| North Korea says can test-launch ICBM at any time: official news agency Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:26 PM PST  North Korea declared on Sunday it could test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile at any time from any location set by leader Kim Jong Un, saying a hostile U.S. policy was to blame for its arms development. Kim said on Jan. 1 that his nuclear-capable country was close to test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). "The ICBM will be launched anytime and anywhere determined by the supreme headquarters of the DPRK," an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the official KCNA news agency, using the acronym for the country's name.
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| Former Iran president Rafsanjani dies in blow to moderates Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:39 PM PST  By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI (Reuters) - Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani died on Sunday at the age of 82, a big blow to moderates and reformists deprived now of their most influential supporter in the Islamic establishment. Few have wielded such influence in modern Iran but since 2009 Rafsanjani and his family faced political isolation over their support for the opposition movement which lost a disputed election that year to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rafsanjani headed the Expediency Council, a body which is intended to resolve disputes between the parliament and the Guardian Council.
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| U.N. chief concerned Iran may have violated arms embargo: report Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:25 PM PST  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations chief expressed concern to the Security Council that Iran may have violated an arms embargo by supplying weapons and missiles to Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, according to a confidential report, seen by Reuters on Sunday. The second bi-annual report, due to be discussed by the 15-member council on Jan. 18, also cites an accusation by France that an arms shipment seized in the northern Indian Ocean in March was from Iran and likely bound for Somalia or Yemen. Most U.N. sanctions were lifted a year ago under a deal Iran made with Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, the United States and the European Union to curb its nuclear program.
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| Iraqi forces reach Tigris in Mosul as suicide bombs hit Baghdad Posted: 08 Jan 2017 12:07 PM PST  By Stephen Kalin and Ahmed Rasheed MOSUL, Iraq/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi special forces battling Islamic State reached the eastern bank of the Tigris river in Mosul on Sunday for the first time in a three-month, U.S-backed offensive to capture the city from the militants, who still control its entire western half. The group also claimed attacks at two Baghdad markets in which 20 people were killed, the latest in a spate of bombings, tactics to which Islamic State is resorting as it comes under pressure in Mosul, its last major stronghold in Iraq. Units of Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service (CTS) have fought their way to the eastern bank of the Tigris, spokesman Sabah al-Numan said.
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| Syrian air strikes resume on rebel-held Damascus water-source valley Posted: 08 Jan 2017 01:55 PM PST  By Lisa Barrington BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes escalated on Sunday in a rebel-held valley near Damascus containing the Syrian capital's main water supply, a day after insurgents and the government failed to agree a plan to repair the springs knocked out of service two weeks ago. Several rebel groups warned that the escalation effectively meant the collapse of shaky ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey to pave the way for peace talks they hope to convene in Kazakhstan. The government and allied fighters from the Lebanese group Hezbollah launched an offensive two weeks ago to take back Wadi Barada, a valley overlooked by pro-government military positions where springs provided water to 4 million people in the capital.
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| At least four killed in Palestinian truck attack in Jerusalem Posted: 08 Jan 2017 01:35 PM PST  By Jeffrey Heller and Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian rammed his truck into a group of Israeli soldiers on a popular promenade in Jerusalem on Sunday, killing four of them in an attack that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was likely inspired by Islamic State. It was the deadliest Palestinian attack in Jerusalem in months and targeted officer cadets as they disembarked from a bus that brought them to the Armon Hanatziv promenade, which has a panoramic view of the walled Old City. The military said a female officer and three officer cadets were killed and that 17 others were injured.
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| China tightens rules after anti-corruption staff caught up in graft Posted: 08 Jan 2017 05:18 PM PST China's top anti-corruption watchdog has tightened supervision of its 500,000-plus corruption investigators, after some of its own staff were caught in graft probes. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement on its website late on Sunday that a new regulation would be applied to procedures such as evidence collection and case reviews, without providing further details. "Trust cannot replace supervision," the CCDI said in the statement, released after it held an annual 3-day meeting. |
| Top Asian News 1:17 a.m. GMT Posted: 08 Jan 2017 05:17 PM PST HOUSTON (AP) — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott said they met Sunday with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen while she was passing through Houston on her way to Central America. The Republican senator said in a news release that during his meeting with Tsai, they "discussed our mutual opportunity to upgrade the stature of our bilateral relations" in a talk that addressed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations. "Furthering economic cooperation between our two nations must be a priority; increased access to Taiwanese markets will benefit Texas farmers, ranchers and small business owners alike," he said. A news release from Abbott, also a Republican, said he and Tsai discussed energy, trade relations and commercial ties between Taiwan and Texas. |
| Australian health minister stands down over expense claims Posted: 08 Jan 2017 05:17 PM PST  CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia's heath minister temporarily stepped down Monday while her travel expense claims are investigated. The scandal surrounding Minister Sussan Ley's expense claims could trigger the first reshuffle of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet since his government was re-elected six months ago.
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| Florida airport shooting suspect appears in new video Posted: 08 Jan 2017 05:15 PM PST  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A day before the suspect in the Fort Lauderdale airport rampage was to appear in court, a website released footage that appears to show him calmly drawing a pistol and opening fire in the baggage claim area.
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| Mexico youth gang kills 3 teens in drug dispute Posted: 08 Jan 2017 05:14 PM PST CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — A hit squad made up of two teenage girls, a boy and a woman has been detained for allegedly killing three boys aged 13, 14 and 15 in a poor neighborhood of northern Mexico, authorities said Sunday. |
| Mexican agents arrest American suspect in shooting of U.S. official Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:57 PM PST  A U.S. citizen suspected of involvement in the brazen daylight shooting of a U.S. consular official in the Mexican city of Guadalajara was arrested on Sunday, the government said. The unnamed man will be extradited to the United States, where his legal status will be determined, Mexico's foreign ministry and attorney general's office said in a joint statement. A video posted online by the consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, shows the shooter on Friday afternoon appearing to wait for the official's car to pull up to a parking lot barrier before firing directly at the driver and then fleeing.
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| Mexico arrests American in US consular official's shooting Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:46 PM PST  The suspect in the shooting of a US consular official in Mexico's western city of Guadalajara is an American who will be deported back to his country, officials said Sunday. The official was shot on Friday in a brazen attack by a man wearing a black wig and a blue nurse uniform outside a shopping center's garage in Mexico's second biggest city. Officials have not indicated the possible motive nor reveal the identities of the victim or the suspect.
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| Chelsea ponder appeal after Terry FA Cup red Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:45 PM PST  Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his club may appeal against the red card shown to John Terry during the Premier League leaders' 4-1 FA Cup defeat of Peterborough United. Terry, who was making his first appearance in two months, was dismissed in the 67th minute at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after a clumsy last-man challenge on Peterborough striker Lee Angol. "I think it wasn't right, this decision from the referee," said the Chelsea manager.
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| Klopp stands by Liverpool youngsters Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:40 PM PST  Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp defended his decision to select an inexperienced line-up after his side were held to a goalless draw by Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup third round. Klopp picked the youngest XI in Liverpool's history with an average age of 21 years and 296 days against the fourth-tier side, who are 68 places below them in the English football pyramid. The Reds failed to break down a disciplined and determined Plymouth team and after the Anfield stalemate, they face the prospect of a tricky replay away to the south-west England club in 10 days' time.
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| Magnitude 5.8 quake hits in Nunavut territory in far northern Canada -USGS Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:21 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck in Nunavut territory in far northern Canada, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Sunday. The quake, originally measured at magnitude 6.4, hit at a depth of 11.8 miles (19 km) and was centered 55 miles (89 km) southeast of Resolute in the thinly populated territory, the USGS said. (Reporting by Peter Cooney in Washington; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) |
| Video emerges of Florida airport gunman opening fire Posted: 08 Jan 2017 04:10 PM PST  Video of the moment a gunman opened fire at a Florida airport emerged Sunday as authorities try to piece together his motive for traveling to the state to carry out a killing spree that left five dead and six wounded. Iraq war vet Esteban Santiago flew to the Fort Lauderdale airport on Friday and retrieved a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and ammunition that he had declared and packed in his checked luggage. Video released by the TMZ website showed Santiago, bearded and wearing a blue shirt, walking calmly through the baggage claim area.
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| Venezuela boosts minimum wage by 50 percent Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:57 PM PST  Embattled President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday raised the minimum wage by 50 percent in Venezuela, a country with astronomical inflation. Maduro said he was raising the minimum wage to 40 bolivars, about 60 dollars at the highest official exchange rate, or $12 on the black market. "To get the year started, I have decided to raise the minimum wage," the president sad on his weekly show on state television.
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| Lionel Messi saves Barcelona from 2nd straight loss Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:55 PM PST  MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi saved Barcelona from its second straight defeat by scoring with a 90th-minute free kick in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal in the Spanish league on Sunday.
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| A son of Poland's ex-president Lech Walesa dies Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:55 PM PST WARSAW, Poland (AP) — One of the four sons of Solidarity founder and former Polish president Lech Walesa's has died, Poland's PAP news agency said Sunday. |
| Mexican prosecutors say suspect in shooting is US citizen Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:52 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican prosecutors said Sunday that they have detained a U.S. citizen as the main suspect in the shooting of an official at the U.S. consulate in the western city of Guadalajara. |
| Truck-ramming attack kills four Israeli soldiers Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:46 PM PST  A Palestinian rammed a truck into a group of Israeli soldiers visiting a popular tourist spot in Jerusalem on Sunday, killing four and wounding 17 others, authorities said. The driver was also killed at the location overlooking holy sites such as the Dome of the Rock and providing one of the most spectacular views of Jerusalem. Palestinian security officials said the driver was a Palestinian in his late 20s from east Jerusalem's Jabal Mukaber neighbourhood.
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| Rafsanjani, Iran leader whose life mirrored nation's, dies Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:42 PM PST  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani died Sunday after a decades-long career in the ruling elite, where his moderate views were not always welcome but his cunning guided him through revolution, war and the country's turbulent politics.
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| Smartphone style hits London catwalk at J.W. Anderson show Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:30 PM PST  An inescapable feature of modern life, the instantly recognisable motifs of mobile phone applications inspired British designer Jonathan Anderson's London Fashion Week show Sunday, with his brash embroidered creations lighting up the catwalk. Anderson, whose daring collections have earned him a reputation as one of the rising stars of the fashion industry, presented the autumn-winter 2017 collection by his own label, J.W. Anderson, using the colourful square logos that fill up smartphone screens around the world as a muse. To the sound of throbbing electro music, the models paraded on the catwalk sporting blocks of brightly embroidered and crocheted patterns on sweaters, wide scarves, shoes and backpacks.
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| Refugees from Africa, Iraq find homes near in Missoula Posted: 08 Jan 2017 03:22 PM PST MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Missoula has become a refuge for more than 40 men, women and children from war-ravaged lands in Africa and Iraq, more than 30 years after last of some 550 refugees from Southeast Asia, most of them Hmong who supported U.S. efforts in the secret war in Laos, were brought to western Montana. |
| US Senator Ted Cruz meets with president of Taiwan Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:52 PM PST  US Senator Ted Cruz met on Sunday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-Wen, despite objections from Chinese diplomats. The Republican from Texas, who lost in the US primary elections to President-elect Donald Trump, said in a statement that the two discussed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations during the meeting in Houston. Cruz went through with the meeting despite Chinese opposition: "Shortly before our meeting, the Houston congressional delegation received a curious letter from the Chinese consulate asking members of Congress not to meet with President Tsai, and to uphold the 'One China policy," the senator said.
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| Greek police find weapons at captured extremist's hideout Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:42 PM PST  ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Investigators found a cache of weapons at the hideout of captured left-wing extremist Pola Roupa, officials said Sunday.
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| Some 100 killed in one week in Brazil's prisons Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:41 PM PST  At least four inmates were killed Sunday in a facility in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, sending the number of violent prison fatalities over 100 in just one week. Much of the violence, which includes several massacres with decapitations and disemboweling, has been among rival drug gangs in vastly overcrowded facilities. Deadly prison riots have intensified in Brazil since a truce broke down in July between the country's two largest drug gangs, the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command (CV).
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| Jets rookie Patrik Laine out indefinitely with concussion Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:38 PM PST  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Winnipeg Jets rookie star Patrik Laine is out indefinitely because of a concussion.
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| Nice has only French league title to focus on after cup exit Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:35 PM PST PARIS (AP) — French league leader Nice has only the title race to focus on for the rest of the season after going out of the French Cup on Sunday. |
| Questions about hacking swirl as Trump enters critical week Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:13 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump and his aides are entering a crucial week in his presidential transition as he and his Cabinet nominees undergo public questioning about their approach to Russia and potential conflicts of interests.
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| Iran ex-president Rafsanjani dies Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:10 PM PST  Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a pugnacious moderate who survived for decades despite challenging his own turbaned elite, died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. Rafsanjani, who was 82, was a pivotal figure in the foundation of the Islamic republic in 1979, and served as president from 1989 to 1997. "Despite the efforts of the doctors he died" at Shohadaa Hospital in northern Tehran, said Reza Soleimani, a speaker of the Expediency Council, Iran's main political arbitration body which Rafsanjani chaired.
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| Former PM Valls loses lead over Montebourg in Socialist primaries: polls Posted: 08 Jan 2017 02:05 PM PST  Former French prime minister Manuel Valls has lost his lead over leftist opponent Arnaud Montebourg ahead of the Socialist primaries, according to two polls published on Sunday. An Ifop poll, published by the weekly Journal du Dimanche, showed that in case of a second-round vote on Jan. 29 between Valls and Montebourg, former economy minister Montebourg was predicted to win 52 percent of the vote, the first time he has placed ahead of Valls in a major poll. In last month's Ifop poll, Valls was still marginally ahead of Montebourg with 51 percent of voting intentions in the race to become the Socialist presidential candidate.
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| Olympiakos beats Xanthi 2-0, leads Greek league by 12 points Posted: 08 Jan 2017 01:58 PM PST ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Defending champion Olympiakos beat host Xanthi 2-0 in a clash between the top two Greek league teams on Sunday. |
| Venezuela's Maduro hikes minimum wage for fifth time in a year Posted: 08 Jan 2017 01:47 PM PST  Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro announced on Sunday a 50 percent hike in the minimum wage and pensions, the fifth increase over the last year, to help shield workers from the world's highest inflation rate. "In times of economic war and mafia attacks ... we must protect employment and workers' income," added Maduro, who has now increased the minimum wage by a cumulative 322 percent since February 2016.
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