Yahoo! News: World News

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• Abandoned villages on road to Mosul rigged with tunnels and bombs
• Kerry plays down Syria deal hopes as Russia joins Geneva talks
• Ukraine, Russia agree to more troop withdrawals, work on road map to peace
• Netanyahu tells settlers of worries of possible U.S. action at U.N.
• Gunman kills two American advisers, wounds three in Afghan capital
• U.S. vows all-out defense against 'grave' North Korean threat
• Leaders agree to create 'road map' for Ukraine peace process
• Judge questions vow not to use sedative again in executions
• Syrian forces prepare corridors out of Aleppo
• 2 agrarian activists murdered in Honduras
• The Latest: Putin says longer halt in airstrikes is possible
• Russian sports minister promoted to deputy premier
• Iraqi couple wins U.S. award for daring missions to rescue Yazidis
• Fragile Yemen truce comes into effect under UN plan
• Hollande, Merkel slam Russia on Aleppo, leave sanctions open
• Russia's Putin willing to halt Aleppo airstrikes for longer
• Colombia presents tax reform bill to Congress
• Germany, France press Russia to extend pause in Syria air strikes
• Argentines protest teen girl's rape, killing
• Indians down Blue Jays to book World Series berth
• Russia's Putin says Minsk accord should be basis for Ukraine solution
• The Latest: Putin could halt Aleppo strikes indefinitely
• IS leaders 'abandon' Mosul as Iraq forces close in
• UN chief hopes for credible vote in DR Congo
• Trump hopes to hit jackpot in last debate with Clinton
• Russia's Putin says need to quicken work on new Syrian constitution
• Saudi's first global bonds worth $17.5 bn: official media
• Mexico seeks ex-governor accused of corruption
• The Latest: Arizona's vow over execution drug questioned
• French President Francois Hollande demands end to Syrian government, Russian airstrikes on Aleppo
• Scotland to publish independence referendum bill
• Pistons C Aron Baynes has surgery to repair broken nose
• Germany's Merkel condemns Syria airstrikes, says "very hard talks" with Russia's Putin
• US tries to end spat threatening Mosul battle
• Progress over Ukraine war in Berlin summit with Putin
• Mexico seeks state governor on organized crime charges
• Ukraine peace 'roadmap' by end of November: president
• Baltics, fearing Russia, to triple military spending by 2018: report
• Scottish government publishes draft bill for second independence referendum
• Inter Milan struggling on the pitch, chasing growth in China

Abandoned villages on road to Mosul rigged with tunnels and bombs Posted: 19 Oct 2016 12:21 PM PDT Residents began returning on Wednesday to the village of Sheikh Amir on the road to Mosul, recaptured overnight by advancing Kurdish fighters in the early days of the biggest advance that has been launched against Islamic State. Three days into the assault on Mosul, U.S.-backed government and Kurdish forces are steadily recovering outlying territory before the big push into the city itself, expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Much of Sheikh Amir had been torn down, including the house of Abbas Ahmad Hussein, a 36-year-old resident who fled the village when Sunni militants of Islamic State, also known as ISIL, ISIS or Daesh, captured it in 2014.

Kerry plays down Syria deal hopes as Russia joins Geneva talks Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:54 PM PDT By Stephanie Nebehay and Lesley Wroughton GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry played down expectations of a new Syrian ceasefire deal with Russia after talks in Geneva aimed at agreeing on how to separate al Qaeda-linked militants from opposition fighters in the besieged city of Aleppo. After two failed ceasefire agreements between the United States and Russia to end the fighting in Aleppo, a new round of talks includes Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which support Syrian opposition groups. Syria's ally Iran was not invited, a Western diplomat said.

Ukraine, Russia agree to more troop withdrawals, work on road map to peace Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:10 PM PDT By Natalia Zinets and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) - Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia agreed to draw up a road map in November on how to implement a stalled ceasefire deal for eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said after five hours of talks among the leaders of the four countries. "There is no alternative to the Normandy Format," Poroshenko said. "This roadmap should have the sequence of the implementation of the Minsk agreements and guarantee their implementation." Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far.

Netanyahu tells settlers of worries of possible U.S. action at U.N. Posted: 19 Oct 2016 01:50 PM PDT By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed concern that U.S. President Barack Obama, during the final days of his term in office, might take diplomatic steps that could harm the fate of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel is concerned that the United States might not rally to its assistance in the event that an anti-settlement resolution is put to a vote in the United Nations Security Council and that Washington might not use its veto to quash such a move. Obama's strong opposition to settlement building on land Palestinians seek for a future state has also raised speculation in Israel that he might try to define parameters for a final peace agreement that has eluded Israel and the Palestinians since interim deals were signed in the early 1990s.

Gunman kills two American advisers, wounds three in Afghan capital Posted: 19 Oct 2016 11:11 AM PDT By Josh Smith KABUL (Reuters) - A gunman, reportedly in an Afghan army uniform, shot dead two American advisers and wounded three on Wednesday near a base outside the Afghan capital before being killed himself, officials said. The American deaths included one soldier and one civilian, while one soldier and two civilians were injured and in stable condition, the U.S. military command in Kabul said. The lone gunman opened fire while the Americans were at the gate of an Afghan military ammunition supply depot near Camp Moreshead outside Kabul, said a U.S. official.

U.S. vows all-out defense against 'grave' North Korean threat Posted: 19 Oct 2016 02:58 PM PDT By David Brunnstrom and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to step up military and diplomatic efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, saying they posed a "grave" security threat following repeated tests this year. After talks in Washington between their foreign and defense ministers, the countries said they had agreed to set up a high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group to leverage "the full breadth of national power – including diplomacy, information, military coordination, and economic elements" in the face of the North Korean threat. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would do "whatever is necessary" to defend itself, South Korea and other allies against North Korea.

Leaders agree to create 'road map' for Ukraine peace process Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:38 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France agreed Wednesday on a 'road map' aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in eastern Ukraine, though details of the plan still need to be worked out by the countries' foreign ministers over the coming month.

Judge questions vow not to use sedative again in executions Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:37 PM PDT PHOENIX (AP) — A judge presiding over a lawsuit that protests how Arizona carries out the death penalty extracted promises in court from the state Wednesday that it won't use the sedative midazolam in future executions.

Syrian forces prepare corridors out of Aleppo Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:32 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — Hundreds of residents left a formerly rebel-controlled suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus Wednesday, as government and Russian forces prepared to open corridors out of the contested city of Aleppo in the hopes of facilitating an exodus from its rebel-held quarters.

2 agrarian activists murdered in Honduras Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:27 PM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — International condemnation poured into Honduras on Wednesday over the murder of two agrarian activists the day before.

The Latest: Putin says longer halt in airstrikes is possible Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:26 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on Syria (all times local):

Russian sports minister promoted to deputy premier Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:21 PM PDT MOSCOW (AP) — Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko, who has come under scrutiny in Russia's doping scandal and was banned from attending the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, was promoted to a deputy prime minister on Wednesday.

Iraqi couple wins U.S. award for daring missions to rescue Yazidis Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:18 PM PDT By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Soon after Iraqi lawyer Khaleel Aldakhi and his wife heard the chilling news that Islamic State militants were enslaving Yazidi women and children in Iraq, they began plotting a rescue mission from their home in the northern city of Dohuk. During a 2014 visit to refugee camps in Iraq's Kurdistan region to get more information about the Yazidi women and girls who had disappeared, Aldakhi met a couple whose 17-year-old daughter was held captive by the Islamist group. Two years on, Aldakhi and his wife Ameena Saeed Hasan have turned what they thought would be a one-time rescue mission into a full-time underground operation, which they say has saved some 170 girls from Islamic State.

Fragile Yemen truce comes into effect under UN plan Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:16 PM PDT A fragile ceasefire took effect in war-ravaged Yemen just before midnight Wednesday, under a United Nations plan, as combatants face mounting pressure to end more than 18 months of fighting. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, had announced on Monday that the cessation of hostilities would take effect "at 23:59 Yemen time (2059 GMT) on 19 October 2016, for an initial period of 72 hours, subject to renewal". It is the sixth attempt to end the bloodshed since a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after rebels overran much of Yemen.

Hollande, Merkel slam Russia on Aleppo, leave sanctions open Posted: 19 Oct 2016 05:10 PM PDT Berlin (AFP) - The leaders of France and Germany lashed out at President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's bombardment of Syria's Aleppo and refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Russia.

Russia's Putin willing to halt Aleppo airstrikes for longer Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:57 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin held out the hope of an indefinite halt to his country's airstrikes on Aleppo after meeting with the French and German leaders, who condemned Moscow's actions in the Syrian city.

Colombia presents tax reform bill to Congress Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:55 PM PDT Colombia's government on Wednesday presented to Congress a tax reform bill that seeks to raise additional cash to make up for lost oil revenue and preserve its investment grade credit rating. The tax reform, which looks to hike revenue by between 1 percent or 2 percent of gross domestic product, is seen as crucial to preserving Colombia's BBB investment grade credit rating and is also needed to fund anti-poverty programs. Congress approved a spending budget of 224.4 trillion pesos ($77.2 billion) for 2017 on Wednesday.

Germany, France press Russia to extend pause in Syria air strikes Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:54 PM PDT Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria at late night talks in Berlin that Chancellor Angela Merkel described as difficult. "A respite of a few hours makes no sense," French President Francois Hollande told a joint news conference with Merkel after the talks. "The main point is that the population of Aleppo ... cannot continue to live in conditions that are unbearable." Merkel and Hollande said they confronted Russia about its role in the bombardment of civilians in Aleppo.

Argentines protest teen girl's rape, killing Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:51 PM PDT Dressed in black, thousands of Argentines took to the streets Wednesday to protest the brutal rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl, the latest case of violence against women to shock the country. The protesters -- mostly women, but also some men -- marched in memory of Lucia Perez, a high school student who died on October 8 after drug dealers allegedly raped her and impaled her on a spike. It was the latest in more than a year of mass marches to protest violence against women in Argentina, where according to government figures domestic violence kills one woman every 36 hours.

Indians down Blue Jays to book World Series berth Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:46 PM PDT The Cleveland Indians are headed to the World Series after a 3-0 victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday to win the American League Championship series. The Indians won the best-of-seven series four games to one and will host game one of the World Series on Tuesday against either the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.

Russia's Putin says Minsk accord should be basis for Ukraine solution Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:45 PM PDT The Minsk accord, reached in February 2015 in the Belarussian capital, should be the basis for a resolution of the crisis in southeast Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Wednesday after international talks in Berlin. The talks with French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko lasted for around five hours. Putin also said that it was agreed that the monitors from the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe (OSCE) will "broaden their mission" in the conflict zones.

The Latest: Putin could halt Aleppo strikes indefinitely Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:42 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on a summit in Berlin to discuss the stalled Ukraine peace process and Syria's civil war (all times local):

IS leaders 'abandon' Mosul as Iraq forces close in Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:39 PM PDT Jihadist leaders are fleeing Mosul, a top US general in the coalition battling the Islamic State group said Wednesday as Iraqi forces closed in on the northern city. Mosul was where IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his "caliphate" two years ago but is now the group's last major stronghold in Iraq. In the biggest Iraqi military operation in years, forces have retaken dozens of villages, mostly south and east of Mosul, and are planning multiple assaults for Thursday.

UN chief hopes for credible vote in DR Congo Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:39 PM PDT UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday voiced hoped that a political deal reached in the Democratic Republic of Congo to delay an election until 2018 will help improve human rights and lead to a credible vote. The main opposition has rejected the deal signed Tuesday that would keep President Laurent Kabila in power until the election in April 2018. Anti-Kabila demonstrations in Kinshasa last month turned violent, killing some 49 people.

Trump hopes to hit jackpot in last debate with Clinton Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:38 PM PDT Donald Trump will aim to dump his losing political hand Wednesday in his third and final presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, as polls show the Democrat has widened her lead over the provocative billionaire. "This is our final shot, folks," Trump, who has in recent days made multiple unsubstantiated allegations that the election will be "rigged," told supporters Tuesday in Colorado. In recent weeks, polls have shown Clinton, 68, pulling ahead of Trump both on the national level and in key battleground states.

Russia's Putin says need to quicken work on new Syrian constitution Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:31 PM PDT BERLIN (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that during talks on Wednesday with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Moscow proposed to speed up adoption of a new constitution in Syria to facilitate future elections. He also said that Russia was ready to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria after Russian and Syrian government air forces took a break in hitting targets on Tuesday in the city of Aleppo. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Saudi's first global bonds worth $17.5 bn: official media Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:15 PM PDT Saudi Arabia's first international bond offering totalled $17.5 billion and was nearly four times oversubscribed, official media said early Thursday, confirming the strong buyer interest which analysts expected. "The total sum of the first offering was $17.5 billion," the Saudi Press Agency reported. A source involved in the operation on Wednesday confirmed that "the terms have been launched,", and Saudi has divided the total into three tranches with maturities of five, ten and thirty years, respectively, tailor-made for the American market.

Mexico seeks ex-governor accused of corruption Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:13 PM PDT The Mexican authorities are seeking to arrest a former governor who has disappeared as he faces charges of organized crime and money laundering, officials said Wednesday. Javier Duarte has not been seen for days after he resigned as governor of the crime-plagued eastern state of Veracruz last week. A judge issued an arrest warrant for him on organized crime and money laundering charges, Attorney General Arely Gomez said.

The Latest: Arizona's vow over execution drug questioned Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:12 PM PDT PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on hearing Wednesday in a lawsuit that that protests how Arizona carries out the death penalty:

French President Francois Hollande demands end to Syrian government, Russian airstrikes on Aleppo Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:11 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — French President Francois Hollande demands end to Syrian government, Russian airstrikes on Aleppo.

Scotland to publish independence referendum bill Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:11 PM PDT Scotland its due to publish a draft bill for a new independence referendum on Thursday, enabling Scots to review their constitutional future as Britain heads for an uncertain Brexit. Scotland's semi-autonomous government has said independence would be a fallback plan in case its demands for greater autonomy and strong EU economic ties are not met by Prime Minister Theresa May. Scotland voted by 55 percent to stay part of Britain in 2014, but then voted by 62 percent to remain in the European Union in June, sparking a political crisis after Britain as whole voted to leave.

Pistons C Aron Baynes has surgery to repair broken nose Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:10 PM PDT AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Pistons center Aron Baynes has had surgery to repair a broken nose.

Germany's Merkel condemns Syria airstrikes, says "very hard talks" with Russia's Putin Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:10 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — Germany's Merkel condemns Syria airstrikes, says "very hard talks" with Russia's Putin.

US tries to end spat threatening Mosul battle Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:10 PM PDT US officials are scrambling to end a dispute between Ankara and Baghdad that threatens to derail a carefully developed plan to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group. Officials fear a war of words between Turkey and Iraq's central government could jeopardize a fragile pact that would keep rival sectarian and ethnic militias out of the northern Iraqi city's center. "There is a lot of tension and the public rhetoric has gotten a bit out of hand," a senior administration official told AFP.

Progress over Ukraine war in Berlin summit with Putin Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:07 PM PDT Moscow and Kiev agreed Wednesday to end a deadlock on the conflict in eastern Ukraine by the end of November, Ukraine's president said, after a four-way summit in Berlin with the leaders of France and Germany. After the five-hour talks billed as "difficult", focus shifted to the conflict in Syria, with host Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's involvement in the civil war. It will be a document on the implementation of all the Minsk accords," he said in a press conference after the Berlin summit, according to Russian news agencies.

Mexico seeks state governor on organized crime charges Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:07 PM PDT Mexico has issued an arrest warrant for an outgoing state governor in the ruling party suspected of involvement in organized crime and money laundering, the attorney general said on Wednesday, amid fears he has gone missing. Javier Duarte, who took a leave of absence this week from the governorship of Veracruz just as his term was ending, has presided over a spike in gang violence and kidnappings in the oil-rich state favored by drug cartels as a trafficking route. Accusations of widespread corruption in his administration had become an embarrassment for President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Ukraine peace 'roadmap' by end of November: president Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:05 PM PDT Moscow (AFP) - A "roadmap" for applying the Minsk peace accords for Ukraine will be presented by the end of November, President Petro Poroshenko announced Thursday.

Baltics, fearing Russia, to triple military spending by 2018: report Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:03 PM PDT Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia intend to triple annual spending on arms and military equipment to $670 million by 2018 from 2014 due to fears of Russia following its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, an IHS Markit report said on Thursday. By 2020, it said, the combined overall defense budgets of the three Baltic republics will reach an estimated $2.1 billion, more than double that when the countries entered NATO in 2004 and the fastest such growth in any region worldwide. "We have seen political confrontation between Russia and the West in the past 2-1/2 years escalate to military assertiveness and we do not see this ending anytime soon," said Alex Kokcharov, principal analyst in the country risk division of IHS Markit, a prominent research and analysis firm.

Scottish government publishes draft bill for second independence referendum Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:02 PM PDT Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon publishes a draft bill for a second independence referendum on Thursday as she ramps up the pressure on the British government to make sure Scotland's voice is heard in Brexit talks. Scots voted by a large margin to remain in the European Union in June this year but Britain as a whole voted to leave. Sturgeon, the fervently pro-EU leader of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) argues that the prospect of Scotland being taken out of Europe against its will validates a possible re-run of the 2014 independence referendum, in which 55 percent of voters opted to remain in the United Kingdom.

Inter Milan struggling on the pitch, chasing growth in China Posted: 19 Oct 2016 04:00 PM PDT Inter Milan's grand plans stretch far beyond Italy as it harnesses the connections of its new Chinese ownership to expand the fan base and attract sponsors in Asia.

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