French military frees 5 aid workers in N Mali

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• French military frees 5 aid workers in N Mali
• Obama sends condolences on S Korea ferry disaster
• Israeli, Palestinian negotiators seek to rescue troubled talks
• Algeria's ailing president votes from wheelchair
• Astronomers spot most Earth-like planet yet
• Montreal team sign Chad Johnson to 2-year contract
• Cyber cops: Target hackers may take years to find
• Barca blow as foot injury rules Neymar out for four weeks
• Wildcats G James Young to enter NBA draft
• UN: Iran cuts stock closest to nuke-arms grade
• Mattel reports loss as Barbie sales plummet
• Nigeria: Fate of 115 abducted girls unknown
• Pistorius trial: Prosecutor chides defense witness
• Russia, West reach surprise deal on Ukraine crisis
• Michelle Obama: High school diploma is not enough
• Affidavit: Smuggler threats follow Puig from Cuba
• Ukrainian unity on display with peaceful rallies
• 87th Annual Academy Awards date set for Feb. 22
• Researcher finds flaw in Samsung fingerprint check
• First Earth-sized planet found in 'habitable zone': NASA
• Tom Berman named deputy for AP's Central Region
• GM 1Q global sales up 2 pct to 2.42M
• Chipotle plans first price hike in 3 years
• Juan Gabriel expected to leave hospital soon
• Cannes film festival launches race for 2014 Palme d'Or
• Police: Student ate more pot than recommended
• Lost radio program featuring Hank Williams found
• US stock market mostly higher as earnings pour in
• Police: Mom drove into river trying to kill 3 kids
• Putin says annexation of Crimea partly a response to NATO enlargement
• Iran cuts sensitive nuclear stockpile, key plant delayed: IAEA
• Ex-honor student gets 5 years in terrorism case
• Ky. jury says ex-priest should serve 15 years
• Hotel magnate, Democratic fundraiser pleads guilty
• U.S. judge declines to order 'park it now' notices for GM cars
• Salsa great Cheo Feliciano dies in car crash at 78
• Robber who was homesick for prison to be sentenced
• Islamist militants kill 30 in attacks around Iraq
• Ukraine: Live Report

French military frees 5 aid workers in N Mali Posted: 17 Apr 2014 01:00 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — French special forces backed by helicopters led a pre-dawn operation Thursday and freed five humanitarian aid workers who had been held captive by a "terrorist group" — killing about 10 of the alleged militants, officials said.

Obama sends condolences on S Korea ferry disaster Posted: 17 Apr 2014 01:00 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is sending condolences to victims of a South Korean ferry disaster and says he will pay tribute during a visit to the country next week.

Israeli, Palestinian negotiators seek to rescue troubled talks Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:59 PM PDT Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on Thursday in Jerusalem to seek a way to prevent troubled peace talks from collapsing ahead of an April 29 deadline. Two Israeli sources speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed that officials from both sides were meeting in Jerusalem, declining to provide further detail. The talks had been postponed from Wednesday when emotions ran high in Israel as a funeral was held for an off-duty police officer gunned down while driving his family to a settlement in the West Bank for a Passover holiday meal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Palestinian Authority of engaging in anti-Israeli incitement which led to the attack, for which no Palestinian group has claimed responsibility.

Algeria's ailing president votes from wheelchair Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:57 PM PDT ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria's ailing president was wheeled to the voting booth on Thursday to cast his ballot for his fourth term in an election he is expected to dominate as the few Algerians that do bother going to the polls will most likely choose stability over change.

Astronomers spot most Earth-like planet yet Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:55 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — Astronomers have discovered what they say is the most Earth-like planet yet detected — a distant, rocky world that's similar in size to our own and exists in the Goldilocks zone where it's not too hot and not too cold for life.

Montreal team sign Chad Johnson to 2-year contract Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:52 PM PDT MONTREAL (AP) — Former NFL star Chad Johnson will make his return to the gridiron in the Canadian Football League.

Cyber cops: Target hackers may take years to find Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:51 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service investigators say they are close to gaining a full understanding of the methods hackers used to breach Target's computer systems last December.

Barca blow as foot injury rules Neymar out for four weeks Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:51 PM PDT Brazilian star Neymar could miss the rest of the club season after being ruled out for four weeks with an injured left foot, dealing Barcelona a worrying blow to their La Liga hopes. The club confirmed on Thursday that the 22-year-old picked up the injury in Barca's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday. He will now miss La Liga games against Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Getafe. However he has an outside chance of facing Atletico Madrid in what could be a title decider on the last day of the season.

Wildcats G James Young to enter NBA draft Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:49 PM PDT LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky guard James Young has announced that he will enter the NBA draft, becoming the first of the Wildcats' heralded freshmen to turn pro.

UN: Iran cuts stock closest to nuke-arms grade Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:47 PM PDT VIENNA (AP) — Iran has converted three quarters of a nuclear stockpile that it could have turned quickly into weapons-grade uranium into less volatile forms and is well on the way toward transforming the rest, the U.N. atomic agency reported Thursday.

Mattel reports loss as Barbie sales plummet Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:46 PM PDT Toymaker Mattel has a problem: Barbie's performance has not been very pretty of late. Barbie's slump comes as Mattel and other toymakers contend with bloated product inventories and a cut-throat retail environment that has pinched profits and pushed toymakers into cost-cutting mode. Mattel, reporting a quarterly loss of $11.2 million on lower sales, has slashed its inventory of toys, downsized its staff of 28,000 by 1.5 percent and employed strict data analysis to determine marketing priorities, company officials said. Some of Mattel's other products have made up for the sag in Barbie's sales.

Nigeria: Fate of 115 abducted girls unknown Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:43 PM PDT MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — The fate of 115 female students abducted by Islamic extremists was thrown into uncertainty Thursday when their school principal denied the Nigerian military's report that almost all the pupils had been freed.

Pistorius trial: Prosecutor chides defense witness Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — An expert witness for the defense at the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius was supposed to help the athlete's assertion that he killed his girlfriend by mistake last year, but he ended his testimony on Thursday amid blistering attacks on his credibility by a prosecutor who accused him of slipshod analysis and fuzzy explanations.

Russia, West reach surprise deal on Ukraine crisis Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT Russia, Ukraine and the West reached a surprise deal Thursday to try to ease the Ukrainian crisis, in a glimmer of hope for the former Soviet republic that risks splitting in two. While not spelt out explicitly, the groups likely referred to pro-Kremlin separatists who have taken over parts of Ukraine's restive southeast. The agreement marked a sharp change from the tone taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day, when he left the door open for armed intervention in Ukraine. A ban by Kiev on all Russian males aged 16 to 60 from entering Ukrainian territory had also ratcheted up the pressure, with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling the measure "disgusting".

Michelle Obama: High school diploma is not enough Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:36 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama says a high school education is not enough in today's global economy.

Affidavit: Smuggler threats follow Puig from Cuba Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:36 PM PDT MIAMI (AP) — The smugglers who helped Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig leave Cuba on a speedboat have made death threats against him and against a Cuban boxer who says he defected with Puig, according to court documents.

Ukrainian unity on display with peaceful rallies Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:36 PM PDT MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian unity was on display Thursday night as peaceful demonstrations were held in at least four eastern cities condemning Russia for its perceived meddling in Ukrainian affairs.

87th Annual Academy Awards date set for Feb. 22 Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:34 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 87th annual Academy Awards will air live beginning at 8:30 p.m. EST from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Researcher finds flaw in Samsung fingerprint check Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:33 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — A Berlin-based researcher says he has managed to fool the fingerprint-based security system on Samsung's new Galaxy S5 smartphone using wood glue and a picture of the original print.

First Earth-sized planet found in 'habitable zone': NASA Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:33 PM PDT The hunt for potential life in outer space has taken a step forward -- an international team of researchers has discovered the first Earth-sized planet within the "habitable zone" of another star. The exoplanet dubbed Kepler-186f was first spotted by scientists using NASA's Kepler telescope, according to research published Thursday in the US journal Science. The exoplanet, located some 500 light years from Earth, orbits in what is seen as the sweet spot around its star: not too close and not too far, so it could have liquid water, considered a crucial component to possibly hosting life. "The discovery of Kepler-186f is a significant step toward finding worlds like our planet Earth," said Paul Hertz, NASA's Astrophysics Division director at the agency's headquarters in Washington.

Tom Berman named deputy for AP's Central Region Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:32 PM PDT CHICAGO (AP) — Tom Berman, a veteran editor and leader at The Associated Press who has directed coverage of stories ranging from air disasters, terror attacks and the ongoing unrest in Ukraine, has been named the cooperative's new deputy editor for the U.S. Central Region, overseeing the AP's journalism in 14 states in middle America.

GM 1Q global sales up 2 pct to 2.42M Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:28 PM PDT DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says it sold 2.42 million cars and trucks in the first three months of the year, keeping it slightly ahead of Volkswagen in the global sales race.

Chipotle plans first price hike in 3 years Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:26 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Chipotle is feeling confident that customers are willing to pay more for its burritos, bowls and tacos.

Juan Gabriel expected to leave hospital soon Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:20 PM PDT LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mexican musical icon Juan Gabriel is expected to be released from a Las Vegas hospital this weekend after being admitted Monday with pneumonia.

Cannes film festival launches race for 2014 Palme d'Or Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:18 PM PDT Movies by David Cronenberg, Jean-Luc Godard, Mike Leigh and Ken Loach are among the films selected to compete for the top Palme d'Or prize at next month's Cannes Film Festival, organisers said on Thursday. After months of speculation, just 18 of the more than 1,700 films submitted were rewarded with a berth in a line-up packed with Cannes' signature mix of established names and arthouse "auteurs". Cronenberg's "Maps to the Stars", Godard's "Adieu au Langage", Leigh's "Mr Turner" and Loach's "Jimmy's Hall", expected to be his last feature, will all be in competition at the May 14-25 movie extravaganza on the French Riviera. Announcing the shortlist at a ceremony in Paris, artistic director Thierry Fremaux tried to dampen down the controversy surrounding opening film "Grace of Monaco".

Police: Student ate more pot than recommended Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:15 PM PDT DENVER (AP) — A Wyoming college student who jumped to his death from a Denver hotel balcony ate more than the recommended serving of a marijuana cookie, police reports show.

Lost radio program featuring Hank Williams found Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:14 PM PDT NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Previously unreleased recordings of country music legend Hank Williams performing songs on a 1950 radio show will be released next month for download and on vinyl.

US stock market mostly higher as earnings pour in Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:14 PM PDT Stocks edged mostly higher Thursday afternoon after spending much of the morning shifting between small gains and losses. Investors waded through a mixed crop of U.S. company earnings that drove up shares for Morgan Stanley and General Electric even as Google, IBM and UnitedHealth declined.

Police: Mom drove into river trying to kill 3 kids Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:13 PM PDT Three New Jersey teens frantically used their cellphones to call for help from a sinking van after their troubled mother drove them into a river, their father said Thursday.

Putin says annexation of Crimea partly a response to NATO enlargement Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:12 PM PDT President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia had been forced to respond to NATO enlargement and that its annexation of Crimea, home to its Black Sea Fleet, was partly influenced by the Western military alliance's expansion into eastern Europe. Putin said Moscow will respond if the United States moves ahead with plans to base elements of a missile defense shield in eastern Europe, accusing Washington of fuelling a Cold War-style arms race.

Iran cuts sensitive nuclear stockpile, key plant delayed: IAEA Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:11 PM PDT By Fredrik Dahl VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has acted to cut its most sensitive nuclear stockpile by nearly 75 percent in implementing a landmark pact with world powers, but a planned facility it will need to fulfill the six-month deal has been delayed, a U.N. report showed on Thursday. The monthly update by the International Atomic Energy Agency , which has a pivotal role in verifying that Iran is living up to its part of the accord, made clear that Iran so far is undertaking the agreed steps to curb its nuclear program. In Washington, the State Department said the United States has taken steps to release a $450 million installment of frozen Iranian funds following the issuance of the report. In addition, Japan has made two more payments totaling $1 billion to Iran for crude imports, two sources with knowledge of the transactions said.

Ex-honor student gets 5 years in terrorism case Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:05 PM PDT PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An immigrant teen who had earned a scholarship to an elite U.S. college but became enamored of Jihadist causes was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison.

Ky. jury says ex-priest should serve 15 years Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:05 PM PDT LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A jury says a former Catholic priest stricken with late-stage cancer should serve a 15-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a teenage boy at a Louisville church in the early 1970s.

Hotel magnate, Democratic fundraiser pleads guilty Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:05 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — A wealthy hotel executive and Democratic fundraiser who supported Hilary Clinton for president pleaded guilty Thursday to charges he secretly funneled more than $180,000 in illegal campaign contributions to three unnamed candidates and coached someone to lie about it.

U.S. judge declines to order 'park it now' notices for GM cars Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:00 PM PDT A federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid to compel General Motors Co to tell customers to stop driving millions of cars that have been recalled for defective ignition switches. Attorneys representing Charles and Grace Silvas, the owners of a recalled 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, had sought an emergency order directing GM to issue "park it now" notices for the 2.6 million vehicles that have been recalled since February over the switches. GM opposed the motion, arguing that the vehicles were safe to drive as long as nothing extra was attached to the key while it was in the ignition. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi, Texas, denied the request in a ruling on Thursday, saying that she would defer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a federal agency that oversees auto safety.

Salsa great Cheo Feliciano dies in car crash at 78 Posted: 17 Apr 2014 11:59 AM PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rican salsa legend Cheo Feliciano died in a car accident early Thursday, prompting the governor of the U.S. territory to declare three days of mourning.

Robber who was homesick for prison to be sentenced Posted: 17 Apr 2014 11:58 AM PDT CHICAGO (AP) — Walter Unbehaun has spent nearly all of his adult life behind bars, so it's not surprising that he faces sentencing Thursday for yet another crime, a bank robbery last year. His reason for robbing the bank is surprising, though: He was homesick for prison.

Islamist militants kill 30 in attacks around Iraq Posted: 17 Apr 2014 11:54 AM PDT By Raheem Salman BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Suspected Sunni Muslim militants killed at least 30 people around Iraq on Thursday including 12 soldiers in an assault on a remote army base in the north, deepening insecurity with a national election just two weeks away. Sectarian bloodshed has increased since the Shi'ite Muslim-led Baghdad government began an offensive against insurgents, some of them affiliated with al Qaeda, dug in around Falluja and Ramadi in the western province of Anbar. Early on Thursday morning, gunmen disguised in Iraqi military uniforms drove armored vehicles, including Iraqi army Humvees, up to a small military base outside Mosul and opened fire, killing 12 soldiers and wounding about a dozen, army and police officers said on condition of anonymity. The region around Mosul has been a stronghold of the al Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group.

Ukraine: Live Report Posted: 17 Apr 2014 11:53 AM PDT 18:30 GMT - WE ARE NOW CLOSING THIS LIVE REPORT after Russia, Ukraine, the US and EU reached a surprise deal to de-escalate the worsening crisis. The four parties agree to "restore security for all citizens", including a call to disband armed groups that have taken over buildings in Ukraine "illegally". While not spelt out in the agreement, these groups could refer to pro-Kremlin separatists who have seized control of government buildings and taken over parts of Ukraine's southeast, destabilising the country. Washington and Kiev have accused Russia of supporting the militants who have occupied buildings such as police stations and government bases, but Moscow has always categorically denied this.

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