven of Panama which specializes in setting up offshore companies. The "Panama Papers" showed that he moonlit as director of Fleg Trading Ltd, which was founded in 1998 and dissolved in January 2009.

American soprano Tamara Wilson wins singers' Heisman Trophy Posted: 04 Apr 2016 03:05 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Soprano Tamara Wilson has won the award dubbed the Heisman Trophy for singers.

European stocks rise on labor data; US stocks dip Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:54 PM PDT New York (AFP) - European stocks finished modestly higher Monday on improving labor-market data, while US stocks were hit by a slide in oil prices late in the day.

Big 3 of best without a major hope to change that at Masters Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:51 PM PDT AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The modern "Big Three" have won five of the last six majors going into the Masters.

Pressure mounts on Iceland government over PM scandal Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:48 PM PDT Iceland's opposition filed a motion of no confidence in the prime minister and protesters gathered outside parliament on Monday after the Panama Papers showed his wife owned an offshore company with big claims on the country's collapsed banks. The allegations in the leaks released globally over the weekend first surfaced in Iceland last month.

Panama lawyer at center of data leak denounces attack on privacy Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:48 PM PDT By Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The head of a Panama-based law firm at the center of a massive leak of offshore financial data on Sunday denied any wrongdoing, and said his firm has fallen victim to "an international campaign against privacy". German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung said it received a cache of 11.5 million leaked documents from the law firm's database, and shared them with more than 100 other international news outlets as well as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). Ramon Fonseca, the director of Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, specialized in setting up offshore companies, said in a telephone interview with Reuters that his firm had suffered a successful but "limited" hack.

Brazil attorney general challenges impeachment proceedings Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:47 PM PDT RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's attorney general on Monday blasted impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff as illegal, calling them no more than an attempted coup motivated by a thirst for vengeance by foes of the unpopular leader.

Turkish Cypriot coalition to resign Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:42 PM PDT The ruling coalition in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) collapsed Monday, paving the way for its resignation at a time when talks over the island's reunification have been making progress. Prime Minister Omer Kalyoncu is set to officially hand in his government's resignation to President Mustafa Akinci on Tuesday morning, said Mehmet Ali Talat, head of the ruling Republican Turkish Party (CTP). The government, which is recognised only by Turkey, collapsed after ministers from the CTP's coalition partner the National Unity Party (UBP) withdrew in protest at the cash-strapped statelet's economic policy.

US says Iran forces pulling back in Syria; others say no Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:38 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is making the case that Iran is drawing down its elite fighting force from Syria in an effort to allay fears that Tehran is using its powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria to strengthen its influence across the Middle East. Yet the Iranian government said Monday it has dispatched commandos to the war and it is still taking high-ranking casualties.

US website: Steam seen at North Korea nuke reprocessing lab Posted: 04 Apr 2016 02:32 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Satellite imagery indicates activity at a North Korean laboratory that could separate plutonium for nuclear weapons, a U.S. website that monitors sensitive sites in the isolated country said Monday.

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