Yahoo! News: World News

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• Russia calls U.S. move to better arm Syrian rebels a 'hostile act'
• Wing flap fault main theory behind Black Sea Russian jet crash
• In Pearl Harbor visit, Abe pledges Japan will never wage war again
• Israel pressing ahead with settlements after U.N. vote
• Erdogan says U.S.-led coalition gives support to terrorist groups in Syria
• Cuba passes law that bans naming sites after Fidel Castro
• Main black box of crashed Russian plane found in Black Sea
• Denmark upsets defending champ Finland at world juniors
• Top Asian News 1:27 a.m. GMT
• SKorean investigators detain ex-health minister
• Ex-Argentine leader Fernandez indicted, tied to nuns and guns scandal
• Cuba passes law that bans naming sites after Fidel Castro
• At Pearl Harbor, US and Japan seek absolution from the war
• Perpetual Loyal wins Sydney to Hobart race in record time
• Mexico detains 5, eyes possible link to decapitations
• Kerry to lay out vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace
• Cuba sees economy shrink 1 percent despite detente with US
• Colombia kidnappings down 92% since 2000
• Abe, Obama hail reconciliation at Pearl Harbor
• China energy consumption seen up 1.4 percent in 2016: Xinhua
• Syrian opposition urges rebels to cooperate in ceasefire efforts
• Russia says Syrian government and opposition in talks
• 6 guilty pleas in bribery scheme involving Mexican contracts
• Kerry to lay out vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace
• Cuba outlaws 'cult of personality' after Fidel death
• South Korea special prosecutor detains pension fund chairman
• Somali parliament members sworn in amid UN criticism
• 11 dumped from Rio Grande raft rescued by Border Patrol
• Man dies during horse race at Mexico girl's 'quinceanera'
• Obama says Japanese leader's Pearl Harbor visit shows power of reconciliation
• The Latest: Obama calls Japan's premier's visit 'historic'
• Liverpool's prolific attack delivers in 4-1 win over Stoke
• US raises no objection over China aircraft carrier drill
• Japan's Abe offers condolences at Pearl Harbor for victims of war
• Trump signals shift from Obama's focus on multilateralism
• Kirchner, Argentina's divisive ex-president
• Trump taps ex-Bush official Bossert to counter domestic threats
• Ex-Argentine leader Fernandez indicted, tied to nuns and guns scandal

Russia calls U.S. move to better arm Syrian rebels a 'hostile act' Posted: 27 Dec 2016 01:29 PM PST By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday that a U.S. decision to ease restrictions on arming Syrian rebels had opened the way for deliveries of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, a move it said would directly threaten Russian forces in Syria. Moscow last year launched a campaign of air strikes in Syria to help President Bashar al-Assad and his forces retake territory lost to rebels, some of whom are supported by the United States. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the policy change easing restrictions on weapons supplies had been set out in a new U.S. defense spending bill and that Moscow regarded the step as a hostile act.

Wing flap fault main theory behind Black Sea Russian jet crash Posted: 27 Dec 2016 12:42 PM PST By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian investigators looking into the crash of a military plane that crashed, killing all 92 on board, believe a fault with its wing flaps was the reason it plunged into the Black Sea, an investigative source told the Interfax news agency on Tuesday. The plane, a Tupolev-154 belonging to the Defence Ministry, disappeared from radar screens two minutes after taking off on Sunday from Sochi in southern Russia, killing dozens of Red Army Choir singers and dancers en route to Syria to entertain Russian troops in the run-up to the New Year. The Defence Ministry confirmed one box had been found.

In Pearl Harbor visit, Abe pledges Japan will never wage war again Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:19 PM PST By Jeff Mason PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joined U.S. President Barack Obama for a symbolic joint visit to Pearl Harbor on Tuesday, commemorating World War Two dead and pledging that Japan would never wage war again. The visit, just weeks before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office, was meant to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance in the face of a rising China and amid concerns that Trump would have a more complicated relationship with Tokyo. Abe and Obama commemorated the dead at the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the remains of the sunken battleship.

Israel pressing ahead with settlements after U.N. vote Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:07 PM PST By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Jerusalem municipality is due to act on Wednesday on requests to construct hundreds of new homes for Israelis in areas that Israel captured in 1967 and annexed to the city, drawing fresh criticism from the United States that settlement activity puts Middle East peace-making at risk. Israel is still fuming over the resolution approved last Friday by the United Nations Security Council that demands an end to settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. "We would hope that the U.N. Security Council resolution would serve as a wake-up call, a call to action, an attempt to alert both sides, but certainly Israel, that its actions with regards to settlement activity are a detriment to moving forward with a two-state solution," Toner told a news briefing.

Erdogan says U.S.-led coalition gives support to terrorist groups in Syria Posted: 27 Dec 2016 09:23 AM PST Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he has evidence that U.S.-led coalition forces give support to terrorist groups including the Islamic State and Kurdish militant groups YPG and PYD, he said on Tuesday. "They were accusing us of supporting Daesh (Islamic State)," he told a press conference in Ankara. "Now they give support to terrorist groups including Daesh, YPG, PYD.

Cuba passes law that bans naming sites after Fidel Castro Posted: 27 Dec 2016 01:56 PM PST Cuba's National Assembly approved a law on Tuesday that bans commemorative statues of Fidel Castro and naming public places after him, in accordance with the wishes of the revolutionary leader, who died last month. Castro always said he did not want a cult of personality, although critics point out that the cult was everywhere. "His fighting spirit will remain in the conscience of all Cuban revolutionaries, today, tomorrow and always," President Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, told the Assembly, according to excerpts of his speech published by official media.

Main black box of crashed Russian plane found in Black Sea Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:30 PM PST Russian rescuers working round the clock have found the main black box from the Syria-bound military plane that crashed into the Black Sea with 92 people on board, authorities said. The defence ministry said the box, which could provide vital clues as to why the Tu-154 jet crashed, was discovered early Tuesday only 1,600 metres from the shore and 17 metres under the surface and was in "satisfactory condition". The Tu-154 jet, whose passengers included more than 60 members of the internationally renowned Red Army Choir, was heading to Russia's military airbase in Syria on Sunday when it went down off the coast of Sochi shortly after take-off from a refuelling stop at the airport.

Denmark upsets defending champ Finland at world juniors Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:36 PM PST MONTREAL (AP) — Kasper Krog made 34 saves and Denmark held on to upset defending champion Finland 3-2 on Tuesday in preliminary-round play at the world junior hockey championship.

Top Asian News 1:27 a.m. GMT Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:27 PM PST PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid wreaths at various cemeteries and memorials Monday ahead of a visit to the site of the 1941 bombing that plunged the United States into World War II. Abe landed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and then headed to National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, where he laid a wreath. He stood for a moment of silence at the cemetery near downtown Honolulu, which is known as Punchbowl. He later visited a nearby memorial for nine boys and men who died when a U.S. Navy submarine collided with their Japanese fishing vessel in 2001.

SKorean investigators detain ex-health minister Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:26 PM PST SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean investigators on Wednesday detained the country's former health minister as they expand their inquiry into a corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Ex-Argentine leader Fernandez indicted, tied to nuns and guns scandal Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:12 PM PST By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez was indicted on Tuesday on charges she ran a corruption scheme with a public works secretary who was arrested in June while trying to stash millions of dollars in a convent. A federal judge accused them and other officials of the Fernandez administration of crimes "including the deliberate seizure of funds principally meant for public road works." Corruption charges have long swirled around Fernandez and her husband and predecessor, the late Nestor Kirchner. The country was riveted in June when Fernandez's former public works secretary, Jose Lopez, was arrested while tossing bags stuffed with millions of dollars over the walls of a Catholic convent on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Cuba passes law that bans naming sites after Fidel Castro Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:11 PM PST Cuba's National Assembly approved a law on Tuesday that bans commemorative statues of Fidel Castro and naming public places after him, in accordance with the wishes of the revolutionary leader, who died last month. Castro always said he did not want a cult of personality, although critics point out that the cult was everywhere. "His fighting spirit will remain in the conscience of all Cuban revolutionaries, today, tomorrow and always," President Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, told the Assembly, according to excerpts of his speech published by official media.

At Pearl Harbor, US and Japan seek absolution from the war Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:01 PM PST PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — In a historic pilgrimage, the leaders of Japan and the United States took to the hallowed waters of Pearl Harbor on Tuesday to prove that even the bitterest enemies can become allies. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not apologize, but conceded Japan "must never repeat the horrors of war again."

Perpetual Loyal wins Sydney to Hobart race in record time Posted: 27 Dec 2016 04:39 PM PST HOBART, Australia (AP) — Supermaxi Perpetual Loyal has taken line honors in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race with its winning time nearly five hours faster than the previous record.

Mexico detains 5, eyes possible link to decapitations Posted: 27 Dec 2016 04:25 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican authorities say they have detained five people suspected of shooting at police in the state of Michoacan and are investigating whether they may have been involved in the killings of six men whose severed heads were discovered Christmas Day.

Kerry to lay out vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace Posted: 27 Dec 2016 04:24 PM PST By Lesley Wroughton and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will lay out his vision for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a speech on Wednesday, days after the United States cleared the way for a U.N. resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements. The speech, less than a month before President Barack Obama leaves office, is expected to be the administration's last word on a decades-old dispute that Kerry had hoped to resolve during his four years as America's top diplomat. It could also be seen in Israel as another parting shot at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had an especially acrimonious relationship with Obama since they both took office in 2009.

Cuba sees economy shrink 1 percent despite detente with US Posted: 27 Dec 2016 05:37 PM PST HAVANA (AP) — Cuba announced Tuesday that its economy shrank this year for the first time in nearly a quarter century as a plunge in aid from Venezuela overwhelmed a surge in tourism set off by detente with the United States.

Colombia kidnappings down 92% since 2000 Posted: 27 Dec 2016 04:05 PM PST Kidnappings in Colombia have fallen 92 percent since 2000, a "historic" change, the authorities said Tuesday as the government and FARC rebels implement a peace deal meant to end a half-century conflict. Long considered one of the world's kidnapping capitals, Colombia registered 188 abductions this year, police general Fernando Murillo said. Kidnapping has been used as both a tactic of war and a money-making enterprise in Colombia's messy, multi-sided conflict, which has drawn in government forces, leftist guerrilla groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs.

Abe, Obama hail reconciliation at Pearl Harbor Posted: 27 Dec 2016 04:04 PM PST The leaders of war-time enemies America and Japan made a poignant joint pilgrimage to Pearl Harbor Tuesday, issuing symbolic declarations about the power of reconciliation and warning against the drumbeat of conflict. The pair paid homage to the more than 2,400 Americans killed on December 7, 1941, delivering a wreath of peace lilies and standing in silence before a shrine to those lost on the USS Arizona -- roughly half of all those killed. Abe's visit is a high-profile mark of contrition for a leader for whom Japan's wartime past is often a sensitive domestic issue.

China energy consumption seen up 1.4 percent in 2016: Xinhua Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:46 PM PST China's total primary energy consumption is expected to have reached 4.36 billion tonnes of coal equivalent in 2016, up 1.4 percent compared to last year, the official Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday, citing the country's top energy official. The figure, given by Nur Bekri, director of the country's National Energy Administration (NEA), is higher than the 0.9 percent growth rate forecast by the NEA earlier this year. Bekri told a conference that China's total non-fossil fuel consumption rose to 13.3 percent of the total this year, up 1.3 percentage points compared to 2015.

Syrian opposition urges rebels to cooperate in ceasefire efforts Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:14 PM PST The Syrian opposition's main political body on Tuesday urged rebel groups to cooperate with "sincere regional efforts" to reach a ceasefire but said it had not been invited to any conference, referring to a meeting in Kazakhstan proposed by Russia. Riad Hijab, general coordinator for the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said confidence-building measures were needed to create an atmosphere for political transition talks which should be held in Geneva and sponsored by the United Nations. "We support the shifts in positions of some international powers and the positive, sincere efforts that could represent a starting point for realising the Syrian people's aspirations, by reaching an agreement that brings security and stability," Hijab said in a written statement distributed to the press.

Russia says Syrian government and opposition in talks Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:14 PM PST By Andrew Osborn and Tom Perry MOSCOW/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday said the Syrian government was consulting with the opposition ahead of possible peace talks, while a Saudi-backed opposition group said it knew nothing of the negotiations but supported a ceasefire. In an interview with Interfax news agency, Sergei Lavrov did not say where the consultations were taking place or which opposition groups were taking part. Russia, Iran and Turkey said last week they were ready to help broker a peace deal after holding talks in Moscow where they adopted a declaration setting out the principles any agreement should adhere to.

6 guilty pleas in bribery scheme involving Mexican contracts Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:11 PM PST HOUSTON (AP) — Federal authorities say six people have pleaded guilty in a $2 million bribery scheme involving Mexican officials securing aircraft maintenance and repair contracts with Mexican government-owned and controlled entities.

Kerry to lay out vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:06 PM PST By Lesley Wroughton and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will lay out his vision for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a speech on Wednesday, days after the United States cleared the way for a U.N. resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements. The speech, less than a month before President Barack Obama leaves office, is expected to be the administration's last word on a decades-old dispute that Kerry had hoped to resolve during his four years as America's top diplomat. It could also be seen in Israel as another parting shot at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had an especially acrimonious relationship with Obama since they both took office in 2009.

Cuba outlaws 'cult of personality' after Fidel death Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:03 PM PST There will be no Fidel Castro streets or plazas in Cuba, in keeping with the late revolutionary leader's wishes, as spelled out in a law Cuban legislators passed on Tuesday. President Raul Castro, 85, said that before dying at the age of 90 on November 25, his brother Fidel had requested that no monuments or statues be erected in his honor, and that no streets or buildings be named after him. While he was an omnipresent figure in the lives of Cubans after taking power in 1959, Fidel Castro always opposed the erection of statues in his likeness.

South Korea special prosecutor detains pension fund chairman Posted: 27 Dec 2016 03:01 PM PST A South Korean special prosecution team investigating the corruption scandal that has engulfed the country's presidency said it had placed the chairman of the National Pension Service (NPS) under emergency detention early on Wednesday. The special prosecutor's office did not immediately provide further details on the arrest of NPS Chairman Moon Hyung-pyo but had said on Monday it had raided Moon's home on suspicion of abuse of power. The special prosecutor has been looking into whether Moon pressured the pension fund to support the $8 billion merger last year of two Samsung Group [SAGR.UL} affiliates while he was head of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which runs the NPS.

Somali parliament members sworn in amid UN criticism Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:49 PM PST MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia's chief justice swore in 243 new members of parliament Tuesday amid criticism from the international community over irregularities in their elections.

11 dumped from Rio Grande raft rescued by Border Patrol Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:46 PM PST MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — Border Patrol agents near McAllen have rescued 11 people, including seven children, who were crossing the Rio Grande in a raft tethered to a vehicle on the Mexican side when smugglers yanked on the rope and dumped the people into the river.

Man dies during horse race at Mexico girl's 'quinceanera' Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:41 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — A man was killed and another injured in a horse race during celebrations for a Mexico girl's coming-of-age 15th birthday party that was a hit on social media, officials said.

Obama says Japanese leader's Pearl Harbor visit shows power of reconciliation Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:39 PM PST U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the site of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor showed the power of reconciliation. "This historic gesture speaks to the power of reconciliation. ... A reminder that even the deepest wounds of war can give way to friendship and a lasting peace," Obama said in a ceremony standing next to Abe.

The Latest: Obama calls Japan's premier's visit 'historic' Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:36 PM PST PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The Latest on President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (all times local):

Liverpool's prolific attack delivers in 4-1 win over Stoke Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:27 PM PST LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool's prolific forward line delivered again in a 4-1 win over Stoke in the English Premier League on Tuesday, lifting the team back into second place and within six points of Chelsea.

US raises no objection over China aircraft carrier drill Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:27 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States says China has the right to sail in international waters after a Chinese aircraft carrier cruised past Taiwan and into the contested South China Sea.

Japan's Abe offers condolences at Pearl Harbor for victims of war Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:21 PM PST Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered his condolences on Tuesday to the people who were killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, after visiting the memorial to the sunken battleship USS Arizona. "President Obama, the people of the United States of America and the people around the world, as the prime minister of Japan I offer my sincere and everlasting condolences to the souls of those who have lost their lives here," Abe said.

Trump signals shift from Obama's focus on multilateralism Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:15 PM PST For eight years, President Barack Obama's foreign policy doctrine has been rooted in a belief that while the United States can take action around the word on its own, it rarely should.

Kirchner, Argentina's divisive ex-president Posted: 27 Dec 2016 02:02 PM PST Cristina Kirchner, the fiery ex-president who dominated Argentine politics for 12 years along with her late husband Nestor, remains as divisive out of office as she was while in power. Kirchner (2007-2015), is accused of favoring a construction magnate friend, Lazaro Baez, for public contracts in Patagonia, her southern political bastion. Nearly every time she appears in court, swarms of protesters gather outside to denounce her opponents and proclaim their undying allegiance to Cristina.

Trump taps ex-Bush official Bossert to counter domestic threats Posted: 27 Dec 2016 01:59 PM PST By Richard Cowan PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday selected former Bush administration official Thomas Bossert as a counterterrorism adviser who will focus heavily on cyber threats. As assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, Bossert will concentrate on domestic security issues and help craft the administration's cyber security policies, the transition team said. "We must work toward cyber doctrine that reflects the wisdom of free markets, private competition and the important but limited role of government in establishing and enforcing the rule of law ... and the fundamental principles of liberty," Bossert said in a statement.

Ex-Argentine leader Fernandez indicted, tied to nuns and guns scandal Posted: 27 Dec 2016 01:55 PM PST By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez was indicted on Tuesday on charges she ran a corruption scheme with a public works secretary who was arrested in June while trying to stash millions of dollars in a convent. A federal judge accused them and other officials of the Fernandez administration of crimes "including the deliberate seizure of funds principally meant for public road works." Corruption charges have long swirled around Fernandez and her husband and predecessor, the late Nestor Kirchner. The country was riveted in June when Fernandez's former public works secretary, Jose Lopez, was arrested while tossing bags stuffed with millions of dollars over the walls of a Catholic convent on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

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