YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Chief of UN observers leaves Syria

    BEIRUT (AP) — The head of a team of United Nations observers tasked to monitor a cease-fire in Syria that failed has left Damascus.

    Lt. Gen. Babacar Gaye gave no statement before leaving the Syrian capital to neighboring Lebanon Saturday.

    The mission ended last Sunday but Gaye stayed for meetings.

    The U.N. Security Council has agreed to back a small new liaison office to support future peace efforts.

    The observers' deployment in April was one of the only concrete achievements in Special Envoy Kofi Annan's attempts to halt the country's escalating civil war.

    The observers had intended to supervise a truce that never took hold.

    Annan abandoned the job earlier this month and was replaced by veteran Algerian diplomat and former U.N. envoy to Afghanistan and Iraq Lakhdar Brahimi.

    Loading...
    • Even Cavendish surprised by fourth stage win

      By Alasdair and Fotheringham CHERASCO, Italy, May 17 - A series of small but challenging climbs late on Friday's stage of the 2012 Giro d'Italia could not stop Britain's Mark Cavendish taking his fourth stage win and second in two days. Italy's Vincenzo Nibali remained overall leader but it was sprinter Cavendish who stole the show again after compatriot and pre-race favorite Bradley Wiggins failed to start the 254 kilometer stage, the longest in this year's Giro. In a bunch sprint finish Cavendish outgunned Italy's Giacomo Nizzolo and Slovenia's Luka Mezgec. ...

    • Soccer-Ferguson criticises City for Mancini sacking

      LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - Manchester United's outgoing manager Alex Ferguson has criticised neighbours Manchester City for sacking Roberto Mancini. The Italian boss was sacked on Monday having failed to retain the Premier League title he won last season and after losing the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic. Mancini took out a full-page advertisement in the Manchester Evening News on Saturday, thanking fans for their support during his time in charge. ...

    • NYers furious over photos taken through windows

      In one photo, a woman is on all fours, presumably picking something up, her posterior pressed against a glass window. Another photo shows a couple in bathrobes, their feet touching beneath a table. And ...

    • Bea Arthur topless painting fetches $1.9M in NYC

      A painting of actress Bea Arthur topless has sold for $1.9 million at a New York City auction. The painting is by artist John Currin and is titled "Bea Arthur Naked." It sold at Christie's auction ...

    • This Child Made a Film About His School Lunch—and He Titled It ‘Yuck.’ (VIDEO)

      When fourth grader Zachary Maxwell started nagging his parents to let him bring his own lunch to school, they knew something was up. Zachary was served lunch every day in his New York City public school and because it was a hot lunch, his parents were insistent he take advantage of it.

    • Cycling-Ailing Wiggins, Hesjedal abandon Giro d'Italia

      (updates with quotes, details, adds byline) * Chest infection worsens, forcing Wiggins to withdraw * Defending champion Hesjedal also out * Italy's Nibali leads as Uran takes over as Team Sky leader By Alasdair Fotheringham BUSSETO, Italy, May 17 (Reuters) - This year's Giro d'Italia claimed two major victims when pre-race favourite Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal withdrew prior to Friday's 13th stage, the pair citing illness as the reason for abandoning the tour. ...

    • Alaska volcano shoots lava up hundreds of feet

      Alaska's remote Pavlof Volcano was shooting lava hundreds of feet into the air, but its ash plume was thinning Saturday and no longer making it dangerous for airplanes to fly nearby.

    • A record Powerball jackpot isn't a record to celebrate

      When the 43-state Powerball lottery jackpot hit a record at $600 million Friday, many Americans who would otherwise not gamble rushed out to buy the $2 tickets. “Just on the off-chance,” many probably said.

    Loading...

    Follow Yahoo! News