| Texas ricin suspect cuts deal, details unknown Posted: 23 Nov 2013 01:13 PM PST TEXARKANA, Texas (AP) — A Texas woman accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, a newspaper reported Saturday. |
| Insight: China's Xi fails to earn stripes as anti-graft 'tiger' hunt underwhelms Posted: 23 Nov 2013 01:12 PM PST  By Adam Rose BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping has raised expectations he will tackle corruption much more forcefully than his predecessors, but official data on investigations suggests the crackdown so far is little different to previous years. Authorities have opened a similar number of corruption probes in 2013 to last year, data from the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), which oversees criminal investigations and prosecutions nationwide, shows.
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| Ronaldo injured as Bale scores in Madrid rout Posted: 23 Nov 2013 01:11 PM PST  Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off with an injury having opened the scoring and Gareth Bale was also on target as Real Madrid won 5-0 at Almeria to remain six points behind Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Barcelona made light work of their own injury problems as despite Lionel Messi's absence they cruised to a 4-0 win over Granada at the Camp Nou. Ronaldo had taken less than three minutes to register his 14th goal in his last seven games for club and country as he flicked home Isco's cross to give Madrid the lead.
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| Insight: Kim Jong Un, North Korea's master builder Posted: 23 Nov 2013 01:04 PM PST  By Jack Kim and James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's Kim Jong Un has rattled the United States with his nuclear threats and bemused the world with his penchant for funfairs, Disney and Dennis Rodman. Partly out of the public eye, however, the young leader has presided over a construction boom since he took office two years ago with the aid of funds from China, the North's major backer, and Russia, a former Cold War ally. Based on satellite imagery, first-hand accounts and photographs obtained from people who travel regularly to North Korea, the building activity goes far beyond the ski resort, pleasure parks and apartment blocks reported by state media. A stronger focus on the economy is a major change in policy for the third Kim to rule North Korea, although tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula and Pyongyang has been subject to withering criticism this year as part of a U.N. inquiry into human rights abuses.
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| Iran nuclear talks said down to fine print stage Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:59 PM PST  GENEVA (AP) — An Iran nuclear deal within reach, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and five other foreign ministers focused Saturday on the fine print of a draft agreement meant to satisfy not only the other side, but also to placate powerful domestic forces that fear giving too much for too little in return.
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| Factbox: Main decisions at U.N. climate talks in Warsaw Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:57 PM PST Around 195 countries ended a two-week meeting in Warsaw on Saturday evening to agree the outlines of a deal meant to be agreed in 2015 to combat global warming. Following are some of the main decisions: FINANCE Developed nations promised in 2009 to increase their aid to poorer countries to help them cope with climate change to $100 billion a year after 2020, from $10 billion a year in 2010-12. But in Warsaw they rejected calls to set targets for 2013-19. LOSS AND DAMAGE The talks agreed a new "Warsaw International Mechanism" to provide expertise, and possibly aid, to help developing nations cope with losses from extreme events related to climate change. |
| 'Catching Fire' ablaze with $135M at box office Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:55 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is a scorching hit at the box office.
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| Fraught UN talks reach climate deal consensus Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:53 PM PST  UN negotiators agreed in fraught overtime talks Saturday on cornerstone issues of an ambitious, global climate pact to stave off dangerous Earth warming. "Just in the nick of time, the negotiators in Warsaw delivered enough to keep the process moving," said climate analyst Jennifer Morgan of the World Resources Institute. But climate economist Nicholas Stern warned that "the actions that have been agreed are simply inadequate when compared with the scale and urgency of the risks that the world faces from rising levels of greenhouse gases, and the dangers of irreversible impacts." Rich and poor nations have been at loggerheads ever since the talks opened on November 11 over who should do what to curb the march of planet warming.
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| Boeing advises about engine icing problems Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:49 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Boeing is alerting airlines about possible engine icing problems on some of its new planes. It is recommending that planes with a specific General Electric engine avoid flying near thunderstorms that might contain ice crystals. |
| DeGeneres has global 'goal' for Oscarcast Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:44 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ellen DeGeneres has high aspirations for her second time around hosting the Oscars.
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| Modest deal breaks deadlock at UN climate talks Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:37 PM PST  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Avoiding a last-minute breakdown, annual U.N. climate talks limped forward Saturday with a modest set of decisions meant to pave the way for a new pact to fight global warming.
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| Bulls await word on Rose knee injury Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:33 PM PST  The Chicago Bulls were anxiously awaiting news on Saturday on the severity of the right knee injury suffered by Derrick Rose against Portland on Friday night. Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player who missed all of last season following surgery on a torn ligament in his left knee, was to have an MRI exam after departing Chicago's 98-95 loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland on Friday night in the third quarter. "I'm concerned," said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, whose team are slated to face the Clippers in Los Angeles on Sunday.
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| Latvian leader dubs supermarket cave-in 'murder' Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:16 PM PST  Latvia's president demanded on Saturday that a supermarket cave-in which killed at least 54 people be treated as murder, as rescuers threatened by falling debris halted their search for survivors until dawn.
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| Security, military police dominate Honduras vote Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:16 PM PST  TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — The last thing Honduras needs is a presidential election that's a draw.
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| Arsenal pull clear, Mersey rivals thrill Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:13 PM PST  A calamitous mistake by Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc set Arsenal en route to a 2-0 victory that sent the Premier League leaders four points clear on Saturday. Arsenal had already hit the woodwork through Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey at the Emirates Stadium when Boruc attempted to outwit Olivier Giroud with some fancy footwork inside his penalty area in the 22nd minute. Giroud made sure of victory with four minutes remaining, registering his 10th goal of the season from the penalty spot after Jose Fonte had been penalised for pulling Per Mertesacker's shirt. "It's a very good win against a difficult team," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side are only the second team to beat Southampton in the league this term.
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| Cocaine bust derails fledgling GOP congressman Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:06 PM PST FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — From the outset, U.S. Rep. Trey Radel — a brash and digitally savvy darling of the political right — was determined to make a name for himself. And so he has. |
| Sunnis close Iraqi capital mosques in protest Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:03 PM PST  BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi Sunni religious leaders said Saturday they closed the sect's mosques in Baghdad indefinitely to protest attacks targeting clerics and worshippers, highlighting the country's deepening sectarian rift. The closures came as violence across the country killed 12 people Saturday.
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| Electric carmaker Fisker files for bankruptcy Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:02 PM PST  Fisker Automotive, whose sleek, sporty electric cars caught the eye of Justin Bieber and other celebrities, has filed for bankruptcy protection. The California-based company also announced it had entered an asset purchase agreement with Hybrid Tech Holdings, LLC. "After having evaluated and pursued all other alternatives, we believe the sale to Hybrid and the related Chapter 11 process is the best alternative for maximizing Fisker Automotive's value for the benefit of all stakeholders," Marc Beilinson, Fisker's chief restructuring officer, said in a statement Friday. "We believe that the Fisker Automotive technology and product development capability will remain a guiding force in the evolution of the automotive industry under Hybrid's leadership."
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| US group seeks to block Gilead drug patent in India Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:02 PM PST  A US-based patient rights group said Saturday it has sought to block a bid by California-based Gilead Sciences to obtain an Indian patent for a potentially blockbuster drug to treat hepatitis C. Patent law in India, known as the "pharmacy to the world" for its vast generic drug industry that turns out cheaper copycat versions of life-saving branded medicines, is tougher than in many other countries. "India's patent law doesn't give monopolies for old science or for compounds already in the public domain," Tahir Amin, director of I-MAK said. "We believe this patent on sofosbuvir does not deserve to be granted in India and have the legal grounds to prove it," he said in a statement.
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| Activists: Government airstrikes kill 44 in Syria Posted: 23 Nov 2013 12:00 PM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — A string of government airstrikes on rebel-held areas in northern Syria killed at least 44 people Saturday, activists said, as al-Qaida-linked rebels captured one of the country's major oil fields in the east.
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| Afghan jirga members urge Karzai to sign US security pact Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:59 AM PST  Members of an Afghan grand assembly debating a crucial security pact with the United States voiced concern Saturday at President Hamid Karzai's insistence it will not be signed until after April's election to choose his successor. Kabul and Washington have agreed a joint draft of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), governing the presence of US troops in Afghanistan after 2014, which is being debated by the "loya jirga", a gathering of about 2,500 chieftains, tribal elders and politicians. But in his opening statement on Thursday, Karzai told the meeting that the painstakingly negotiated deal would not be signed until after next year's presidential election -- sparking a strong response from Washington, which wants it signed by the end of this year.
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| Security, humor mark Iranian nuclear talks Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:57 AM PST  GENEVA (AP) — The first hurdle facing the world's top diplomats as they try to play architects of a new Iranian nuclear order is running the gauntlet of media staking out the hotel protected by a phalanx of security and an armored vehicle.
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| U.N. talks limp towards global 2015 climate deal Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:56 AM PST  By Stian Reklev and Susanna Twidale WARSAW (Reuters) - Almost 200 countries on Saturday kept alive hopes for a global deal in 2015 to fight climate change after overcoming disputes on greenhouse gas emissions cuts and aid for poor nations at a meeting widely criticised as lacking urgency. Governments agreed that a new deal in 2015 would consist of a patchwork of national offers to curb emissions, and would blur a 20-year-old distinction between the obligations of rich and poor nations. The two-week meeting also set up a new Warsaw International Mechanism to help the poor cope with loss and damage from heatwaves, droughts, floods, desertification and rising sea levels - although rich nations refused to pledge new cash. Still, many said Warsaw had fallen short of what was needed.
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| Egypt, Turkey downgrade ties in row over Morsi Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:43 AM PST  Egypt expelled Turkey's ambassador on Saturday and Ankara downgraded relations in tit-for-tat moves, further fraying ties that soured after the July ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. The latest row between the two US allies came after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday renewed his criticism of the "coup" that ousted Morsi and Egypt's continuing crackdown on his Islamist supporters. Cairo expelled Turkish ambassador Huseyin Avni Botsali, declared him persona non grata, downgraded ties to the level of charge d'affaires and elected not to send back its ambassador to Ankara.
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| Kerry joins Iran talks to push for nuclear breakthrough Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:41 AM PST  By Justyna Pawlak and Fredrik Dahl GENEVA (Reuters) - Foreign ministers from Iran and six world powers laboured on Saturday to overcome remaining difficulties and clinch a breakthrough deal aimed at allaying Western suspicions over Tehran's atomic ambitions. With the sides edging closer, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers of the five other nations joined the talks with Iran as they entered an unscheduled fourth day. The demand that Iran stop or slow construction of a reactor that could yield potential bomb material appeared to be the main outstanding problem holding up an agreement. British Foreign Minister William Hague and Germany's Guido Westerwelle both cautioned that a deal was not yet guaranteed and that there was work still to do.
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| Latvian president calls store collapse that killed 54 'murder' Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:37 AM PST  By Aija Braslina RIGA (Reuters) - Rescue workers late on Saturday stopped searching the rubble of a supermarket collapse that killed at least 54 people in a disaster that Latvia's president called "murder". The search in the ruins of Riga's Maxima store was aborted after part of a roof which had remained intact since the Thursday disaster fell in at around 1600 GMT on Saturday. "After consultations with specialists we have understood that further presence of rescue workers at this scene endangers their lives," state secretary of the Interior Ministry Ilze Petersone-Godmane told a news briefing. Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis announced three days of mourning from Saturday for the victims of the tragedy, in which scores of shoppers were trapped under rubble.
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| Venezuelan opposition marches, leader's aide arrested Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:32 AM PST  By Daniel Wallis and Efrain Otero CARACAS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched in Venezuela on Saturday to pressure President Nicolas Maduro's government before December 8 local elections after their leader denounced the pre-dawn arrest of an aide. The vote for control of 335 municipalities will be the first big test of Maduro's political strength after he narrowly defeated his opposition rival, Henrique Capriles, to win a presidential election in April. Capriles told the main rally in the capital his national tours coordinator, Alejandro Silva, was taken at gunpoint from a Caracas hotel room by military intelligence agents and that he held Maduro responsible for the aide's safety.
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| Berlusconi defiant ahead of vote on Senate seat Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:31 AM PST  MILAN (AP) — Former Premier Silvio Berlusconi was defiant ahead of an upcoming vote on removing him from the Senate, saying Saturday he would neither give up his seat voluntarily nor ask for a presidential pardon.
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| Berlusconi says president should pardon him, slams 'coup d'etat' Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:25 AM PST  Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi called on Saturday for a presidential pardon following his conviction for tax fraud and said his expulsion from parliament in a vote next week would be a "coup d'etat". On Wednesday the Senate will vote on whether the 77-year-old Berlusconi should lose his seat, after he was found guilty in August of masterminding a complex and illegal system to reduce the tax bill of his media company Mediaset. "The left should not imagine that we will allow this coup d'etat to go ahead without any response," Berlusconi told an assembly of young followers of his center-right Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party. The vote is expected to go against the billionaire media-mogul, with Prime Minister Enrico Letta's Democratic Party and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement both in favour of his expulsion.
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| Egypt official: Muslim Brotherhood backs unrest Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:16 AM PST  CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's interior minister said Saturday his forces have foiled several attempted terror attacks and arrested militant leaders, accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of mobilizing and financing some of them to cause unrest.
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| 'Catching Fire' ablaze at box office with $135M Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:12 AM PST Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" has grossed $70.5 million domestically and $64 million internationally, bringing its total to $135 million, the studio reported on Saturday. |
| Gasol out indefinitely with left knee sprain Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:10 AM PST  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol has a left knee sprain that won't require surgery, but the reigning NBA defensive player of the year will be out indefinitely.
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| UK police: Slavery case involved ideology Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:07 AM PST  LONDON (AP) — New details emerged Saturday in the bizarre case of three suspected female slaves allegedly held for 30 years, with police indicating the unusual household arrangement started as a collective of people with shared political beliefs.
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| LAX returns to normal after chaotic night Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:04 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Operations were back to normal at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday following a car crash and false alarms that evacuated terminals, stalled dozens of flights and panicked passengers jittery after a recent shooting rampage.
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| Machida, Lipnitskaia win at Rostelecom Cup Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:03 AM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — Japan's Tatsuki Machida and Russia's Julia Lipnitskaia won gold Saturday in the Rostelecom Cup, the last of the season's six preliminary Grand Prix events.
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| Singapore, Hong Kong films shine at Chinese 'Oscars' Posted: 23 Nov 2013 10:55 AM PST  Singaporean family drama "Ilo Ilo" was the surprise winner of the coveted best feature film prize at the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan Saturday while kung fu epic "The Grandmaster" scooped the most gongs at the Chinese-language "Oscars". "Ilo Ilo" -- director Anthony Chen's first feature-length film -- was the dark horse for the award, beating off stiff competition from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster," Johnnie To's "Drug War," Jia Zhangke's "A Touch of Sin" and Tsai Ming-liang's "Stray Dogs".
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| 3 on Willie Nelson's band bus hurt in Texas wreck Posted: 23 Nov 2013 10:52 AM PST SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas (AP) — Singer Willie Nelson has suspended performances until December after three of his band members were hurt when their bus plowed into a bridge pillar in East Texas during rainy conditions. |
| Egypt expels Turkish ambassador, scales back ties Posted: 23 Nov 2013 10:45 AM PST  CAIRO (AP) — Egypt downgraded diplomatic relations Saturday with Turkey and expelled its ambassador from Cairo, a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries that mounted after a military coup ousted the country's Islamist president this summer.
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| Powerful storm system blasts US West; 5 killed Posted: 23 Nov 2013 10:43 AM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — A powerful storm system marched toward New Mexico on Saturday with predictions of widespread snow, freezing temperatures and gusty winds after leaving parts of the Western U.S. soaked.
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| Hard bargaining in Geneva on Iran nuclear deal Posted: 23 Nov 2013 10:43 AM PST  GENEVA (AP) — A senior Iranian official raised doubt Saturday whether an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program could be finalized during current talks in Geneva after a day of intense diplomacy joined by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and five other foreign ministers.
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