| Brussels bombers had planned to attack France again: prosecutors Posted: 10 Apr 2016 07:04 AM PDT  By Robert-Jan Bartunek BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The militant cell behind bombings in Brussels had been plotting to hit France again after carrying out the Paris attacks in November, but was forced to strike closer to home as police closed in, Belgian prosecutors said on Sunday. Investigations into the Islamic State attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people, showed that many of the perpetrators lived in Belgium, including surviving suspects who managed to evade police for more than four months. Prime suspect Salah Abdeslam was arrested on March 18 in the Belgian capital.
|
| Syrian PM says Russia to back new Aleppo attack; opposition says truce near collapse Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:31 PM PDT  By Tom Perry and Vladimir Soldatkin BEIRUT/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian air force and Syrian military are preparing a joint operation to take Aleppo from rebels, the Syrian prime minister was quoted saying on Sunday, and an opposition official said a ceasefire was on the verge of collapse. With a U.N. envoy due in Damascus in a bid to advance struggling diplomatic efforts, the "cessation of hostilities agreement" brokered by Russia and the United States came under new strain as government and rebel forces fought near Aleppo. The fighting south of Aleppo marks the most significant challenge yet to the deal.
|
| Hit by Panama row, UK's Cameron announces new tax evasion law in 2016 Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:12 PM PDT  British Prime Minister David Cameron will say on Monday that new legislation making companies criminally liable if employees aid tax evasion will be introduced this year, as he seeks to repair the damage from a week of questions about his personal finances. Cameron published tax records on Sunday to try and defuse criticism over his handling of the fallout from the Panama Papers, in which his late father was mentioned for setting up an offshore fund. After four carefully worded statements in four days, Cameron bowed to pressure and admitted that he had benefited from selling his share in his father's fund in 2010.
|
| Warring Yemen sides begin truce, warn against violations Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:51 PM PDT  By Mohammed Ghobari and Sylvia Westall CAIRO/DUBAI (Reuters) - Rival sides in Yemen's year-long conflict began a tentative truce overnight on Sunday saying they were committed to the halt in hostilities despite pockets of deadly fighting in the hours leading up to it. The conflict between the Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and its Houthi rebel enemies has killed more than 6,200 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis in one of the Arab world's poorest countries. "But if there is any violation of this ceasefire, we will have the right to retaliate, to assess the situation at that time and take whatever steps are necessary to stop these violations," Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asiri said by telephone.
|
| UK's Cameron urged to submit to lawmakers' questions on Brexit Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:10 PM PDT  A senior British lawmaker said on Monday that Prime Minister David Cameron should appear before a parliamentary committee to answer questions about the European Union ahead of a June 23 referendum on whether Britain should remain in the bloc. Cameron is campaigning for Britain to stay in, but his Conservative Party is split on the issue, with several cabinet ministers having defected to the "out" camp, and opinion polls suggest the result could be very tight. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of parliament's Liaison Committee, said in a statement he was "surprised and disappointed" that Cameron had refused to appear before June 23.
|
| Ukrainian PM Yatseniuk resigns, paving way for new government Posted: 10 Apr 2016 09:39 AM PDT  Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk tendered his resignation on Sunday, paving the way for Western-backed coalition parties to nominate an ally of President Petro Poroshenko to try to form a more stable government. Yatseniuk survived a no-confidence motion in February, but political infighting and graft scandals have fractured the ruling coalition and further delayed the disbursement of aid under a $17.5 billion International Monetary Fund bailout program. The self-described "kamikaze" prime minister came to office in 2014 determined to pass stringent economic reforms, but his public support has slumped into the low single digits, partly on the perception that his government has not done enough to hold oligarchs to account.
|
| Canada's Brad Fritsch wins first Web.com Tour title Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:30 PM PDT CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) — Canada's Brad Fritsch won the Servientrega Championship on Sunday for his first Web.com Tour title, beating Ollie Schniederjans with a par on the first hole of a playoff. |
| Argentina's Juan Monaco wins US Men's Clay Court Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:25 PM PDT HOUSTON (AP) — Argentina's Juan Monaco took advantage of defending champion Jack Sock's aching shoulder and leg cramps to rally for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory Sunday, winning his second U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship nine months after major wrist surgery. |
| Willett wins the Masters after shocking Spieth collapse Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:17 PM PDT  AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Danny Willett in a green jacket was hard to believe considering he wasn't even sure he could play the Masters two weeks ago.
|
| UK to criminalise firms whose staff abet tax evasion Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:15 PM PDT  British Prime Minister David Cameron was on Monday to announce plans to make companies liable for staff facilitating tax evasion, in his first parliamentary appearance since the Panama Papers triggered a row over his own tax affairs. Cameron was to tell MPs that he is bringing forward proposals to criminalise firms whose employees abet tax crimes in the wake of the so-called "Panama Papers" leaks that exposed how the wealthy stash their money in offshore havens. The measure should be written into law this year, according to a press release from his Downing Street Office.
|
| Porto's title challenge almost over with 2nd straight loss Posted: 10 Apr 2016 04:06 PM PDT LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Porto lost 1-0 at Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday for its second straight defeat, virtually ruling out a title challenge to Portuguese league leader Benfica. |
| Peru exit polls point to presidential runoff with Fujimori Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:55 PM PDT LIMA (Reuters) - Center-right candidate Keiko Fujimori likely won the first round of Peru's presidential election on Sunday and looked set to face either investor favorite Pedro Pablo Kuczynski or leftist Veronika Mendoza in a June 5 run-off, three exit polls showed. Ipsos gave Fujimori 37.8 percent of valid votes, Kuczynski 20.9 percent, and Mendoza 20.3 percent. GFK had similar results, while CPI gave Kuczynski a slightly better advantage, with 19.7 percent to Mendoza's 18.8 percent. (Reporting by Peru Newsroom; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) |
| Fan trouble temporarily halts Palermo match in each half Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:51 PM PDT  PALERMO, Sicily (AP) — Palermo fans threw fireworks and halted their Serie A match against Lazio in each half on Sunday.
|
| Officials: Group that hit Brussels planned 2nd France attack Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:48 PM PDT  BRUSSELS (AP) — The extremists who struck Brussels last month and killed 32 people initially planned to launch a second assault on France in the wake of the November attacks in Paris, authorities said Sunday.
|
| Saudi-led coalition says it will adhere to Yemen cease-fire Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:39 PM PDT  SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The Saudi-led coalition that has been bombing Yemen's Houthi rebels for more than a year said it will adhere to a cease-fire that took effect just before midnight Sunday, and the rebels also pledged to halt hostilities.
|
| Warring sides pledge support as Yemen truce begins Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:36 PM PDT  All sides in Yemen's year-long war pledged to honour a UN-brokered ceasefire which took effect at midnight Sunday, adding to cautious optimism ahead of new talks to reach a lasting peace deal. Fighting over the past year has killed thousands, displaced 2.4 million, and drawn in Yemen's neighbours. The chief of staff of forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi confirmed "the ceasefire has taken effect" at 2100 GMT.
|
| Marquez wins 4th consecutive Grand Prix of the Americas Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:17 PM PDT  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Spanish conqueror dominated Texas once again.
|
| South Korean OF Kim plays in first major league game Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:07 PM PDT  BALTIMORE (AP) — The wait was worth it for South Korean outfielder Hyun Soo Kim.
|
| UK's Cameron releases tax records to calm Panama Papers storm Posted: 10 Apr 2016 03:01 PM PDT  By Estelle Shirbon and Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron took the unusual step on Sunday of publishing his tax records to try to end days of questions about his personal wealth raised by the mention of his late father's offshore fund in the Panama Papers. Cameron's initial reluctance to admit he had benefited from the fund caused a furor, compounding his problems when he faces a huge political fight to persuade Britons to vote to stay in the European Union in a June 23 referendum. The EU issue has split his Conservative Party, while the government has also been going through a tough patch over a senior minister's resignation, a u-turn on welfare cuts and accusations it is failing to protect Britain's steel industry.
|
| Austria to stay tough on migrants: new interior minister Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:49 PM PDT  Austria's new Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said on Sunday he would stick to the hardline stance on migrants pushed by his predecessor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Mikl-Leitner is set to take over Sobotka's current position as acting regional governor in her home state of Lower Austria. "In a few days I will leave the republic's toughest job behind me and start the most beautiful role in Austria," Mikl-Leitner said.
|
| Colombian soccer players sit down to protest daytime games Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:43 PM PDT BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Soccer players in Colombia sat down on the field to protest a decision to play matches during the day to help the government stave off an energy crisis. |
| Polish right questions presidential jet crash six years on Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:31 PM PDT  Poland marked the sixth anniversary Sunday of the jet crash that killed then president Lech Kaczynski amid louder-than-ever claims it was no accident -- fuelled by his twin brother's party winning power last year. "The previous government is responsible for this tragedy, at least morally," Jaroslaw Kaczynski told tens of thousands of Poles gathered outside the presidential palace on Sunday. The surviving twin heads the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that won October elections, enabling it to revive a probe into the 2010 air crash in Russia that also killed 95 others.
|
| Exit polls say Peru's presidential race heading to runoff Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:26 PM PDT  LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvians cast ballots for a new president Sunday, and exit polls pointed to the daughter of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori emerging with the most votes, though not the simple majority needed to avoid a runoff election.
|
| Monaco loses 4-1 away to improving Lille in French league Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:24 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Monaco fell behind Lyon on goal difference in a tight race for second place in the French league after a crushing 4-1 loss at improving Lille. |
| Napoli bounces back vs Verona; fan trouble in Sicily Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:18 PM PDT  MILAN (AP) — Napoli bounced back from a week of turmoil to beat 10-man Hellas Verona 3-0 on Sunday in Serie A to restore some much-needed confidence to the team.
|
| Brazil capital ramps up security for impeachment vote Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:05 PM PDT  Brasília (AFP) - Workers erected barricades Sunday along Brasilia's Esplanade of Ministries to separate supporters and opponents of President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment, on the eve of a crucial vote on her political fate. A congressional commission preparing to recommend whether or not to impeach Rousseff resumes deliberations Monday, with a vote scheduled for 5:00 pm (2000 GMT), and authorities are taking no chances in the build-up to a subsequent vote by the lower house of Congress next weekend. Rousseff is accused of breaking the law by juggling government accounts to disguise the depth of budget shortfalls during her 2014 re-election.
|
| Germany suggests plan to combat tax havens Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:03 PM PDT German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble gave details of a plan on Sunday to combat tax havens including creating an international network of registers that list the actual owners of companies. A huge leak of documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca has shown how offshore firms are used to stash the wealth of the rich and powerful, embarrassing several world leaders. Germany made closer international cooperation on tax evasion a priority during its presidency of the G7 economic powers in 2014/15. |
| Leicester qualifies for Champions League for 1st time Posted: 10 Apr 2016 02:03 PM PDT  SUNDERLAND, England (AP) — Leicester qualified for the Champions League for the first time on Sunday and moved closer to the Premier League title with a 2-0 win at struggling Sunderland.
|
| Hundreds hurt as migrants confront Macedonian border police Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:48 PM PDT  IDOMENI, Greece (AP) — Migrants waged running battles with Macedonian police Sunday after they were stopped from scaling the border fence with Greece near the border town of Idomeni, and aid agencies reported that hundreds of stranded travelers were injured.
|
| Sanders seeks more 'balanced' US Middle East policy Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:47 PM PDT  Washington (AFP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders called Sunday for a more balanced US Mideast policy, describing Israel's actions in the 2014 Gaza war as "disproportionate."
|
| Ukraine's embattled prime minister resigns Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:43 PM PDT  MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Ukraine's embattled prime minister announced Sunday that he is resigning, opening the way for the formation of a new government to end a drawn-out political crisis.
|
| Valencia salvages 2-1 win over Sevilla in Spanish league Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:41 PM PDT MADRID (AP) — Substitute striker Alvaro Negredo scored in second-half injury time to give Valencia a dramatic 2-1 win over Sevilla in the Spanish league on Sunday, helping his team move farther away from the relegation zone. |
| American Stephens wins Volvo Car Open, beats Vesnina Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT  CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Sloane Stephens invited a friend to come watch her play at the Volvo Car Open.
|
| Madagascar appoints new PM in bid to end political turmoil Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:36 PM PDT  Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina on Sunday appointed a new prime minister, two days after the island nation was plunged into confusion when the previous premier denied having stepped down. The new head of government was named as current interior minister Olivier Solonandrasana, according to a statement read out by Roger Ralala, secretary general of the presidency. The development comes after the presidency on Friday announced the resignation of Prime Minister Jean Ravelonarivo following weeks of political conflict, only for Ravelonarivo to swiftly deny the claim.
|
| Burj Khalifa builder plans taller viewing tower Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:29 PM PDT  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai is reaching for the sky once again, with the developer of the world's tallest building vowing Sunday to build an even taller tower bedecked with rotating balconies and elevated landscaping inspired by the mythical hanging gardens of Babylon.
|
| Poland honors late president and other plane crash victims Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:26 PM PDT  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The leader of Poland's ruling party on Sunday blamed the government of then-Prime Minister Donald Tusk for the 2010 plane crash in which President Lech Kaczynski, and 95 others were killed.
|
| Jihadists 'switched attack to Brussels from France' Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:25 PM PDT  The Brussels-based Islamic State jihadists behind the Paris attacks had planned a fresh strike in France but targeted the Belgian capital instead as police closed in, a prosecutor said Sunday. Suicide bombers killed 32 people at the airport and a metro station on March 22, and left a trail leading directly to the November attacks in Paris which left 130 dead. "Numerous elements in the investigation have shown that the terrorist group initially had the intention to strike in France again," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.
|
