| Obama points finger at Putin for hacks during U.S. election Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:26 PM PST  By Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday strongly suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally authorized the computer hacks of Democratic Party emails that American intelligence officials say were aimed at helping Republican Donald Trump win the Nov. 8 election. Obama said he has "great confidence" in intelligence reports he has seen showing that Russians hacked into emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee and to John Podesta, who was campaign chairman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
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| China seizes U.S. underwater drone in South China Sea Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:01 PM PST  By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Chinese warship has seized an underwater drone deployed by a U.S. oceanographic vessel in the South China Sea, triggering a formal diplomatic protest and a demand for its return, U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday. The drone was taken on Thursday, the first seizure of its kind in recent memory, about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay off the Philippines just as the USNS Bowditch was about to retrieve the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), officials said. "The UUV was lawfully conducting a military survey in the waters of the South China Sea," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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| Dispute holds up evacuation from 'hell' of Aleppo Posted: 16 Dec 2016 12:37 PM PST  By Laila Bassam, Lisa Barrington and John Davison ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The evacuation of the last opposition-held areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo was suspended on Friday after pro-government militias demanded that wounded people should also be brought out of two Shi'ite villages being besieged by rebel fighters. The second day of the operation to take fighters and civilians out of Aleppo's rebel enclave ground to a halt amid recriminations from all sides after a morning that had seen the pace of the operation pick up. "Aleppo is now a synonym for hell," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters.
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| Obama says change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan would have consequences with China Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:22 PM PST  By Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday it was fine for President-elect Donald Trump to review Washington's "one-China" policy toward Taiwan, but he cautioned that a shift could lead to significant consequences in the U.S. relationship with Beijing. "For China, the issue of Taiwan is as important as anything on their docket," Obama said at a news conference. "The idea of one China is at the heart of their conception as a nation and so if you are going to upend this understanding, you have to have thought through what ... the consequences are." China lodged a diplomatic protest earlier this month after Trump, a Republican, spoke by phone with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan.
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| Philippines' Duterte: 'bye-bye America' and we don't need your money Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:02 PM PST  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told the United States on Saturday to prepare for repeal of an agreement on deployment of troops and equipment for exercises, declaring "bye-bye America", and we don't need your money. "Prepare to leave the Philippines. Prepare for the eventual repeal or abrogation of the VFA." The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), signed in 1998, accorded legal status to thousands of U.S. troops who were rotated in the country for military exercises and humanitarian assistance operations.
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| U.S. offers $25 million reward for information on Islamic State leader Posted: 16 Dec 2016 10:07 AM PST  The United States on Friday more than doubled its previous reward for information on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, offering $25 million for information that would help locate, arrest or convict the head of the jihadist group. Baghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai, declared himself the caliph of a huge swath of Iraq and Syria two years ago. Kurdish officials believe that growing pressure resulting from a coalition military assault on Mosul is causing Baghdadi and his top lieutenants to move around and try to hide themselves.
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| Poland's parliament blocked by protesters as crisis escalates Posted: 16 Dec 2016 05:04 PM PST  By Pawel Sobczak and Karol Witenberg WARSAW (Reuters) - Protesters blocked all exits from the Polish parliament on Friday after the opposition said ruling party lawmakers illegally passed the budget for next year by moving the vote outside of the main chamber of parliament. The protest marked the biggest political standoff in years in European Union member Poland and the sharpest escalation of the conflict between the opposition and the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party since it came to power in October last year. The police attempted in the early hours of Saturday to remove protesters by grabbing them and pulling them aside, but later ceased in their efforts as new protesters arrived at the scene, a Reuters witness said.
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| Tazawa finalizes $12 million, 2-year contract with Marlins Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:54 PM PST  MIAMI (AP) — Before signing reliever Junichi Tazawa, the Miami Marlins consulted with an expert on Japanese pitching: Ichiro Suzuki.
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| German team prevails in World Cup luge doubles race Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:43 PM PST PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt of Germany won a World Cup doubles luge race Friday night, ending Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken's perfect start to the season. |
| Peru rejects new request to pardon imprisoned Fujimori Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:34 PM PST  The centrist government of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said Friday that it has rejected a new request to free imprisoned former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori filed by a supporter because it did not meet basic requirements. Justice Minister Marisol Perez Tello said the paperwork reached the government early this month but was declared inadmissible days ago because it lacked the signature of Fujimori or one of his relatives. "It is another process that unfortunately ends ... because of reasons of form and without a decision on the core issue," Perez told reporters in comments broadcast on TV station Canal N. The announcement comes ahead of a meeting between Kuczynski and Fujimori's daughter, opposition leader Keiko Fujimori - raising the possibility of a pardon being on the negotiating table as they seek to ease hostilities after her rightwing party ousted Kuczynski's education minister on Thursday.
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| Obama says has 'great confidence' that Russia was behind hacks Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:26 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday he had "great confidence" that the hacking of Democratic Party officials and institutions were carried out by Russia and at the behest of high-level Russian officials. "The intelligence that I've seen gives me great confidence in their assessment that the Russians carried out this hack," Obama said at a White House news conference. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason, writing by Mohammad Zargham, editing by G Crosse) |
| The Latest: Judge tosses Bode Miller lawsuit against sponsor Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:24 PM PST  VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — The Latest on Bode Miller's possible return to World Cup skiing, and his legal fight over sponsorship. (all times local):
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| 12 Burkina Faso troops killed in jihadist attack Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:15 PM PST  At least 12 Burkina Faso soldiers were killed Friday in what local authorities said was the biggest ever jihadist attack on the army, at a base near the restive border with Mali. "A detachment of our army's anti-terrorist force suffered a murderous attack which claimed the lives of 12 of our valiant soldiers and left some wounded," said President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, in an address to the nation.
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| New study casts doubt on theory Anne Frank was betrayed Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:14 PM PST  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Anne Frank may not have been betrayed to Nazi occupiers, but captured by chance.
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| Costa Rica scraps entry for EU Schengen, Japan visa holders Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:12 PM PST  San José (AFP) - Costa Rica this week abruptly changed its migration policy to stop visitors using visas for the EU's Schengen zone or for Japan from entering the country, causing many "problems," according to one official. It came into effect on Tuesday, just as the tropical Central American country was gearing up for its end-of-year high tourist season. "There has been a change in the past few days for Schengen visas and we have had problems with many people for this reason," one government official told AFP.
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| Riot quelled at British prison Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:59 PM PST  British riot police on Friday regained control of a prison after more than 300 inmates took part in a "serious disturbance" that led to a partial lockdown. A specialist "Tornado Team", which handles prison riots, was sent in to deal with the incident at the privately run prison in Birmingham, central England. The team were sent in at 8.35 pm (2035 GMT), and the four wings affected were brought under control shortly after 10.00 pm, according to a Ministry of Justice statement.
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| UN gives Venezuela and Guyana 1 year to end border dispute Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:57 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations announced Friday it is giving Venezuela and Guyana one final year to settle a longstanding border dispute and if significant progress isn't made toward an agreement the case will be handed over to the International Court of Justice. |
| Prison Officers regain control over rioting inmates in UK jail disturbance Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:51 PM PST  By Peter Nicholls BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Prison officers regained control of inmates at a prison in Birmingham, England on Friday more than 12 hours after rioting broke out among some 300 prisoners. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said officers have control of all four wings of the jail. Prisoners took over of at least two wings of HMP Birmingham jail on Friday, authorities said, in the latest and most serious disturbance at a British prison this year.
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| Conceicao wins first French league game in charge of Nantes Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:51 PM PST PARIS (AP) — Coach Sergio Conceicao's first French league match in charge of struggling Nantes ended with a 2-0 win at Angers on Friday. |
| Kostner working with Mishin to regain her Olympic form Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:48 PM PST  EGNA, Italy (AP) — Carolina Kostner is coming full circle.
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| Racing shocked by rugby retirement of Johan Goosen at 24 Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:37 PM PST  PARIS (AP) — French club champion Racing 92 was considering legal action after it was shocked by the retirement of its 24-year-old Springboks back Johan Goosen on Friday.
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| Polish lawmakers, Warsaw residents protest new media rules Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:31 PM PST  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Thousands of Warsaw residents joined in a spontaneous protest in front of Poland's parliament building Friday against a plan by the conservative ruling party to limit reporters' access to legislators.
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| Protesters block all exits from Polish parliament Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:25 PM PST WARSAW (Reuters) - Protesters blocked all exits from the Polish parliament after opposition parties accused the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party lawmakers of illegally passing the budget for next year. The exits were protected by over a hundred policemen, who in turn were surrounded by hundreds of protesters chanting that lawmakers will remain blocked and calling on the head of the ruling party to come out and face them. ... |
| Hotel search site Trivago rises in stock market debut Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:24 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Trivago, the hotel search company that created a buzz with a rumpled TV spokesman, rose in their Wall Street debut. |
| Volkswagen, regulators get more time to seek emissions deal Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:22 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Volkswagen, U.S. regulators and attorneys for vehicle owners have made "substantial progress" on a deal for the remaining 80,000 diesel cars caught in the company's emissions cheating scandal but need more time to negotiate, a federal judge said Friday.
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| Obama vows to send 'clear message' to Putin, warns Trump Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:09 PM PST  President Barack Obama vowed Friday to send a "clear message" to Russia for trying to sway the US election, while calling on Donald Trump and Republicans to put national security before politics. Obama all-but accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of personally ordering an audacious cyber hack that many Democrats believe gravely wounded Hillary Clinton in a closely fought election. The US intelligence community has concluded that a hack-and-release of the Democratic Party emails was designed to put Trump -- a political neophyte who has praised Putin -- into the Oval Office.
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| VW agrees to pay $200 million into U.S. pollution reduction fund Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:54 PM PST  By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG has agreed to pay more than $200 million into a fund created to cut diesel pollution, part of its agreement over about 80,000 3.0-liter diesel vehicles that emitted more than the U.S. legal limit, a person briefed on the settlement told Reuters. The agreement is expected to be announced as early as Monday, and is in addition to $2.7 billion that VW previously agreed to pay to offset emissions from about 475,000 2.0-liter diesel vehicles. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, at a hearing that had been delayed for several hours for additional negotiations, said the parties have made "substantial progress and I am optimistic that there will be a resolution." Breyer gave the sides until Monday to report whether they can reach a final agreement on resolving the fate of the 3.0-liter vehicles.
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| Holcomb, Greubel Poser take golds in Lake Placid World Cup Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:54 PM PST  LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Steven Holcomb wins a World Cup bobsled gold medal on home ice nearly every year, and Jamie Gruebel Poser may be following that same path.
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| The Latest: Volkswagen gets weekend to reach emissions deal Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:40 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on a potential deal over the remaining 80,000 vehicles caught in Volkswagen's emissions cheating scandal (all times local):
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| Bode Miller has to show he's still got speed to race again Posted: 16 Dec 2016 05:08 PM PST VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — If Bode Miller wants to return to ski racing this season as he approaches the age of 40, he's going to have to show U.S. team coach Sasha Rearick that he's still got the necessary speed. |
| Obama defends U.S. approach toward war in Syria Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:30 PM PST  By Roberta Rampton and Julia Harte WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday defended the U.S. approach toward the civil war in Syria, saying he understood the desire for action to end the conflict but it would have been impossible to do "on the cheap" without a full U.S. military intervention. "Unless we were all in and willing to take over Syria, we were going to have problems," Obama told a news conference, noting that it would have required "putting large numbers of U.S. troops on the ground, uninvited, without any international law mandate." Obama's remarks came as efforts to evacuate civilians from the last opposition-held areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo ground to a halt on Friday after weeks of bombardments by the Syrian army that have deprived insurgents of nearly all their territory in the city, a divided zone during the nearly six-year civil war.
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| Alaves beats Real Betis to keep momentum in Spanish league Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:28 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Promoted Alaves defeated Real Betis 1-0 and extended its unbeaten run to four games in the Spanish league on Friday. |
| Obama points finger at Putin for cyber attacks on U.S. election Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:26 PM PST  By Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday strongly suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally oversaw the computer hacks of Democratic Party emails that American intelligence officials say were aimed at helping Republican Donald Trump win the Nov. 8 election. At a pre-Christmas press conference, Obama leveled a fierce attack against Russia, calling it a smaller and weaker country than the United States that "does not produce anything that others want to buy, except oil and gas and arms." His remark underscored what Obama called the "sadly deteriorated" relationship between Washington and Moscow, which are also at odds over the civil war in Syria. Asked whether Putin was personally involved in the hacks, Obama said: "This happened at the highest levels of the Russian government" and that "not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin." But Obama fell short of directly blaming Putin and added that he also wanted to give U.S. intelligence officials more time to produce a report that is due before he leaves office on Jan. 20 and Trump is sworn in as his successor.
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| Catalan leader mulls early vote on break with Spain Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:16 PM PST  BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Separatist leaders in Catalonia plan to seek Spanish government support for a referendum on the region's independence, but a lack of consent from Madrid will not stop them from staging the vote, the president of the regional government said Friday.
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| Nine dead of fentanyl opioid abuse in one day in Vancouver: mayor Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:06 PM PST  Nine people died from fentanyl opioid overdoses in the Canadian city of Vancouver in just the past 24 hours, Mayor Gregor Robertson said Friday. The spike in deaths comes as Canada -- like its neighbor the United States -- has been struggling to contain an overdose crisis that claimed 2,000 lives last year, with even more expected in 2016. Flanked by the city's police chief and other emergency officials, Robertson lauded existing harm reduction services such as drug consumption rooms in the city, but said more treatment options are urgently needed.
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| Unbeaten Hoffenheim hold 10-man Dortmund 2-2 in Bundesliga Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:06 PM PST  BERLIN (AP) — Marco Reus was sent off and 10-man Borussia Dortmund had to settle for 2-2 at Hoffenheim in a bruising Bundesliga match on Friday.
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