| U.S.-led coalition troops seen near front line in new Iraq offensive Posted: 29 May 2016 04:40 AM PDT  By Isabel Coles HASSAN SHAMI, Iraq (Reuters) - Servicemen from the U.S.-led coalition were seen near the front line of a new offensive in northern Iraq launched on Sunday by Kurdish peshmerga forces that aims to retake a handful of villages from Islamic State east of their Mosul stronghold. Commenting on the ground deployment of coalition soldiers seen near the battle front, Baghdad-based spokesman for then coalition, U.S. Army Colonel Steve Warren, said: "U.S. and coalition forces are conducting advise and assist operations to help Kurdish Peshmerga forces". The sighting of the servicemen near the frontline is a measure of the U.S.-led coalition's deepening involvement on the ground in Iraq as the war against Islamic State approaches its third year.
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| Between 700-900 migrants may have died at sea this week: NGOs Posted: 29 May 2016 07:40 AM PDT  By Steve Scherer ROME (Reuters) - At least 700 migrants may have died at sea this past week in the busiest week of migrant crossings from Libya towards Italy this year, Medecins San Frontieres and the UN Refugee agency said on Sunday. "We will never know exact numbers," Medecins San Frontieres said in a Tweet after estimating that 900 had died during the week. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said more than 700 had drowned.
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| French government to stand firm on labour reform Posted: 29 May 2016 07:27 AM PDT  By Ingrid Melander and Emmanuel Jarry PARIS (Reuters) - The French government will stand by its labour reform plans, it said on Sunday, while resuming talks with unions in an effort to end widespread protests before the country hosts the Euro 2016 soccer tournament next month. The hardline CGT union has organised street protests, train strikes and refinery blockades to pressure the government to scrap plans that would make it easier for companies to hire and fire workers. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls was quoted as saying on Sunday that he is determined not to join a long list of politicians who have conceded defeat to protesters.
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| Brother of man killed in U.S. strike on Taliban chief files police report Posted: 29 May 2016 11:52 AM PDT  By Gul Yousufzai and Saud Mehsud QUETTA/DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - The brother of a man killed alongside Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike in southwest Pakistan has filed a report with police asking for his brother's killing to be investigated, officials said on Sunday. Muhammad Azam, a Pakistani citizen, was driving Mansour from the Pakistan-Iran border to Quetta, capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, when a U.S. drone destroyed the car in the Koshki area of Noshki district, killing them both. Azam was a regular taxi driver on the route and was not connected to the Taliban, his brother Muhammad Qasim said in a police report seen by Reuters.
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| Jordan's King Abdullah dissolves parliament, names caretaker PM Posted: 29 May 2016 08:18 AM PDT  By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah appointed veteran politician Hani Mulqi as caretaker prime minister on Sunday after dissolving parliament as its four-year term nears its end, and charged him with organising new elections by October. The king accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour before appointing Mulqi by royal decree. Jordan traditionally votes according to tribal and family allegiances but parliament amended the electoral laws in March in a move government sources and political analysts say will lead to more candidates from political parties vying for votes.
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| Rio de Janeiro police search slums for suspects in gang-rape case Posted: 29 May 2016 03:28 PM PDT  By Brad Brooks RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro police swarmed two slums on Sunday searching for suspects in the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old Brazilian girl who said more than 30 men assaulted her, a case that shocked the nation set to host the Olympics in August. More than 70 officers used helicopters, armored vehicles and dogs to enter the slums, but there was no word if any suspects had been captured in the operation. In the five days since a video of the rape was posted by an alleged perpetrator on Twitter and set off a wave of outrage, police have brought in five people for questioning and made no arrests. Police said there are indications the gang rape occurred on May 21, but they could not confirm how many took part.
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| Hollywood star Bellew wins cruiserweight world title Posted: 29 May 2016 04:40 PM PDT  Hollywood actor Tony Bellew recovered from a first round knock-down to win the vacant WBC cruiserweight world title with a third round knock-out of Ilunga Makabu on Sunday. It was a case of third time lucky for Everton fan Bellew after twice coming up short when challenging for light-heavyweight world titles previously. "I got knocked down but that's what I do," Bellew told Sky Sports.
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| Bonnie downgraded as it swirls ups the South Carolina coast Posted: 29 May 2016 04:35 PM PDT  By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - Tropical Depression Bonnie was swirling over the South Carolina coast on Sunday evening, dumping several inches (cm) of rain on the area as it slowly crawled up the coast into Monday. Bonnie came ashore just northeast of Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday morning, bringing heavy rains, minor flooding and sustained winds of about 30 miles per hour (48 kph). The system, the first tropical storm to reach the United States this year, dumped as many as 8 inches (20 cm) of rain in parts of South Carolina and Georgia, and caused flooding in low-lying areas and streets at high tides, meteorologists said. "We're not out of the woods because the heavy rain could move back over us today if it really sits on us," said Carl Barnes, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Charleston.
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| Mets activate Flores from DL, starts at 3B for ailing Wright Posted: 29 May 2016 04:54 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Wilmer Flores was activated from the 15-day disabled list by the New York Mets and inserted into the starting lineup at third base Sunday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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| Mexican police mount big hunt for kidnapped soccer player Posted: 29 May 2016 04:27 PM PDT  CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Federal and state forces mounted a big search operation Sunday for Mexican soccer star Alan Pulido, who was abducted in the crime-plagued northern border state of Tamaulipas.
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| The Latest: NASCAR race off to smooth start Posted: 29 May 2016 04:26 PM PDT  The latest on motorsport's busiest day, with Formula One's Monaco Grand Prix followed by the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 (all times local):
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| Woman fails to save friend in Australian crocodile attack Posted: 29 May 2016 04:14 PM PDT BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — A woman struggled in vain to drag her friend from a crocodile's jaws during a late night swim off a northeast Australian beach, police said on Monday. |
| Thousands welcome Madrid back home after European triumph Posted: 29 May 2016 03:55 PM PDT  MADRID (AP) — Tens of thousands of fans endured the rain to greet Real Madrid players as they returned home early Sunday from their Champions League triumph, then packed the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium at night to watch them lift the trophy one more time.
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| Brazil's Rousseff says impeachment aimed at corruption probe Posted: 29 May 2016 03:54 PM PDT  RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Suspended President Dilma Rousseff said in an interview published Sunday that leaked audio recordings of men backing her impeachment show the effort to oust her is meant to stop a wide-ranging corruption probe that has implicated numerous leading Brazilian politicians and businessmen.
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| 'Rocky' actor Bellew wins title, turns fantasy into reality Posted: 29 May 2016 03:51 PM PDT LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — British boxer Tony Bellew turned a Hollywood fantasy into reality by becoming a world champion for the first time on Sunday. |
| Chief Syrian opposition negotiator resigns over failed peace talks Posted: 29 May 2016 03:45 PM PDT  The Syrian opposition's chief negotiator in stalled UN-brokered peace talks, Mohammed Alloush, announced his resignation Sunday citing the failure of the Geneva negotiations and the continued shelling of rebel-held areas by President Bashar al-Assad's regime. "The three rounds of talks were unsuccessful because of the stubbornness of the regime and its continued bombardments and aggressions towards the Syrian people," Alloush, a member of the influential Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) rebel group, said in a statement on Twitter. The regime and non-jihadist rebels agreed a shaky ceasefire in February to bolster the peace talks but repeated violations have left the truce hanging by a thread.
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| Depleted England beats Wales 27-13 in rugby test Posted: 29 May 2016 03:25 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — England shrugged off the absence of its best players to score five tries in a 27-13 win over fierce rival Wales at Twickenham on Sunday, boosting confidence among the Six Nations champions ahead of their upcoming tour to Australia. |
| Munoz and Newgarden crushed after Indy 500 defeat Posted: 29 May 2016 03:23 PM PDT  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Munoz has twice been a bridesmaid in the Indianapolis 500.
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| Terry backs Mourinho to be United success Posted: 29 May 2016 03:09 PM PDT  Chelsea captain John Terry believes his former manager Jose Mourinho will lead Manchester United back to the top. Mourinho was appointed United manager earlier this week after Dutchman Louis van Gaal was sacked two days after leading the Red Devils to an FA Cup victory. "It's fantastic news for Man United," Terry told Sky Sports News.
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| Hundreds evicted in fresh anti-migrant unrest on French Mayotte island Posted: 29 May 2016 03:02 PM PDT  Hundreds of foreigners were booted out of their homes on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte Sunday in a fresh wave of forced evictions by anti-migrant groups, local officials said. Most of the expelled villagers, mainly from the neighbouring Comoros islands, were forced to head to the capital to join hundreds of families already camped out on the main square after similarly being made homeless by angry locals. The island's authorities, Mayotte Prefecture, said they held a crisis meeting on Sunday to discuss the worsening unrest.
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| Pelle fires Italy to 1-0 win over Scotland in friendly Posted: 29 May 2016 02:52 PM PDT  VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — Italy dominated against Scotland but only scraped a 1-0 win Sunday in its penultimate warmup match before the European Championship, and the Azzurri's wayward shooting will be of concern to coach Antonio Conte.
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| Portugal beats Norway 3-0 in Euro 2016 warmup match Posted: 29 May 2016 02:44 PM PDT  PORTO, Portugal (AP) — Two second-half goals in seven minutes from Raphael Guerreiro and Eder helped Portugal to a 3-0 win over Norway in a warmup game Sunday for the European Championship.
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| Pelle strikes as pale Azzurri beat Scots Posted: 29 May 2016 02:43 PM PDT  Taâ Qali (Malta) (AFP) - Southampton striker Graziano Pelle hit a second-half winner as an injury-depleted Italy beat Scotland 1-0 in a disjointed Euro 2016 friendly in Malta on Sunday. With his midfield decimated through injuries to Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti, and Thiago Motta and Riccardo Montolivo resting due to calf problems, Italy coach Antonio Conte gave Roma's Daniele De Rossi a chance to impress before announcing his 23-man Euro 2016 squad on Tuesday. Thankfully for both, Eder and De Rossi were involved when Pelle pounced to beat David Marshall in the 57th minute with a clinical strike from the edge of the area.
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| American charged in Paris police car attack amid protests Posted: 29 May 2016 02:41 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — A 27-year-old American man has been given preliminary charges of attempted murder in an exceptionally violent attack on police in their patrol car that drew national attention, the Paris prosecutor's office said Sunday. |
| Gibraltar fears border with Spain could close if UK quits EU Posted: 29 May 2016 02:35 PM PDT  MADRID (AP) — Gibraltar could find its access to the single European market blocked by a hostile Spanish government if the United Kingdom were to vote to leave the European Union in a referendum next month, the chief minister of the tiny British territory on Spain's southwestern tip said Sunday.
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| Tropical Depression Bonnie means another bad beach day Posted: 29 May 2016 01:59 PM PDT  CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Tropical Depression Bonnie reached the South Carolina coast early Sunday before stalling just inland, bringing heavy rain and rough tides to an area packed with tourists for the Memorial Day weekend.
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| Doctor who wrote unnecessary prescriptions may avoid jail Posted: 29 May 2016 01:57 PM PDT TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A former doctor who admitted writing prescriptions for highly addictive opiate painkillers with no medical justification may avoid a jail sentence. |
| Haiti bracing for trouble as election panel delivers report Posted: 29 May 2016 01:55 PM PDT  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitians are bracing for trouble as an electoral verification commission prepares to deliver the results of its monthlong review of last year's contested presidential and legislative elections.
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| French Open Lookahead: Venus Williams seeks 1st QF in decade Posted: 29 May 2016 01:49 PM PDT  PARIS (AP) — Five of the first 10 times Venus Williams entered the French Open, she made it to at least the quarterfinals, including a run to the final in 2002.
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| Oil production in Canada's Fort McMurray coming back online Posted: 29 May 2016 01:49 PM PDT  Oil production in Canada's fire-ravaged oil sands area is coming back online and thousands of workers are returning to their jobs, leading Canadian petroleum producer Suncor said Sunday. None of Suncor's facilities was damaged by the massive forest fire in the Fort McMurray area of Alberta province that has been burning for a month but in recent days has moved away from populated regions.
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| Embattled DR Congo opposition leader Katumbi in London: lawyer Posted: 29 May 2016 01:32 PM PDT  Moise Katumbi, the embattled DR Congo opposition leader who quit the country last week ostensibly for medical treatment, has now flown from South Africa to London, one of his lawyers said Sunday. Katumbi, a football magnate seen as the leading challenger to President Joseph Kabila for the top job in the mineral-rich country, needs "rest" and it is not clear when he will be heading home, Georges Kapiamba told AFP. With political tensions soaring over expectations that Kabila wants to extend his rule despite being barred from a third term, Katumbi has been all but forced into exile as he faces charges of undermining state security.
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| Restoration work starts at Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre shrine Posted: 29 May 2016 01:21 PM PDT  A major restoration project has begun at the shrine inside Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus is said to have been buried before his resurrection. Church officials had said in March that work was to be carried out by a team of Greek specialists.
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| More than 700 feared dead in recent Mediterranean crossings Posted: 29 May 2016 01:14 PM PDT  POZZALLO, Sicily (AP) — Survivor accounts have pushed to more than 700 the number of migrants feared dead in Mediterranean Sea shipwrecks over three days in the past week, even as rescue ships saved thousands of others in daring operations.
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| As much as 35 percent of northern and central Great Barrier Reef dead or dying: scientists Posted: 29 May 2016 01:05 PM PDT  By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Mass bleaching has destroyed as much as 35 percent of the coral on the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, Australian scientists said on Monday, a major blow to the World Heritage Site that attracts about A$5 billion ($3.59 billion) in tourism each year. Australian scientists said in March just seven percent of the entire Great Barrier Reef had avoided any damage as a result of bleaching, and they held grave fears particularly for coral on the northern reef. After further aerial surveys and dives to access the damage across 84 reefs in the region, Australian scientists said the impact of the bleaching is more severe than they had expected.
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| French Open at a glance Posted: 29 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT A look at Day 8 of the French Open on Sunday: |
| Injured Lydiate out of New Zealand tour Posted: 29 May 2016 12:49 PM PDT  Dan Lydiate will miss Wales' New Zealand tour after sustaining a double injury during the defeat by England at Twickenham on Sunday. Lydiate, who captained Wales in the 27-13 loss in the absence of Sam Warburton, looked distraught as he went off halfway through the first half. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) later released a statement saying uncapped Cardiff Blues flanker Ellis Jenkins had been called up as a replacement.
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| The Latest: Williams-Williams, Hingis-Mirza lose in doubles Posted: 29 May 2016 12:47 PM PDT  PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):
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| Top Asian News 7:45 p.m. GMT Posted: 29 May 2016 12:45 PM PDT BEIJING (AP) — China's decision to allow all married couples to have two children is driving a surge in demand for fertility treatment among older women, putting heavy pressure on clinics and breaking down past sensitivities, and even shame, about the issue. The rise in in vitro fertilization points to the deferred dreams of many parents who long wanted a second child, but were prevented by a strict population control policy in place for more than 30 years. That, in turn, is shifting prevailing attitudes in China regarding fertility treatments — formerly a matter of such sensitivity that couples were reluctant to tell even their parents or other family members that they were having trouble conceiving. |
| Driver's family press charges over US drone hit on Pakistan Posted: 29 May 2016 12:44 PM PDT QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — The family of a driver who was killed alongside Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan has filed a case against U.S. officials, seeking to press murder charges, police said Sunday. |
