World News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Upmarket Pakistan district votes again as Imran Khan decries killing

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:51:29 -0400

By Katharine Houreld and Syed Raza Hassan ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - An upmarket constituency of Pakistan's violence-plagued city of Karachi voted again under tight security on Sunday, a day after gunmen killed a senior politician from a reformist party in the district and a week after general elections. It was not immediately clear who killed Zara Shahid Hussain, a leading member of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) party of former cricket star Imran Khan. Imran blamed the killing on the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) party, which has a stranglehold on the city. ...

Netanyahu takes aim at weapons 'leakage' in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:55:14 -0400

By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect on Sunday of further Israeli strikes inside Syria, pledging to act to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah and other militant groups. Although Israel has not publicly taken sides in the civil war between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to topple him, Western and Israeli sources say it has launched air strikes in Syria to destroy weapons it believed were destined for Lebanon's Hezbollah. ...

U.N. chief Ban says worried over North Korea missile launch

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:59:07 -0400

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Sunday over North Korea's launch of short-range missiles, urging Pyonyang to refrain from further launches and return to stalled nuclear talks with world powers. Ban, who spoke to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti during a visit to Moscow, called North Korea's launch of three short-range missiles from its east coast on Saturday a "provocative action". "We are very worried over North Korea's provocative action," he told RIA in comments translated into Russian. ...

India's weakened Congress wondering if early elections will help

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:52:58 -0400

By Satarupa Bhattacharjya and Ross Colvin NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Congress party is debating holding a general election in November, six months ahead of schedule, senior party leaders said, reflecting an internal discussion over whether to pull the plug on the shaky ruling coalition or have it serve a full term. Officially, the Congress party says the government - which has been battered by a series of corruption scandals and now governs as a minority after two allies withdrew from the ruling coalition - will limp on until elections are due in May 2014. ...

Iran hangs two spies working for Israel and U.S.: report

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:54:27 -0400

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian authorities executed two men on Sunday convicted of working for Israeli and U.S. spy agencies, Iran's Fars news agency reported. Mohammad Heidari, accused of passing security-related information and secrets to Israeli Mossad agents in exchange for money, and Kourosh Ahmadi, accused of gathering information for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, were hanged at dawn, it said. The sentence for their execution was handed down by Tehran's Revolutionary Court and confirmed by the country's Supreme Court. ...

Afghanistan's Karzai seeks Indian military aid amid tensions with Pakistan

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:25:49 -0400

By Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai plans to discuss potential arms deals with Indian officials during a trip to New Delhi this week, officials said, at a time when tensions are running high on Afghanistan's disputed border with Pakistan. Kabul's overtures to New Delhi are likely to rile Islamabad where a new government led by two-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif is set to take office soon, promising improved ties with India. ...

Did the Associated Press blow an Al Qaeda informant's cover?

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:46:13 -0400

How bad was the Justice Department’s going after the phone records of Associated Press writers and editors?

Collision closes New York area train route as NTSB investigates

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:08:25 -0400

A commuter rail collision Friday injured more than 60 people and left behind a scene of damage that has caused a prominent railroad line near New York City to be partially closed.

The South welcomes 'crazy ants.' Hail the latest invader

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:41:09 -0400

The South is being invaded – again. This time it’s erratic but troublesome “crazy ants” from South America marching – actually, hitching rides – across the South, setting up massive colonies, and relieving other occupying ant armies, including fire ants, of their duties.

IRS scandal becomes Republican battering ram against Obamacare

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:21:00 -0400

Now playing in a political theater near you: The IRS scandal meets Obamacare.

Syrian activists: Shelling near Lebanon kills 16

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:52:49 -0400

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Syrian activists say government airstrikes and heavy shelling of a strategic town near the Lebanese border have killed at least 16 people, including rebel fighters.

Pakistan holds re-vote in Karachi despite killing

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:49:05 -0400

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan is holding a repeat election in an upmarket area of the southern city of Karachi that was plagued with allegations of vote-rigging.

Honeybees trained in Croatia to find land mines

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:20:00 -0400

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Mirjana Filipovic is still haunted by the land mine blast that killed her boyfriend and blew off her left leg while on fishing trip nearly a decade ago. It happened in a field that was supposedly de-mined.

Iran's Guard warns against post-election turmoil

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:24:36 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Several Iranian newspapers are citing a senior Revolutionary Guard commander as warning his forces will be on watch for possible unrest after the June 14 presidential election.

Chinese premier visits India to boost ties

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:18:59 -0400

NEW DELHI (AP) — Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China's new premier visited India on Sunday on his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to speed up efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost economic ties.

North Korea fires projectile into eastern waters

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:18:23 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korea has fired a projectile into waters off its eastern coast a day after launching three short-range missiles in the same area.

North Korea fires short-range missiles for two days in a row

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:19:18 -0400

By Jane Chung SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a short-range missile from its east coast on Sunday, a day after launching three of these missiles, a South Korean news agency said, ignoring calls for restraint from Western powers. Launches by the North of short-range missiles are not uncommon but, after recent warnings from the communist state of impending nuclear war, such actions have raised concerns about the region's security. ...

Pakistan repeats vote in Karachi despite killing

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:18:46 -0400

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan held a repeat election on Sunday in an upscale area of the southern city of Karachi that was plagued with allegations of vote-rigging, despite the shooting death of a senior member of former cricket star Imran Khan's party.

Chinese premier heads to India to boost ties

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:51:40 -0400

NEW DELHI (AP) — Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China's new premier headed to India on Sunday for his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to speed up efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost economic ties.

Cannes helps actors Bejo and Rahim cross borders

Sun, 19 May 2013 03:07:01 -0400

CANNES, France (AP) — The magic and glamour of Cannes can be hard to spot on a day when rain is lashing the palm trees, roiling the gray Mediterranean and pooling in puddles along the Croisette.

Report: Iran hangs 2 men convicted of spying

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:09:23 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state radio says authorities have executed two men convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad and the American CIA spy agency.

Greying China taps rural elderly to care for those even older

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:18:55 -0400

By Li Hui and Maxim Duncan QIANTUN, China (Reuters) - Two years short of 70, Zhang Guosheng spends his days caring for an 81-year-old fellow villager - washing his clothes, bringing meals to his bed, and keeping him company - a routine he'll keep up until he himself needs the type of care he is now giving. "Living here is better than staying at home alone. We help each other and have a common language," said the spritely Zhang, an enthusiastic dancer. "We are very happy here. ...

Reporter remembers fear in Videla's Argentina

Sat, 18 May 2013 19:57:49 -0400

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — It was just about a day after Argentine strongman Jorge Rafael Videla had seized power in March of 1976, and the bloodletting was already beginning.

Pope leads pep rally at Vatican, meets with Merkel

Sat, 18 May 2013 19:26:21 -0400

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis lamented that investment losses by banks trigger more alarm in the economic crisis than the struggle of people to feed their families, as he led a huge rally Saturday to invigorate the church's moral conscience, hours after he held talks at the Vatican about the economic crisis with Germany's leader.

Regional force boosts troop numbers in Central African Republic

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:15:35 -0400

LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - African military chiefs agreed on Saturday to more than double the size of a regional peacekeeping force deployed in Central African Republic, where authorities have struggled to contain violence after a rebel takeover. Thousands of fighters from the Seleka rebel coalition led by Michel Djotodia marched into the capital Bangui on March 24, forcing President Francois Bozize to flee to neighboring Cameroon. Djotodia, a former civil servant, was later named interim president by parliament and asked to lead the country to elections within 18 months. ...

20 flights without bags after Egypt airport strike

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:13:01 -0400

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian officials say baggage handlers in Cairo's airport have gone on strike to protest a colleague's death, leaving passengers on 20 international flights from Europe and Arab countries waiting several hours for luggage.

Member of Pakistani cricket star's party killed

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:58:34 -0400

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Police say gunmen on a motorcycle have shot and killed a senior member of a leading Pakistani political party.

Assad: Syria transition talks are internal matter

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:55:00 -0400

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a newspaper interview Saturday he won't step down before elections and that the United States has no right to interfere in his country's politics, raising new doubts about a U.S-Russian effort to get Assad and his opponents to negotiate an end to the country's civil war.