Yahoo! News: World News

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• Iraqi forces advance in Mosul but civilian toll mounts
• Russia hacked Republican state campaigns but not Trump's: FBI head
• U.S. says might not shoot down North Korean ICBM, eying intel
• American charged with attempted murder of U.S. diplomat in Mexico
• Chinese bomber flies round contested Spratlys in show of force: U.S. official
• Obama says Israeli settlements making two-state solution impossible
• Lack of justice over war crimes fuels spiraling violence in Central African Republic: Amnesty
• Former U.N. chief Ban unaware of details of U.S. bribery charges against relatives: spokesman
• Prosecutor: Man helped college student join Islamic State
• Nicaragua pledges to fight for Taiwan recognition on global stage
• Mourinho tells fans and players to step up
• US jury condemns Charleston church shooter to death
• Oh deer: monkey caught in flagrante delict-doe
• Journalist Clare Hollingworth, who broke news of WW II, dies
• Top Asian News 12:47 a.m. GMT
• Bombs near government offices in Afghan capital kill 38
• U.S. charges former U.N. chief Ban's relatives in bribery case
• Cracks exposed at heart of Northern Irish peace by 'cash-for-ash' scandal
• Islamic State fights losing battle in eastern Mosul
• World Bank forecasting brighter prospects for 2017
• Mexico's Catholic church calls for search for missing priest
• Obama says goodbye in last presidential speech
• Gambia election ruling delayed for several months
• Feds: Ex-UN official's relatives indicted in bribe scheme
• Atletico reaches Copa del Rey quarterfinals despite loss
• Anti-doping leaders call for ban of Russian teams
• Bautista-Agut withdraws from ASB Classic
• Russian hackers claim to have compromising information on Trump: CNN
• Ex-Congo Republic opposition leader arrested after months in hiding
• Poland faces parliamentary showdown over opposition blockade
• U.S. lists 17 nuclear reactors with parts from forge under probe
• Russians claim to have compromising info on Trump: CNN
• Puerto Ricans to see lower power bills amid economic crisis
• Anxiety in Istanbul after series of extremist attacks
• Warriors' Zaza Pachulia has Kerr _ not critics _ in his head
• Puerto Rico governor pursues freedom of information law
• Mata, Fellaini put Man United on course for League Cup final
• Al-Qaeda ally releases video showing Swiss hostage alive: SITE
• French presidential candidate Fillon to propose immigration quotas

Iraqi forces advance in Mosul but civilian toll mounts Posted: 10 Jan 2017 10:07 AM PST By Stephen Kalin and John Davison ERBIL, Iraq/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces pushed Islamic State fighters back further in Mosul on Tuesday in a renewed effort to seize the northern city and deal a decisive blow to the militant group, though progress was slow in some districts, the army said. Iraqi forces and their allies have captured villages and towns surrounding Mosul and seized at least two-thirds of its eastern districts, military officials say, reaching the eastern bank of the Tigris river for the first time on Sunday. The government had initially hoped to retake Mosul by the end of 2016 but three months into the U.S.-backed campaign, the militants control the territory to the west of the Tigris that bisects the city from north to south.

Russia hacked Republican state campaigns but not Trump's: FBI head Posted: 10 Jan 2017 02:49 PM PST By Dustin Volz and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia hacked into Republican state political campaigns and old email domains of the Republican National Committee but there is no evidence it successfully penetrated President-elect Donald Trump's campaign, FBI Director James Comey said on Tuesday. Comey also told lawmakers Russia did not release information obtained from the state campaigns or the old RNC email domains, comments that may buttress the U.S. intelligence view that Moscow tried to help Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 campaign.

U.S. says might not shoot down North Korean ICBM, eying intel Posted: 10 Jan 2017 05:56 PM PST By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military might monitor a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile test and gather intelligence rather than destroy it, as long as the launch did not pose a threat, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday. North Korea declared on Sunday it could test-launch an ICBM 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. If it's not threatening, we won't necessarily do so," Carter said in his final news briefing before President Barack Obama's administration leaves office on Jan. 20.

American charged with attempted murder of U.S. diplomat in Mexico Posted: 10 Jan 2017 12:12 PM PST A U.S. citizen was charged with the attempted murder of an American diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. Zia Zafar, 31, of Chino Hills, California, made an appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday after being deported from Mexico to the United States and arrested on Monday, the department said in a statement.

Chinese bomber flies round contested Spratlys in show of force: U.S. official Posted: 10 Jan 2017 11:12 AM PST A Chinese H-6 strategic bomber flew around the Spratly Islands at the weekend in a new show of force in the contested South China Sea, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. It was the second such flight by a Chinese bomber in the South China Sea this year. It comes after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has signaled a tougher approach to China when he takes office on Jan. 20, with tweets criticizing Beijing for its trade practices and accusing it of failing to help rein in nuclear-armed North Korea.

Obama says Israeli settlements making two-state solution impossible Posted: 10 Jan 2017 12:32 PM PST U.S. President Barack Obama, in an interview aired on Israeli television on Tuesday, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu policy backing settlements in occupied territory is making a future Palestinian state impossible. "Bibi says that he believes in the two-state solution and yet his actions consistently have shown that if he is getting pressured to approve more settlements he will do so regardless of what he says about the importance of the two-state solution," Obama said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. Some 570,000 Israelis now live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in East Jerusalem, together home to more than 2.6 million Palestinians.

Lack of justice over war crimes fuels spiraling violence in Central African Republic: Amnesty Posted: 10 Jan 2017 05:36 PM PST By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Perpetrators of war crimes including murder and rape in Central African Republic are going unpunished and fuelling worsening violence in the country, Amnesty International said on Wednesday as it called for funds to rebuild the national justice system. Dozens of people suspected of committing war crimes and other rights abuses have avoided investigation and arrest, and some are living alongside their victims in a nation divided along ethnic and religious lines, the human rights group said. "The national justice system is on its knees.

Former U.N. chief Ban unaware of details of U.S. bribery charges against relatives: spokesman Posted: 10 Jan 2017 05:26 PM PST SEOUL (Reuters) - Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is unaware of the circumstances surrounding bribery charges laid by U.S. prosecutors against two of his relatives, Ban's spokesman Lee Do-woon told reporters on Wednesday. Ban's brother and nephew have been indicted on U.S. charges that they engaged in a scheme to bribe a Middle Eastern official in connection with the attempted $800 million sale of a building complex in Vietnam. (Reporting by Christine Kim; Writing by Joyce Lee; Editing by Paul Tait)

Prosecutor: Man helped college student join Islamic State Posted: 10 Jan 2017 05:18 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — An Arizona man charged with conspiring to help a terrorism group provided a "launching pad" for a New York college student to join the Islamic State group in Syria, a prosecutor told jurors at the opening of his trial.

Nicaragua pledges to fight for Taiwan recognition on global stage Posted: 10 Jan 2017 05:10 PM PST By Enrique Andres Pretel MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaragua on Tuesday said it wanted to secure bigger international recognition for Taiwan during a visit by President Tsai Ing-wen at a moment of Chinese suspicions the leader of the self-ruled island is seeking formal independence from China. Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega welcomed his Taiwanese counterpart on a visit that follows complaints by Beijing about the attitude of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump who has questioned the United States' commitment to China's position that Taiwan is part of one China.

Mourinho tells fans and players to step up Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:59 PM PST Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said he, his players and even the club's supporters will need to raise their game when arch rivals Liverpool visit Old Trafford this weekend. United ground out a 2-0 win against Hull City in Tuesday's League Cup semi-final first leg and it took an 87th-minute header by substitute Marouane Fellaini to make the game safe. United have now won nine games in succession, but with Liverpool five points above them in second place in the Premier League table, Mourinho wants everyone to be at their very best on Sunday.

US jury condemns Charleston church shooter to death Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:55 PM PST A US jury on Tuesday condemned self-described white supremacist Dylann Roof to death over the massacre of nine black worshippers in a South Carolina church in June 2015 -- a crime that shocked the nation. Roof, 22, was convicted last month of 33 federal charges -- including hate crimes resulting in death -- in connection with the shooting spree at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston. A Bible study group at "Mother Emanuel," which had welcomed Roof, was just beginning its closing prayer when the self-avowed Nazi and Ku Klux Klan sympathizer opened fire, killing nine people ranging in age from 26 to 87.

Oh deer: monkey caught in flagrante delict-doe Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:51 PM PST Scientists on Tuesday revealed the "highly unusual" behaviour of a male monkey filmed trying to have sex with female deer in Japan -- a rare case of inter-species nookie. Sex between animals from different species is uncommon, but exceptional cases are known to occur, chiefly in domesticated and captive animals, scientists reported in the journal Primates. For the new study -- only the second on the phenomenon of inter-species sex -- a Japanese macaque or "snow monkey" was filmed mounting at least two female Sika deer much larger than itself.

Journalist Clare Hollingworth, who broke news of WW II, dies Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:48 PM PST HONG KONG (AP) — As German tanks encircled the Polish town of Katowice, rookie British newspaper reporter Clare Hollingworth picked up the phone and dialed the British Embassy. An official there didn't believe what she told him, so she dangled the phone out the window so he could hear the ominous rumbling for himself.

Top Asian News 12:47 a.m. GMT Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:47 PM PST KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Two large bombs — one triggered by a suicide attacker — exploded near government offices Tuesday, killing at least 38 people and wounding dozens of others in the deadliest Taliban violence in Kabul in months. In southern Afghanistan, another attack at a guesthouse belonging to the governor of Kandahar province killed five people and wounded 12. An ambassador from the United Arab Emirates and other UAE diplomats were among the wounded, authorities said. The Kabul suicide bomber struck about 4 p.m. as workers were leaving a compound of government and legislative offices, said Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.

Bombs near government offices in Afghan capital kill 38 Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:46 PM PST KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Two large bombs — one triggered by a suicide attacker — exploded near government offices Tuesday, killing at least 38 people and wounding dozens of others in the deadliest Taliban violence in Kabul in months.

U.S. charges former U.N. chief Ban's relatives in bribery case Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:40 PM PST By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday accused two relatives of former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon of engaging in a scheme to bribe a Middle Eastern official in connection with the attempted $800 million sale of a building complex in Vietnam. Joo Hyun Bahn, a real estate broker who is Ban Ki-Moon's nephew, and his father Ban Ki-sang, Ban Ki-moon's brother who was an executive at South Korean construction firm Keangnam Enterprises Co Ltd, were charged in an indictment filed in Manhattan federal court. The indictment also charged Malcolm Harris, a self-described arts and fashion consultant and blogger, who prosecutors say double-crossed Bahn and his father by holding himself out as an agent of the official only to steal the bribe money.

Cracks exposed at heart of Northern Irish peace by 'cash-for-ash' scandal Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:39 PM PST By Amanda Ferguson BELFAST (Reuters) - After a decade of bitter compromises over paramilitaries and policing, Northern Ireland's power-sharing government finally fell apart this week over the abuse by farmers of a green-energy grant to burn fuels such as wood pellets instead of coal. The confrontation has exposed a growing rupture in trust between Catholic Irish nationalists and pro-British Protestant unionists whose cooperation underpins the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement that ended three decades of bloodshed. While there is no sign of a return to violence that killed 3,600 people, the political crisis looks set to paralyze government in the province for months at the same time as Britain's exit from the European Union threatens simultaneous shockwaves to its economy and constitutional status.

Islamic State fights losing battle in eastern Mosul Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:37 PM PST By Isabel Coles MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - The leaflet dropped from the skies over Mosul urged Islamic State militants to give themselves up. Sent by the Iraqi government, it appears to have been ignored. At the bottom of a stairwell in one of the apartment blocks lay the corpses of three militants who must have known they would lose against the overwhelming numbers and firepower of their opponents.

World Bank forecasting brighter prospects for 2017 Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:31 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Bank is forecasting the global economy will accelerate slightly in 2017 after turning in the worst performance last year since the 2008 financial crisis.

Mexico's Catholic church calls for search for missing priest Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:29 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican Council of Bishops called on authorities Tuesday to search for a priest who has been missing for a week.

Obama says goodbye in last presidential speech Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:22 PM PST Barack Obama closes the book on his presidency Tuesday, with a farewell speech in Chicago that will try to lift supporters shaken by Donald Trump's shock election. Diehard fans -- many African Americans -- have braved Chicago's frigid winter to collect free tickets, which now sell for upwards of $1,000 a piece on Craigslist. Joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, Obama's trip would be a sentimental walk down memory lane, were it not slap-bang in the middle of a tumultuous presidential handover.

Gambia election ruling delayed for several months Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:16 PM PST The Gambia's chief Supreme Court justice dealt a blow to President Yahya Jammeh's legal challenge against the result of December's election on Tuesday, saying it would not be heard for several months. Jammeh's political party lodged a legal case on his behalf last month aimed at annulling his December 1 election defeat to opponent Adama Barrow, and triggering new elections. "We can only hear this matter when we have a full bench of the Supreme Court," Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle said, adding that the extra judges needed to hear the case were not available and could arrive only in May or November.

Feds: Ex-UN official's relatives indicted in bribe scheme Posted: 10 Jan 2017 04:15 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors in New York have charged two relatives of former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (bahn kee-moon) with plotting to bribe a Middle East official to influence the $800 million sale of a building complex in Vietnam.

Atletico reaches Copa del Rey quarterfinals despite loss Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:58 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Antoine Griezmann scored a goal the day after being named the world's third-best player, helping Atletico Madrid reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey despite a 3-2 home loss to Las Palmas on Tuesday.

Anti-doping leaders call for ban of Russian teams Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:58 PM PST A global group of anti-doping leaders is calling for Russian teams to be excluded from international competitions while establishing a process to allow individuals from the country to compete if they can prove they have taken part in effective anti-doping programs elsewhere.

Bautista-Agut withdraws from ASB Classic Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:55 PM PST AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Defending champion Robert Bautista-Agut of Spain has withdrawn from the ASB Tennis Classic without playing a match, citing a stomach virus.

Russian hackers claim to have compromising information on Trump: CNN Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:42 PM PST By Eric Beech and Warren Strobel WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Classified documents presented last week to President-elect Donald Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising information about him, CNN reported on Tuesday. The allegations were in a two-page synopsis appended to a report presented by U.S. intelligence officials to Trump and President Barack Obama on Russian interference in the 2016 election, CNN said, citing multiple U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the briefings. The allegations came, in part, from memos compiled by a former British intelligence operative, whose past work U.S. intelligence officials consider credible, CNN reported.

Ex-Congo Republic opposition leader arrested after months in hiding Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:32 PM PST A former opposition leader in Republic of Congo was arrested on Tuesday for arms possession after months in hiding, police said. Okombi Salissa, who lost last year's election to President Denis Sassou Nguesso, but accused the longtime leader of rigging the poll, had an arrest warrant out against him since December for holding weapons. It is part of an investigation against (Salissa), concerning an attack on state security," the police said in a statement.

Poland faces parliamentary showdown over opposition blockade Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:29 PM PST By Lidia Kelly WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland is poised for a parliamentary showdown on Wednesday when lawmakers convene for the first time this year after the centrist opposition rebuffed calls to end a blockade over media rights and the 2017 budget vote. Moves by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party to curb the number of journalists in parliament and their right to record proceedings drove opposition lawmakers to start a sit-in in the main hall in mid-December. Rejecting PiS appeals, the main opposition Civic Platform said on Tuesday it would stick to its sit-in if the PiS tried to relaunch parliament on Wednesday after the holiday recess, a stance that could escalate the dispute.

U.S. lists 17 nuclear reactors with parts from forge under probe Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:26 PM PST The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Tuesday unveiled a letter showing that 17 of the country's nuclear reactors have parts from Areva SA's Le Creusot forge in France, which is under investigation for allegedly falsifying documents on the quality of its parts. The number of reactors was more than the nine the NRC had previously disclosed. Last month authorities in France opened an investigation into decades of alleged forgery of documents relating to the quality of parts produced at Le Creusot and used in power plants around the world.

Russians claim to have compromising info on Trump: CNN Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:26 PM PST US spy chiefs told President-elect Donald Trump last week that Russian operatives claim to have "compromising" personal and financial information about him, CNN reported Tuesday. Citing "multiple" unnamed US officials with direct knowledge of the meeting, CNN said the intelligence chiefs presented a two-page synopsis on the potential embarrassment for the incoming president along with their classified briefing on Friday on alleged Russian interference in the presidential election. President Barack Obama was also briefed on the issue on Thursday.

Puerto Ricans to see lower power bills amid economic crisis Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:21 PM PST SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Ricans overwhelmed by chronically high power bills amid a decade-long economic crisis will soon see some relief.

Anxiety in Istanbul after series of extremist attacks Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:08 PM PST ISTANBUL (AP) — For Ethem Salli, life in what he still calls one of the greatest cities on earth has been pared back to little more than his commutes to and from work.

Warriors' Zaza Pachulia has Kerr _ not critics _ in his head Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:08 PM PST OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Zaza Pachulia heard all the negative noise from the home crowd, and he began taking it personally.

Puerto Rico governor pursues freedom of information law Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:03 PM PST SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico's new governor has signed an executive order creating a new public affairs and public policy secretary position that will be responsible for drawing up proposed legislation similar to the Freedom of Information Act that has long been enforced in the U.S. mainland.

Mata, Fellaini put Man United on course for League Cup final Posted: 10 Jan 2017 03:00 PM PST MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United closed in on the final of the English League Cup by beating injury-hit Hull 2-0 in the first leg of their semifinal thanks to second-half goals by Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini on Tuesday.

Al-Qaeda ally releases video showing Swiss hostage alive: SITE Posted: 10 Jan 2017 02:55 PM PST Al-Qaeda's affiliate in North Africa released Tuesday a new proof-of-life video of Swiss missionary Beatrice Stockly, held hostage in Mali by the group since last January, US-based monitoring group SITE said. The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) video, which lasts two minutes and 17 seconds, was posted on social media sites Telegram and Twitter, according to SITE. In late January 2016, AQIM claimed responsibility in a video for Stockly's kidnapping, which it said took place on January 7.

French presidential candidate Fillon to propose immigration quotas Posted: 10 Jan 2017 02:51 PM PST French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon, who is favorite to win this year's election, will lay out on Wednesday his proposals to cut immigration to a "strict minimum" through the use of quotas, an aide said on Tuesday. Fillon, who is seen beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen if they meet in a runoff in May in the presidential election, will also urge the European Union to tighten its asylum and immigration policy to counter threats from Islamist militants. Fillon will announce his plans in the Mediterranean city of Nice, where Tunisian-born Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a 19-tonne truck along the beach front last July on the Bastille Day national holiday, killing 86 people who had gathered to watch fireworks.

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