| Justice Dept. applies same-sex rights to itself Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:47 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — In an assertion of same-sex marriage rights, Attorney General Eric Holder is applying a landmark Supreme Court ruling to the Justice Department, announcing Saturday that same-sex spouses cannot be compelled to testify against each other, should be eligible to file for bankruptcy jointly and are entitled to the same rights and privileges as federal prison inmates in opposite-sex marriages.
|
| Dignitaries, family bid farewell to Joan Mondale Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:45 PM PST  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Political dignitaries joined family members at Saturday's memorial service for Joan Mondale, the wife of a former vice president who was remembered for her passion and persistence about arts, politics and community.
|
| Grim talk turns to gold for now at Olympics Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:42 PM PST  SOCHI, Russia (AP) — All the gloom and grim talk leading to the Sochi Olympics at last gave way to more uplifting things.
|
| U.N. aid convoy struck in Syria's besieged Homs Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:41 PM PST  By Dominic Evans BEIRUT (Reuters) - An aid convoy came under fire in a besieged rebel district of Homs on Saturday, threatening a United Nations-led operation to bring food and medicine to 2,500 people and evacuate civilians trapped by months of fighting in the Syrian city. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) said mortar fire landed close to its convoy and shots were fired at its trucks, wounding one of its drivers. At least nine Red Crescent and U.N. vehicles were holed up in the city for several hours after dark when the explosions struck, but the team managed to pull out shortly before 10 pm (2000 GMT), leaving two damaged trucks, the Red Crescent said. Syrian authorities blamed the attacks on rebels but opposition activists accused President Bashar al-Assad's forces of carrying them out, as well as earlier mortar fire which delayed the start of the operation on Saturday morning.
|
| Olympic viewing: NBC's opening ceremony editing Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:36 PM PST Highlights from coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics: |
| Dufour-Lapointe sisters go 1-2 in Olympic moguls Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:25 PM PST  KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — The Dufour-Lapointe family of Canada will have a few things to share and compare when they get home from Russia.
|
| Prabal Gurung show disrupted by G-string streaker Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:18 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — There were opulent gongs, mood music and richly colored coats on Prabal Gurung's Himalayas-inspired runway Saturday at New York Fashion Week. Oh, and a streaker in an animal-print G-string, crown and bright red socks!
|
| 'Love & Hip Hop' star says brawl was overblown Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:10 PM PST  ATLANTA (AP) — Reality star Benzino says reports were overblown about a massive brawl that included "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" cast members during a recent filming of the VH1 reality show.
|
| Egypt leftist leader to contest elections Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:10 PM PST  CAIRO (AP) — A leading left-wing Egyptian politician announced on Saturday that he will contest upcoming presidential elections, set to be a tough battle for anyone squaring off against the country's powerful army chief, expected to win a sweeping victory.
|
| Ex CIA head: Anti-Semitism likely in Pollard case Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:10 PM PST JERUSALEM (AP) — Former CIA Director James Woolsey says anti-Semitism could be a factor in the U.S. refusal to release a Jewish American jailed for spying for Israel. |
| Bosnians sweep up after violent protests Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:08 PM PST  SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Bosnians swept up the rubble Saturday after protesters set fire to the presidency and other government buildings in the country's worst social unrest since its devastating war. But the next steps in attempts to clean up are far from clear.
|
| Aid convoy leaves Homs safely after being fired on: Red Crescent Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:08 PM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - A joint aid team of United Nations and Syrian Red Crescent workers safely left the Old City of Homs on Saturday after their convoy came under fire as they delivered humanitarian supplies, the Red Crescent said. In a statement on Twitter, it said one truck driver suffered a minor injury and two damaged trucks had been left inside the Old City. (Reporting by Dominic Evans; editing by Ralph Boulton) |
| Russia holds lead in team event, Lipnitskaia soars Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:04 PM PST  SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Like old times, Russia is dominating Olympic figure skating.
|
| Valentino apologizes for Amy Adams bag-gate Posted: 08 Feb 2014 12:01 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — The fashion house Valentino has apologized for touting in an email blast to journalists that one of their pricey bags was carried by Amy Adams as she stepped from a car at the wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
|
| Duke Energy issues apology for NC coal ash spill Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:55 AM PST RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A top executive at Duke Energy has apologized for the company's massive coal ash spill in North Carolina and pledged to clean up its toxic waste from the Dan River. |
| Record-equalling Bjoerndalen leads golden oldies Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:53 AM PST  Sochi (Russia) (AFP) - Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen made a mockery of his 40 years on Saturday when he won a record-equalling 12th Winter Olympic medal as Sochi's senior citizens nudged aside younger rivals. Bjoerndalen went level with compatriot Bjorn Daehlie, who also gathered 12 medals in his cross country career. Outspoken ski star Bode Miller, 36, was headline-grabbing on and off the slopes at Rosa Khotur, dominating downhill training before lambasting the state of the course. And 33-year-old Marit Bjoergen won her fourth Olympic title and became the most successful female Norwegian Olympian in history, after taking the first cross-country skiing gold of the Games in the women's skiathlon.
|
| Wind halts play at Pebble Beach Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:50 AM PST  PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am has been halted because of the weather.
|
| Spain princess testifies in historic fraud probe Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:50 AM PST  PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain (AP) — In a historic judicial hearing that could further impact the deteriorated image of Spain's monarchy, Princess Cristina testified Saturday in a fraud and money laundering case in which she and her husband could eventually be charged.
|
| Among exile elite, a shift over Cuba-US policy Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:50 AM PST  MIAMI (AP) — When Miami's new art museum opened in December, namesake Jorge Perez spoke easily about a once-taboo topic among Cuban-American powerbrokers: his desire to increase artistic exchanges with those on the communist island.
|
| Brazil oil firm OGX strikes $215 mn creditor deal Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:47 AM PST  Brazilian tycoon Eike Batista will turn over the bulk of his debt-ridden OGX oil company to creditors in a $215 million deal that aims to ensure the firm continues to operate. Under a deal announced Saturday the newly-renamed Oleo y Gas Participaciones (OGP) will create $215 million worth of shares, in two stages, pending regulatory approval, said a statement from the company. OGX was placed under bankruptcy protection in October 2013, because of billions of dollars of debt. Batista was formerly Brazil's richest man, but the decline of EBX began in mid-2012 when OGX announced that its oil output would be a quarter of what had earlier been promised.
|
| Dogs take on Westminster show's 1st agility trial Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:29 AM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of dogs are running, leaping, weaving and breaking new ground at the Westminster Kennel Club show's first agility competition.
|
| Spain princess fights fraud accusations in court Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:28 AM PST  Palma (Spain) (AFP) - Spain's princess Cristina distanced herself from fraud accusations during a tough court hearing Saturday over a scandal that has plunged the royal family into crisis. Dressed in a white shirt and black jacket, King Juan Carlos's youngest daughter nodded to reporters as she left the court in Palma on the holiday island of Majorca after being questioned for seven hours. Cristina was questioned over allegations that she was complicit in tax-dodging and money laundering in a courtroom overlooked by a portrait of her own father, Juan Carlos, 76, who is the head of state. Long thought untouchable as a royal, Cristina, 48, is in the centre of the scandal over allegedly fraudulent business dealings by her husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin.
|
| A lot to like about first part for Blackhawks Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:27 AM PST CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks head into the NHL's Olympic break in prime position to defend their Stanley Cup title. |
| Hazard fires Chelsea top after Arsenal crash Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:25 AM PST  Eden Hazard scored a hat-trick as Chelsea capitalised on Arsenal's crushing defeat at Liverpool by beating Newcastle United 3-0 to claim top spot in the Premier League on Saturday. Arsenal's 5-1 demolition at Anfield earlier in the day handed their nearest rivals an opportunity to leapfrog them at the top of the table and Chelsea took full advantage at Stamford Bridge. Manchester City were unable to follow suit, however, drawing 0-0 at Norwich City and slipping to third place in the process.
|
| Iran says warships headed close to US borders Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:21 AM PST TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian warships dispatched to the Atlantic Ocean will travel close to U.S. maritime borders for the first time, a senior Iranian naval commander said Saturday. |
| Turks clash with police over Internet legislation Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:18 AM PST  ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish riot police fired water cannons and tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators who tried to march to Istanbul's main square to protest legislation which critics say will tighten government controls over the Internet.
|
| Budget model uncertain for state health exchanges Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:14 AM PST  ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The 14 states running their own health insurance marketplaces had all their startup costs footed by the federal government, but they're supposed to pay for themselves starting next year under the federal health care reform law.
|
| Cuba frees jailed Canadian businessman Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:10 AM PST  TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian businessman who served 2 1/2 years of a 9-year prison sentence in Cuba for corruption has abruptly returned to Canada.
|
| US snowboarder Kotsenburg wins men's Olympic slopestyle gold Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:10 AM PST  Rosa Khutor (Russia) (AFP) - Sage Kotsenburg of the United States claimed the first gold medal of the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday in men's slopestyle and hailed his fellow snowboarders for their band of brothers mentality. The 20-year-old said he would have been just as happy had either silver medallist Staale Sandbech of Norway or Canada's bronze medallist Mark McMorris finished on top of the podium.
|
| Dominant England humble Scotland in Calcutta Cup Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:06 AM PST  England got their Six Nations campaign back on track with a crushing 20-0 Calcutta Cup victory over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday. Luther Burrell and Mike Brown, as they'd done in defeat by France last weekend, both scored tries as the 132nd edition of international rugby union's oldest fixture saw Scotland rendered pointless by England for the first time since a 15-0 loss at Murrayfield in 1978. Had not fly-half Owen Farrell missed several goalkicks, the final scoreline might have been even more lopsided.
|
| Brotherly bond united deputies in Dorner manhunt Posted: 08 Feb 2014 11:03 AM PST  SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — Det. Alex Collins was speeding down a mountain road, closing in on ex-cop-turned-killer Christopher Dorner and his phone was buzzing.
|
| 2 dead as tensions rise in Algerian desert city Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:55 AM PST  ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Sectarian tension in a southern desert city is boiling over after the deaths of two Berber men in as many days, including one that a local official said was knifed to death and disfigured under the eyes of police.
|
| Germany's Loch leads after 2 runs of Olympic luge Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:52 AM PST  KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — On his second descent down the ice, Felix Loch vaulted himself into a familiar place: first.
|
| Spanish princess questioned in corruption investigation Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:44 AM PST  By Teresa Larraz Mora PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain's Princess Cristina was questioned by a judge on Saturday in a corruption case that has deepened public anger over graft among the ruling class and discontent with the royal family. Streets away from the courthouse, in Palma de Mallorca, capital of the Balearic Islands, hundreds of protesters shouted slogans calling for a republic and an end to institutional corruption at a time of financial crisis. Cristina, the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos and seventh in line to the throne, is facing preliminary charges of tax fraud and money laundering linked to her use of income from a shell company she owned with her husband Inaki Urdangarin. "Her testimony was extensive and exhaustive," said one of Princess Cristina's lawyers, Miguel Roca, outside the court.
|
| US wins team short dance, Russia takes women's Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:43 AM PST  SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Fifteen-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia had the look of an Olympic champion Saturday night, dazzling the home crowd with a near-perfect performance in the women's team short program.
|
| Phinney crowned first king of Tour of Dubai Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:39 AM PST  American Taylor Phinney on Saturday was crowned the winner of the inaugural Tour of Dubai, triumphing by a 15 second margin over his BMC teammate, Steve Cummings. Phinney would not be denied, despite a third straight stage win in Saturday's fourth stage time trial by Germany's Marcel Kittel. Playing it safe on Saturday, Phinney was able to hold onto first place from his British teammate Cummings, with Lasse Hansen of Denmark in third, 17 seconds behind Phinney's final time of nine hours 31 mins. Phinney said the victory marked a "big step for me".
|
| Kotsenburg uses a new trick to take 1st gold Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:38 AM PST  KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Sage Kotsenburg loves snowboarding for all its unexpected surprises.
|
| Future of C. African Republic Muslims imperiled Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:35 AM PST  DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The mob violence wracking Central African Republic imperils the future of the country's Muslims, with thousands having been slaughtered and many more fleeing the country.
|
| Clooney hopeful Europe will give panned movie fresh start Posted: 08 Feb 2014 10:33 AM PST  Hollywood star George Clooney said Saturday that he is hopeful European audiences will respond to his light-touch wartime drama "The Monuments Men" after it got a mauling from US critics. Clooney presented the picture at the 64th Berlin film festival about a real-life corps of middle-aged art experts who go behind enemy lines to rescue precious works from the Nazis, one day after it opened in US cinemas. Asked by an American reviewer whether he thought the movie, his fifth as a director, would get a "different" reception in Europe where the film is set, Clooney said: "We'll see. The presence of the 52-year-old Clooney, who is arguably an even bigger star in Europe than in his native United States, touched off a frenzy at the festival.
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment