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Saturday, August 31, 2013

Azarenka wins in 3 sets in US Open 3rd round

Azarenka wins in 3 sets in US Open 3rd round

Azarenka wins in 3 sets in US Open 3rd round

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:59 PM PDT

Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, returns a shot to Alize Cornet, of France, during the third round of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/David Goldman)NEW YORK (AP) — Victoria Azarenka needed to win the second set twice. She had plenty left to pull away for a three-set victory at the U.S. Open.

Carl Icahn's stake in Nuance grows to 16.9 pct.

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:59 PM PDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has raised his stake in Nuance Communications over the past month to almost 17 percent, nearing a threshold that would trigger defensive mechanisms to thwart a hostile takeover.

Azarenka avoids upset bid to reach Open's last 16

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:58 PM PDT

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus watches the ball clear the net on August 31, 2013 in New YorkTwo-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka escaped an upset bid while Grand Slam winners Petra Kvitova and Svetlana Kuznetsova were ousted from the US Open in early surprises Saturday.

Suspected sect members in Nigeria kill at least 24

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:53 PM PDT

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A security official says suspected Islamic sect members have ambushed and killed at least 24 members of a youth vigilante group in northeastern Nigeria.

Yemen premier unharmed after attack by gunmen

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:50 PM PDT

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — An aide to Yemen's prime minister says the senior official escaped unharmed after unknown gunmen opened fire on his convoy.

Indian teen sentenced to three years in Delhi gang rape case

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:49 PM PDT

Plainclothes policemen escort an Indian teenager to a juvenile court in New DelhiBy Annie Banerji and Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian teenager was sentenced to three years in juvenile detention on Saturday for the December gang rape of a trainee physiotherapist, the first verdict in a case that sparked debate over whether India is too soft on young offenders. Police say the 18-year-old and five adult men lured the 23-year-old woman and her male friend onto a New Delhi bus where they repeatedly raped her and beat them both with a metal bar before dumping them on to a road. The woman died in a Singapore hospital two weeks after the December 16 attack. ...

Hundreds of Iraqis protest against lawmaker privileges

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:48 PM PDT

Protesters demand that the pensions of parliamentarians be cancelled during a demonstration in BaghdadBAGHDAD (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Baghdad and central and southern Iraq on Saturday against generous pension payments to lawmakers in a county where many are still struggling to get jobs and basic services. Police surrounded the rare demonstration in the capital and security forces armed with batons, teargas and water canon broke up one gathering in the southern city of Nassiriya, witnesses and security forces said. The protests marked widespread anger at the monthly payments of thousands of dollars and other benefits to government and parliamentary officials. ...

International weapons experts leave Syria, Obama to make statement

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:47 PM PDT

U.S. Secretary of State Kerry speaks about the situation in Syria at the State Department in WashingtonBy Erika Solomon BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.N. experts arrived in the Netherlands with evidence gathered in their investigation of a poison gas attack in Syria, as the White House said President Barack Obama would make a statement to the public on Saturday on the Syria crisis that would not be an announcement of an imminent military strike. Obama was to make the televised statement at 1:15 p.m. EDT after meetings with top national security aides. The security team was also to conduct a conference call with senators later Saturday. ...

Obama seeking congressional OK for Syria action

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:47 PM PDT

President Barack Obama, flanked by Vice President Joe Biden, left, speaks about the crisis in Syria in the Rose Garden of the White House on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 in Washington. Obama says he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack. But he says he will seek congressional authorization for the use of force. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON (AP) — Delaying what had loomed as an imminent strike, President Barack Obama abruptly announced Saturday he will seek congressional approval before launching any military action meant to punish Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons in an attack that killed hundreds.

Obama will hold off on Syria strike until Congress has its say

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:46 PM PDT

U.S. President Obama speaks about Syria next to Vice President Biden at the Rose Garden of the White HouseBy Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday backed away from an imminent military strike against Syria to seek the approval of the U.S. Congress, in a decision that likely delays U.S. action for at least 10 days. Obama, in a stern statement from the White House Rose Garden, said he had authorized the use of military force to punish Syria for a chemical weapons attack August 21 that U.S. officials say killed 1,429 people. Military assets to carry out a strike are in place and ready to move on his order, he said. ...

Okla. woman, pet kangaroo find new home at zoo

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:46 PM PDT

Christie Carr, center, attempts to hold Irwin the kangaroo, right, and Larsen, a baby tiger, at their new home at the Garold Wayne Interactive Zoological Park in Wynnewood, Okla. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)WYNNEWOOD, Okla. (AP) — Christie Carr wants her young ones to cooperate when they sit down for a family portrait, but at times it's so difficult that she has to tell young Irwin to go to his bedroom. He obeys and hops to it.

AP Source: Tim Tebow cut by Patriots

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:42 PM PDT

New England Patriots quarterback Tim Tebow (5) looks for a receiver as New York Giants defensive end Justin Trattou (69) closes in during the third quarter of an NFL preseason football game Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says Tim Tebow has been cut by the New England Patriots.

Grave excavation begins at Fla. reform school site

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:42 PM PDT

A team of anthropologists from the University of South Florida began exhuming suspected graves on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, at the now-closed Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Fla. The researchers are sifting through topsoil to find remains at the former reform school in hopes of identifying the boys buried there and learning how they died. (AP Photo/The Tampa Bay Times, Edmund D. Fountain, Pool)MARIANNA, Fla. (AP) — University of South Florida researchers began exhuming dozens of graves Saturday at a former Panhandle reform school where horrific beatings have been reported in hopes of identifying the boys and learning how they died.

Leader of Egypt's Brotherhood in good health in jail: ministry

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:41 PM PDT

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mursi protest against the military and interior ministry at a highway south CairoBy Asma Alsharif CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's Interior Ministry said on Saturday the top leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, was in good health and denied reports that he had died from a heart attack in prison. Any severe deterioration in Badie's health in prison would certainly deepen hostilities between the organization and the army-backed government that deposed the Brotherhood-backed president, Mohamed Mursi, in July. ...

Congress' top Republicans praise Obama on Syria

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:38 PM PDT

President Barack Obama walks back to the Oval Office with Vice President Joe Biden, right, after making a statement about the crisis in Syria in the White House Rose Garden in Washington Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. Obama said he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack. But he said he will seek congressional authorization for the use of force. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)WASHINGTON (AP) — Leading congressional Republicans praised President Barack Obama's decision to seek lawmakers' approval before punishing Syria for a chemical attack. But it was far from clear whether they would support such a strike in a region rife with warfare and the specter of retaliation.

Yemen PM escapes unhurt after gunmen shoot at motorcade: aide

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:32 PM PDT

File photo of Yemeni PM Basindwa at a meeting in SanaaSANAA (Reuters) - Gunmen opened fire on the motorcade of Yemen's prime minister on Saturday, but Salem Basindwa escaped unhurt, an aide said. Ali al-Sarari, an adviser to Basindwa, said the attack happened in the evening in Sanaa while Basindwa was returning home from his office. Sarari said Basindwa's guards identified the license plates of the car used in the attack and security forces were trying to track it down after the assailants fled the scene. U.S. ...

Obama asks Congress to authorize Syria strike

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:31 PM PDT

US President Barack Obama speaks about Syria at the White House in Washington, DC, on August 31, 2013Taking a huge political gamble, US President Barack Obama on Saturday asked Congress to authorize military action against Syria, in a move which lifted the threat of immediate strikes on President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Patriots reportedly cut QB Tebow

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:27 PM PDT

Tim Tebow of the New England Patriots warms up on August 29, 2013 in Foxboro, MassachusettsThe NFL future of Tim Tebow was a hot topic Saturday amid reports the New England Patriots had cut the quarterback as part of their pre-season roster reduction.

Mexico president's can-do image is put to the test

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:24 PM PDT

Protesting public school teachers from Oaxaca state talk outside their tent installed in the capital's main Zocalo plaza in Mexico City, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. Teachers' protests that have snarled traffic, blocked government buildings and caused the cancellation of sports events in Mexico City have prompted President Enrique Pena Nieto to change the date of his state-of-the-union address. The signs read in Spanish "We fight against structural, energetic, educative and fiscal reforms," and "Mexico doesn't have a president." (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Enrique Pena Nieto came to power Dec. 1 with a swagger.

Tunisians protest Islamist gov't as crisis deepens

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:23 PM PDT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Thousands of Tunisians marched through their capital on Saturday, calling for the Islamist-led government to resign as the nation's political crisis deepens.

US lawmakers to debate Syria strike from Sept 9

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:19 PM PDT

House Speaker John Boehner speaks to the media during his weekly news conference July 11, 2013 in Washington, DCThe US House of Representatives expects to begin consideration of a possible military strike against Syria the week of September 9, the Republican leadership of the chamber said Saturday.

Obama made last-minute decision on Syria approval

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:19 PM PDT

President Barack Obama delivers remarks about the crisis in Syria in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. Obama says he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack. But he says he will seek congressional authorization for the use of force. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior administration officials say President Barack Obama planned to take military action against Syria without congressional authorization, but told aides Friday night that he changed his mind.

Azarenka goes 3 to make it to 4th round at US Open

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:18 PM PDT

Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, returns a shot to Alize Cornet, of France, during the third round of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/David Goldman)NEW YORK (AP) — Second-seeded Victoria Azarenka lost the first set in 66 minutes Saturday, then rallied for a 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-2 victory over No 26 Alize Cornet to advance to the round of 16 at the US Open.

Garcia's big finish gives him an early lead

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:16 PM PDT

Sergio Garcia, from Spain, tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship golf tournament in Norton, Mass., Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Sergio Garcia had a good start and a great finish Saturday in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Johnny Football back for Aggies

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:11 PM PDT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel is back on the field for No. 7 Texas A&M after serving a suspension in the first half against Rice for what the school said was an "inadvertent" violation of NCAA rules involving signing autographs.

Twins trade Morneau to Pirates

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:10 PM PDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have traded Justin Morneau to the Pittsburgh Pirates, sending the veteran first baseman to a playoff-contending team for the final month of the season.

California wildfire threatening Yosemite is now size of Dallas

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:10 PM PDT

U.S. Forest Service handout photo shows the Rim Fire burning at night near Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaBy Jonathan Allen (Reuters) - A massive wildfire that has charred the northwestern edge of California's Yosemite National Park is heading towards two groves of the park's famed sequoia trees, National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said as firefighters battled the blaze on Saturday. The so-called Rim Fire, which now has an overall footprint that exceeds the area of Dallas, has burned about six percent of Yosemite's wilder backcountry but the vast majority of the park was still unaffected, Jarvis said. ...

Egyptian authorities detain suspected 'spy' bird

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:08 PM PDT

A migrating stork is held in a police station after a citizen suspected it of being a spy and brought it to the authorities in the Qena governorate, some 450 kilometers (280 miles) southeast of Cairo, Egypt. Officials say the man suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device. (AP Photo)CAIRO (AP) — In a case that ruffled feathers in Egypt, authorities have detained a migratory bird that a citizen suspected of being a spy.

Possible US-led attack on Syria sparks rallies

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:07 PM PDT

People calling for U.S. military action in Syria, holding a sign with the images of Syrian President Bashar Assad and former Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, shout against others there who do not want military action in Syria, who have formed a human chain in front of them, at the White House, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)HOUSTON (AP) — Protesters around the world took to the streets Saturday to protest for and against a possible U.S.-led attack on Syria as President Barack Obama announced he would seek congressional approval for such a move.

Obama puts Syria attack on hold awaiting Congress

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:54 AM PDT

US President Barack Obama speaks about Syria from the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, August 31, 2013US President Barack Obama on Saturday lifted the threat of immediate punitive air strikes on Syria, even as the regime in Damascus said it was primed for any assault.

'Child of God' star slept in caves preparing role

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:44 AM PDT

Actors Scott Haze and James Franco pose for photographers during a photo call to promote the film Child Of God at the 70th edition of the Venice Film Festival held from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7, in Venice, Italy, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)VENICE, Italy (AP) — Scott Haze says he spent three cold months living in the mountains of Tennessee, subsisting on one piece of fish and one apple a day, and sleeping in caves to prepare for the role of serial killer Lester Ballard in the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel "Child of God."

Egypt security forces arrest top Sinai militant

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:42 AM PDT

Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans during a demonstration in Dalga Village, in upper Egypt, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. Tens of thousands of protesters and Muslim Brotherhood supporters rallied Friday throughout Egypt against a military coup and a bloody security crackdown, though tanks and armored police vehicles barred them from converging in major squares. The sign in the foreground reads, "The Egyptian people said it strong - Morsi is my president and has legitimacy -- he is coming back soon."(AP Photo/Roger Anis, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUTCAIRO (AP) — Egyptian security forces said they arrested Saturday a top wanted militant in the Sinai Peninsula suspected of killing 25 off-duty policemen in one of the restive area's deadliest attacks.

Iraq protesters rail against lawmaker pensions

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:41 AM PDT

Protesters chant slogans against the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. Protesters held rallies in Baghdad and the southern Iraqi city of Basra to demand to cancel parliamentarians' pensions. The Arabic on the banner reads, "Parliamentarians' pensions in a new colonialism." The Arabic on the Iraqi flag reads, "God is great." (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed)BAGHDAD (AP) — Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Iraqi cities on Saturday to protest lawmakers' perks despite an intense security crackdown, while gunmen in the capital stormed a Sunni mosque and killed five at dawn in the latest bout of sectarian unrest rocking the country.

Negredo saves City, first win for Palace

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:40 AM PDT

Man City's Yaya Toure clashes with Hull striker Danny Graham (R) during their match in Manchester on August 31, 2013Alvaro Negredo came off the bench and scored for the second Premier League game running as Manchester City edged promoted Hull City 2-0 on Saturday.

Concussion deal 'a good gesture,' player says

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:35 AM PDT

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 1986, file photo, Miami Dolphins linebacker Jay Brophy (53) leaps over the line of scrimmage unable to stop Cleveland Browns running back Greg Allen (26) from scoring the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of a preseason NFL football game in Miami. Brophy is now 53. Doctors say his brain is 70. He walks slower than he used to, and might speak and think more slowly as well. The former Miami Hurricane and Miami Dolphins linebacker sees the NFL's tentative $765 million settlement as a potentially big step forward. (AP Photo/Raul de Molina, File)MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jay Brophy is 53. Doctors have told him his brain is 70.

Jury hears of Jackson's requests for anesthetic

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT

FILE - In this Dec. 3, 1984 photo, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, as part of their Victory Tour concert. Attorneys for AEG Live LLC have shown jurors testimony from several doctors who treated Jackson in the 1990s and 2000s, including several who established friendships with the singer. The jury has also heard about Jackson's various ailments, which led him to believe he was disfigured, during a negligent hiring trial between the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, and AEG Live LLC that concluded its 18th week on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, file)LOS ANGELES (AP) — A look at key moments this past week in the wrongful death trial in Los Angeles between Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and concert giant AEG Live LLC, and what is expected at court in the week ahead:

UN: Syria attack timing idea 'grotesque'

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:27 AM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Any notion that the departure of the U.N. chemical weapons inspection team from Syria on Saturday opens a window for a U.S. attack is "grotesque," the top U.N. spokesman said.

Protesters face off on Syria outside White House

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:27 AM PDT

Demonstrators march in protest during a rally in front of the White House in Washington, DC on August 29, 2013About 100 anti-war protesters and some 50 supporters of the Syrian opposition faced off outside the White House Saturday as President Barack Obama weighed a strike against the Damascus regime.

Rabiot saves PSG blushes, Lyon misery continues

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:26 AM PDT

Paris Saint-Germain's midfielder Adrien Rabiot celebrates scoring at the Parc des Princes stadium, August 31, 2013Teenager Adrien Rabiot came off the bench to spur French title-holders Paris Saint-Germain past promoted Guingamp 2-0 on Saturday, as the midfielder netted a decisive injury-time goal at the Parc des Princes.

McConnell: Seeking Congress OK bolsters presidency

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 11:26 AM PDT

President Barack Obama walks back to the Oval Office with Vice President Joe Biden, right, after making a statement about the crisis in Syria in the White House Rose Garden in Washington Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. Obama said he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack. But he said he will seek congressional authorization for the use of force. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the president's role as commander in chief is strengthened when he has the support of lawmakers.
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Friday, August 30, 2013

Syria and the politicization of British foreign policy

Syria and the politicization of British foreign policy

Syria and the politicization of British foreign policy

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:53 PM PDT

Demonstrators hold placards outside the Houses of Parliament in London(Reuters) - Syria's population - at the heart of so many proxy battles for influence - last night found itself drawn into a different kind of conflict - this time over the future of British politics. After the British Parliament's vote against action in Syria, the former Liberal Democrat leader, Lord Ashdown, tweeted that Britain is a "hugely diminished country" this morning: "In 50 years trying to serve my country I have never felt so depressed/ashamed. ...

Congo's army occupies rebel positions in breakthrough

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:49 PM PDT

Congolese FARDC soldiers arrest two suspected rebels as they advance to a new position in KibatiBy Pete Jones KIBATI, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - In their biggest success in a year, government troops in Congo occupied strategic hills overlooking the eastern town of Goma on Friday after rebel fighters withdrew. The M23 rebels, who have fought an 18-month uprising in the eastern borderlands of the Democratic Republic of Congo, said they quit the Kibati hills to allow an independent investigation into shelling that has killed civilians in Goma and the lakeside town of Gisenyi in neighboring Rwanda. ...

Obama says world cannot stand by on Syria

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:49 PM PDT

Syrians gather near vehicles of UN arms experts as they inspect a site on August 28, 2013President Barack Obama insisted Friday that war weariness cannot excuse world powers from their duty to respond to the gassing to death of hundreds of Syrian women and children.

Bosnian Serbs welcome freed war criminal as hero

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:42 PM PDT

PALE, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Singing Serbian national songs and waving flags, more than 2,000 people welcomed convicted war criminal Momcilo Krajisnik home as a national hero on Friday evening.

Oil drops below $108 as US weighs Syria options

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:42 PM PDT

File-In this March 19, 2012, file photo, a motorist pumps gas at a Mount Lebanon, Pa., mini-mart. Gas is getting a bit pricier ahead of Labor Day weekend. The average U.S. price for a gallon of gasoline rose by 1.8 cents to $3.56 a gallon Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, its biggest overnight jump in six weeks, according to auto club AAA. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)The price of oil fell below $108 a barrel Friday as an imminent U.S. attack on Syria appeared less likely.

Scant foreign support for US strikes on Syria

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:39 PM PDT

FILE - This Oct. 27, 1983 black-and-white file photo shows two officers in the U.S. Army stationed at the Port Salines airport in Grenada confering as they walk near the tarmac. U.S. forces have set up heavy security around the perimeter of the air strip on the tiny island. President Barack Obama is poised to become the first U.S. leader in three decades to attack a foreign nation without broad international support or in direct defense of Americans. Not since President Ronald Reagan ordered an invasion of the Caribbean island of Grenada in 1983 has the U.S. been so alone in pursuing major lethal military action beyond a few attacks responding to strikes or threats against its citizens. (AP Photo/Doug Jennings, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is poised to become the first U.S. leader in three decades to attack a foreign nation without broad international support or in direct defense of Americans.

Inconsistent allies: France, US mull Syria action

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:39 PM PDT

French President Francois Hollande, center, gestures as he speaks with his ministers prior to a defense meeting on the situation in Syria, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Wednesday Aug. 28, 2013. From left: foreign minister Laurent Fabius, prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Francois Hollande, defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and interior minister Manuel Valls. Francois Hollande said Tuesday, that France was prepared to take action against those responsible for gassing people in Syria.(AP Photo/Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool)PARIS (AP) — If France and the United States are ever going to move beyond French opposition to the Iraq War, this could be the time.

Hearing postponed for foul-mouthed Pa. chief

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:37 PM PDT

In an Aug. 6, 2013 photo, Gilberton Police Chief Mark Kessler speaks during a news conference at Nahas' office in Frackville, Pa. Kessler says he expects to be fired for posting incendiary videos in which he rants obscenely about the Second Amendment and liberals while spraying machine-gun fire with borough-owned weapons. (AP Photo/Republican-Herald, Jacqueline Dormer)GILBERTON, Pa. (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania police chief suspended for posting videos in which he fired borough-owned automatic weapons while shouting obscenities will wait a little longer to learn his fate.

Ga. baby killing trial up to jury after closings

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:37 PM PDT

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — A defense attorney for a man accused of fatally shooting a baby in a stroller said the investigation was flawed and police ignored other leads and suspects, while the prosecution said witnesses may have had shifting stories but video and other evidence don't lie.

CBS blackout dispute threatens football fans

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:37 PM PDT

FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2011, file photo, an NFL on CBS sign is displayed before an NFL football game pitting the Tennessee Titans against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C. There's been no reported progress in negotiations between CBS Corp. and Time Warner, which has blocked CBS programming from its customers' homes in Dallas, Los Angeles and New York since Aug. 2. Meanwhile, Time Warner customers caught in the middle will miss third and fourth round competition in the U.S. Open tennis tournament. The tournament's finals are next weekend, along with opening weekend in the National Football League. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone, File)NEW YORK (AP) — It's one thing for a business dispute to knock out CBS programming in some three million homes during rerun season. Football season is another matter entirely, and there's little immediate cause for optimism.

Iowa board votes to bar abortion pill system

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:34 PM PDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Medicine voted Friday to end a unique system in which doctors use the Internet to distribute abortion-inducing pills remotely to patients at clinics across the state.

Court rules against disclosure of WH visitor list

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:33 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that White House visitor logs for the president and most of his staff are not public information subject to disclosure requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

No surprises for Alexander and GOP incumbents

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:31 PM PDT

FILE- In this Feb. 21, 2013, file photo, Sen. Lamar Alexander, center, R-Tenn., speaks in Nashville, Tenn. Alexander is among GOP incumbents staring down a primary challenge with aggressive tactics aimed at blunting any early momentum from a tea party-backed opponent. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Faced with a potentially serious primary challenger, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander was not about to sit back and wait.

Djokovic survives wobble to make US Open third round

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:28 PM PDT

Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays during a against Benjamin Becker of Germany at the US Open on August 30, 2013 in New YorkTop seed Novak Djokovic survived a first-set wobble to defeat Germany's Benjamin Becker 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 and reach the US Open third round on Friday.

Insight: To cut natural gas costs, Chesapeake pumps up royalty deductions

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:26 PM PDT

A well operated by Chesapeake Energy Corp is seen extracting natural gas from the Marcellus shale formation in SayreBy Ernest Scheyder SAYRE, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - As the natural gas industry struggles to cope with depressed prices, Chesapeake Energy Corp has begun shifting a much larger share of transportation and marketing costs to the owners of Pennsylvania land it leases. The largest natural gas operator in Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale formation, Chesapeake started this year to take much heavier deductions from royalty checks it sends landowners to help pay to gather, compress, market and transport natural gas, in most cases cutting compensation by more than half. ...

Djokovic settles down to win in 3 sets at US Open

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:25 PM PDT

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot from Benjamin Becker of Germany during the second round of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/David Goldman)NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic faced two set points early in his second-round match at the U.S. Open.

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:25 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:

U.S. says world cannot let Assad get away with chemical attack

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:23 PM PDT

By Steve Holland and Catherine Bremer WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - The United States made clear on Friday that it would punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the "brutal and flagrant" chemical weapons attack that it says killed more than 1,400 people in Damascus last week. "We cannot accept a world where women and children and innocent civilians are gassed on a terrible scale," President Barack Obama told reporters at the White House. ...

Fox's O'Reilly: I made wrong claim about march

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:18 PM PDT

FILE - This Oct. 13, 2012 file photo shows Fox News commentator and author Bill O'Reilly at the Comedy Central "Night Of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together For Autism Programs" at the Beacon Theatre in New York. O'Reilly apologized for incorrectly stating that no Republicans were invited to participate in a ceremony this week marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for civil rights and Martin Luther King's NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly has apologized for incorrectly stating that no Republicans were invited to participate in a ceremony this week marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for civil rights and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Judge: Airline-merger trial to start in November

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:57 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge said Friday that the government's lawsuit to block the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways will start Nov. 25, a timetable favored by the airlines.

US says Syrian chemical attack killed 1,429

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:16 PM PDT

President Barack Obama pauses after speaking to members of the media during his meeting with Baltic leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. Speking about Syria, the president said he hasn't made a final decision about a military strike against Syria. But he says he's considering a limited and narrow action in response to a chemical weapons attack that he says Syria's government carried out last week. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON (AP) — Edging toward a retaliatory strike, President Barack Obama said Friday he is weighing "limited and narrow" action against Syria as the administration bluntly accused Bashar Assad's government of launching a chemical weapons attack that killed at least 1,429 people — far more than previous estimates — including more than 400 children.

Obama says Syria chemical weapons attack threatens Israel, Jordan

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:15 PM PDT

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about Syria at the White House in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday the chemical weapons attack in Syria threatened U.S. allies Israel and Jordan and said his preference would have been for the international community to move forward on a response. While meeting with visiting leaders at the White House, Obama told reporters the United States was still in the planning process for a response to the chemical weapons use in Syria. He said he was looking at a limited action against Syria that would not involve an open-ended commitment or major military operation. ...

Yosemite fire blazes into US holiday weekend

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:13 PM PDT

Park visitors sit outside of the Ahwahnee Hotel on August 28, 2013 in Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaThe wildfire which has spread into Yosemite National Park now covers over 200,000 acres, but tourists visiting on a US holiday weekend need have no concerns, officials said Friday.

Warhawks have full attention of No. 16 Oklahoma

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:11 PM PDT

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops listens to a question during an NCAA college football news conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Facing a ranked opponent on the road to open the season is no big deal for Louisiana-Monroe, which has Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops concerned.

Djokovic overcomes slow start to win at US Open

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:11 PM PDT

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after a shot to Benjamin Becker of Germany during the second round of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/David Goldman)NEW YORK (AP) — Barely 40 minutes into his second-round match at the U.S. Open, top-seeded Novak Djokovic was a point from losing the opening set. A dozen minutes later, he was in control, on his way to a straight-set victory.

Sandberg returns to Wrigley as Phillies manager

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:07 PM PDT

Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Ryne Sandberg looks out over field as he conducts infield practice before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, in Chicago. Sandberg, who played for the Cubs for most of his Hall of Fame career, returns to Wrigley Filed for the first time as manager of a major league ball club. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO (AP) — Ryne Sandberg grinned the whole time. On a hot, sweaty day, the Hall of Famer looked cool and comfortable.

Suriname leader's son arrested on US drug charge

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:03 PM PDT

FILE - In this Aug. 26, 2003 file photo, Dino Bouterse, son of Suriname President Desi Bouterse, arrives to a court hearing in Paramaribo, Suriname. A Panamanian and another U.S. officials confirmed Friday, Aug. 30, 2013 the arrest of Dino Bouterse. A U.S. official said Bouterse was arrested Thursday while traveling on a diplomatic passport. The official said he has been indicted in the Southern District of New York on drug and weapons charges, including cocaine trafficking. (AP Photo/Edward Troon, File)SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The son of the president of the South American country of Suriname has been arrested on U.S. drug and weapon charges, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Roof collapses at James Dean's Indiana high school

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:01 PM PDT

FAIRMOUNT, Ind. (AP) — A large portion of the Indiana high school where James Dean was first exposed to acting has caved in, dealing what local officials say could be a final blow to efforts to preserve the building.

Rebels declare ceasefire in Congo

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT

CORRECTS DATE - A Rwandan armored vehicle with soldiers on top drives past residents of Kigali, Rwanda Friday Aug. 30, 2013 as it heads towards western border. Rwandan forces on Friday continued to deploy on the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the central African country said it 'could not tolerate' any more violations from its vast neighbour to the west. Trucks carrying heavy artillery and armored tanks started living Kigali on Thursday night a few hours after Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo said that her country will move to defend her borders after bombs allegedly from the DRC side fell in the western town of Gisenyi, killing two. (AP Photo)KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Rebels entrenched in the hills above one of eastern Congo's largest cities declared a ceasefire on Friday and began retreating from the frontline, the first indication that a joint United Nations and Congolese offensive might be gaining the upper hand in the conflict.

Six dead as thousands of Mursi supporters march in Egypt

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:56 AM PDT

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mursi make the "Rabaa" gesture during a protest in CairoBy Maggie Fick CAIRO (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi marched through Cairo and cities across Egypt on Friday to demand his reinstatement, in the movement's biggest show of defiance since hundreds of protesters were killed two weeks ago. Although most marches passed without major incident, a security source said there had been at least six deaths, and police fired teargas at protesters in Cairo's Mohandiseen district. ...

UN's Syria samples to undergo meticulous scrutiny

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:55 AM PDT

A UN arms expert collects samples during an inspection of a site in Damascus' eastern Ghouta suburb on August 29, 2013THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — They've endured repeated delays, unrelenting scrutiny and even snipers' bullets in Damascus. Now U.N. inspectors, who have been gathering evidence of a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria, are poised to return to the Netherlands in coming days, setting in motion a meticulous process of analyzing samples at specially accredited laboratories.

Military practice bomb lands in Md. parking lot

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:52 AM PDT

SUDLERSVILLE, Md. (AP) — An electronic failure may be to blame for a practice bomb that was dropped from a jet onto a tavern's parking lot, a Maryland National Guard official said Friday.

Obama: US has obligation as world leader to act

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:50 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he recognizes the world and the U.S. are war-weary in the face of potential military action against Syria.

US not alone on Syria, France our 'oldest ally': Kerry

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:44 AM PDT

US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about the situation in Syria in Washington, DC, on August 30, 2013Secretary of State John Kerry insisted Friday the United States is not alone in its quest to punish Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime, citing the support of France, America's "oldest ally."

Bale to cost Madrid 91 million euros

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:40 AM PDT

Gareth Bale celebrates scoring during a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland in London on May 19, 2013Gareth Bale's prolonged transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid is set to be finalised after the two clubs agreed a 91 million euro ($121 million, £78 million) fee for the player, Madrid sports daily AS reported on Friday.

Kate makes first appearance since royal birth

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:38 AM PDT

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, made her first public appearance since the birth of Prince George as she joined husband Prince William, the Duke Of Cambridge, at Breakwater Country Park for the start of the Ring O' Fire Anglesey Coastal Ultra Marathon, a three-day, 135-mile foot race around the rugged coast of Anglesey, Wales, Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. (AP Photo / Paul Lewis, Pool)LONDON (AP) — The Duchess of Cambridge has made her first public appearance since giving birth to Prince George last month, joining her husband Prince William at a running event in Wales on Friday.

Apple rolls out iPhone trade-in program in U.S. stores

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:36 AM PDT

iPhone 5 models are pictured on display at an Apple Store in Pasadena, CaliforniaSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc has launched a trade-in program in its U.S. retail stores for older models of its iPhone as it gears up for the launch of a new version of the smartphone, it said on Friday. Apple will give customers a credit for their old phones to be used toward the purchase of a new model, an Apple spokeswoman said. A thriving industry exists for older versions of smartphones, especially the iPhone, on websites such as eBay and Gazelle. Even broken iPhones can fetch as much as $125 from vendors, who resell them in the United States and internationally. ...

U.S. intelligence report on chemical weapons use in Syria

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:36 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An unclassified U.S. intelligence report released on Friday by the White House concluded there was "high confidence" that Syrian forces had used chemical weapons multiple times in the last year, including the August 21 attack in the suburbs of Damascus. The intelligence gathered for the U.S. report included an intercepted communication involving a senior official intimately familiar with the attack as well as other human, signals and satellite intelligence, the four-page report said. ...

Obama says he's considering 'narrow' Syria action

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:35 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he hasn't made a final decision about a military strike against Syria. But he says he's considering a limited and narrow action in response to a chemical weapons attack that he says Syria's government carried out last week.
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