Marine who disappeared in Iraq in 2004 back in US

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• Marine who disappeared in Iraq in 2004 back in US
• Israeli leader calls for independent Kurdistan
• Obama picks ex-P&G head to lead Veterans Affairs
• Dolly Parton thrills crowd at Glastonbury Festival
• Obama: Battle-hardened militants pose threat to US
• Egypt moves to restrict Ramadan sermons
• AP NewsAlert
• Al-Qaida splinter declares new Islamic caliphate
• Kidnapped Tunisian embassy workers freed in Libya - Tunisia's envoy
• After Iraq gains, Qaeda offshoot claims Islamic "caliphate"
• 'Transformers' unearths $100M debut at box office
• Benghazi case unfolds against political backdrop
• Thousands of Israelis rally for abducted youths
• Israel bombs Gaza after rocket attacks, Hamas gunman killed
• 1 dead, 5 injured in awards party violence in LA
• Iraqi army presses Tikrit assault as lawmakers scramble to fill posts
• Gay pride parades step off across United States
• BRAZIL BEAT: Celebration to sadness for Mexico
• African migrants protest Israeli treatment
• Huntelaar's late penalty gives Dutch 2-1 win
• Ukraine's Poroshenko urges Putin to tighten borders after violence
• Al-Qaida breakaway formally declares Islamic State
• 2 dead, including rescuer, at Washington falls
• 'Designing Women' star Meshach Taylor dies at 67
• World Cup breaks Super Bowl record on Twitter
• Girl, 3, ID'd as victim of Italian ice shop door
• Muslims mark start of Ramadan as deadly conflicts rage
• Iraqi Christians return to villages
• Bosnia marks end of Europe's violent century
• Netherlands into last eight as Mexico sunk
• Mars 'flying saucer' splashes down after NASA test
• BRAZIL BEAT: Impromptu viewing party in Recife
• Cruise ship leaves Seattle again following fire
• Argentina 'won't be brought to our knees' over debt
• First UK poll after Juncker battle shows rising support for EU exit
• Ukraine president talks to Putin, Merkel, Hollande
• Israeli leader calls for long-term military presence in West Bank to counter extremist threat.
• Citing chaos in Iraq, Israeli leader endorses Kurdish independence
• BRAZIL BEAT: Sun scatters fans in Fortaleza
• US poised to slap record $9 bn fine on BNP Paribas

Marine who disappeared in Iraq in 2004 back in US Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:17 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A Marine who was declared a deserter nearly 10 years ago after disappearing in Iraq and then returning to the U.S. claiming he had been kidnapped, only to disappear again, is back in U.S. custody, officials said Sunday.

Israeli leader calls for independent Kurdistan Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:13 PM PDT TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Seizing on the mayhem in Iraq, Israel's prime minister on Sunday called for the establishment of an independent Kurdistan as part of a broader alliance with moderate forces across the region, and asserted that Israel would have to maintain a long-term military presence in the West Bank to keep a jihadi juggernaut from powering its way to the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

Obama picks ex-P&G head to lead Veterans Affairs Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:04 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is selecting former Procter and Gamble executive Robert McDonald as his choice to be secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Dolly Parton thrills crowd at Glastonbury Festival Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:04 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — Dolly Parton has won over legions of hard rock fans at England's Glastonbury Festival, one of the biggest events on the summer calendar.

Obama: Battle-hardened militants pose threat to US Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:02 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is concerned that battle-hardened militants who have spent time in Syria and Iraq could present a rising threat to U.S. security because they would be able to enter the country without visas on European passports.

Egypt moves to restrict Ramadan sermons Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:02 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egypt will restrict sermons during the holy month of Ramadan to topics of faith and morality, the state's top official in charge of religious affairs said Sunday, in the latest measure by the government to control mosques and limit access of opponents to them.

AP NewsAlert Posted: 29 Jun 2014 01:01 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Obama selects former Procter and Gamble executive Robert McDonald to head Veterans Affairs .

Al-Qaida splinter declares new Islamic caliphate Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:56 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — The al-Qaida breakaway group that has seized much of northern Syria and huge tracks of neighboring Iraq formally declared the creation of an Islamic state on Sunday in the territory under its control.

Kidnapped Tunisian embassy workers freed in Libya - Tunisia's envoy Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:54 PM PDT A Tunisian diplomat and an embassy worker kidnapped earlier this year by unknown gunmen in Libya have been freed, the Tunisian ambassador to Tripoli said on Sunday. With Libya's government weak and its armed forces still in formation, armed groups have targeted foreign diplomats for abduction this year to pressure for the release of Libyan militants held in jails overseas. The other embassy official was taken separately. Right now they are with us at the embassy," the ambassador, Ridha Boukadhi, told Reuters by telephone.

After Iraq gains, Qaeda offshoot claims Islamic "caliphate" Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:52 PM PDT By Sylvia Westall BEIRUT (Reuters) - An offshoot of al Qaeda which has captured territory in Iraq and Syria has declared itself an Islamic "caliphate" and called on factions worldwide to pledge their allegiance, a statement posted on Islamist websites and Twitter said on Sunday. The move poses a direct challenge to the central leadership of al Qaeda, which has already disowned it, and to conservative Gulf Arab rulers. The group, previously known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and also known as ISIS, has renamed itself "Islamic State" and proclaimed its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as "Caliph" - the head of the state, the statement said. "Accordingly, the "Iraq and Sham" (Levant) in the name of the Islamic State is henceforth removed from all official deliberations and communications, and the official name is the Islamic State from the date of this declaration," he said.

'Transformers' unearths $100M debut at box office Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:50 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Transformers: Age of Extinction" is ruling the box office.

Benghazi case unfolds against political backdrop Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:43 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The first prosecution arising from the Benghazi attacks is playing out in the federal courthouse blocks from both the White House and Capitol Hill, an appropriate setting for a case that has drawn stark lines between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress.

Thousands of Israelis rally for abducted youths Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:41 PM PDT TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in a central Tel Aviv square on Sunday night to draw attention to the plight of three Israeli teenagers who were abducted in the West Bank earlier this month.

Israel bombs Gaza after rocket attacks, Hamas gunman killed Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:40 PM PDT Israeli forces attacked militant targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing a Hamas gunman and wounding two others after a spate of rocket launches from the Palestinian territory, officials on both sides said. The Hamas casualties were caused by a strike that the Israeli military said targeted a group of Palestinians spotted about to fire a rocket across the border. Palestinian medics said two other people were wounded in air strikes on at least six other Gaza targets. The Israeli military said two rockets fired from Gaza earlier on Sunday were shot down by its Iron Dome missile interceptor defense system.

1 dead, 5 injured in awards party violence in LA Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:38 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police say one person was killed and five injured in two separate incidents at parties ahead of the BET Awards in Los Angeles.

Iraqi army presses Tikrit assault as lawmakers scramble to fill posts Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:32 PM PDT By Ahmed Rasheed and Alexander Dziadosz BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's army sent tanks and armored vehicles to try to dislodge insurgents from the northern city of Tikrit on Sunday, the second day of a pushback against a Sunni militant takeover of large stretches of Iraq. The hardline Sunni group leading the insurgency, until Sunday known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), declared itself a "caliphate" on Sunday and called on factions worldwide to pledge their allegiance - a move analysts saw as a direct challenge to al Qaeda, which disowned ISIL in February, and to Gulf Arab rulers. In Baghdad, which is threatened by the rebel advance, top Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers scrambled to agree cabinet nominations before parliament meets on Tuesday to try to prevent the rebel advance jeopardizing Iraq's future as a unitary state. They are racing against time as ISIL, which loathes Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shi'ite-led government, consolidates its grip on the north and west.

Gay pride parades step off across United States Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:26 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Gay pride parades stepped off around the nation on Sunday, in cities large and small, with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters celebrating a year of same-sex marriage victories.

BRAZIL BEAT: Celebration to sadness for Mexico Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:26 PM PDT SAO PAULO (AP) — Mario Alejandro Barrientos hid his hurt over Mexico's World Cup elimination beneath the brim of a humongous sombrero.

African migrants protest Israeli treatment Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:22 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli authorities on Sunday broke up a protest by hundreds of African migrants who marched out of an Israeli detention center over the weekend to protest their treatment.

Huntelaar's late penalty gives Dutch 2-1 win Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:15 PM PDT FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) — Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Wesley Sneijder scored late goals Sunday to give the Netherlands a 2-1 victory over Mexico and a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Ukraine's Poroshenko urges Putin to tighten borders after violence Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:02 PM PDT By Thomas Grove KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urged President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to strengthen Russian control over its borders to prevent militants and arms entering Ukraine after violence broke a truce there. The ceasefire, declared by Poroshenko on June 20 to allow for peace talks with the pro-Russian rebels, is due to expire on Monday, a deadline also set by EU leaders considering new sanctions against Russia. The statement came after a four-way telephone conversation among the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said a statement from Poroshenko's office.

Al-Qaida breakaway formally declares Islamic State Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:00 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — The al-Qaida breakaway group that has seized much of northern Syria and huge tracks of neighboring Iraq formally declared the creation of an Islamic state on Sunday in the territory under its control.

2 dead, including rescuer, at Washington falls Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:52 AM PDT PILCHUCK FALLS, Wash. (AP) — A search and rescue worker has died trying to save another man who fell 100 feet at Pilchuck Falls in western Washington.

'Designing Women' star Meshach Taylor dies at 67 Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:48 AM PDT Meshach Taylor, who played a lovable ex-convict surrounded by boisterous Southern belles on the sitcom "Designing Women" and appeared in numerous other TV and film roles, died of cancer at age 67, his agent said Sunday.

World Cup breaks Super Bowl record on Twitter Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:44 AM PDT RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Nervous Brazilian soccer fans took to Twitter to breathe a collective sigh of relief as the final, tension-filled moments of a penalty shootout against Chile broke an all-time record for online buzz during a live event.

Girl, 3, ID'd as victim of Italian ice shop door Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:42 AM PDT PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Authorities on Sunday were investigating how a metal security grate detached and fell from the facade of an Italian ice shop, killing a 3-year-old girl in front of dozens of people who tried to rescue her.

Muslims mark start of Ramadan as deadly conflicts rage Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:40 AM PDT Muslims began observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan on Sunday with Islamic leaders again concerned about entrenched conflicts as jihadists issued threats from Indonesia to Somalia. Ramadan is sacred for the world's estimated 1.6 billion Muslims because it is during that month that tradition says the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. In that spirit the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation launched a joint appeal with the Arab League for a ceasefire in Syria, where a deadly conflict has raged unabated for more than three years. The call came as Saudi King Abdullah, whose country is home to Islam's holiest sites, sharply criticised religious extremists and vowed not to let "a handful of terrorists... terrify Muslims".

Iraqi Christians return to villages Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:34 AM PDT IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Thousands of Iraqi Christians flocked back to their homes in the north on Sunday, days after they fled villages under attack by Sunni Muslim extremists.

Bosnia marks end of Europe's violent century Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:31 AM PDT SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Artists and diplomats declared a new century of peace and unity in Europe on Saturday in the city where the first two shots of World War I were fired exactly 100 years ago.

Netherlands into last eight as Mexico sunk Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:19 AM PDT Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck a stoppage-time penalty as the Netherlands staged an incredible late fightback to beat Mexico 2-1 and reach the World Cup quarter-finals here Sunday. Huntelaar kept his cool in furnace-like conditions to fire Holland into the last eight after Wesley Sneijder had scored an 88th-minute equaliser to cancel out Giovani Dos Santos's goal for Mexico. The dramatic Dutch fightback left Mexico's players in tears as their last 16 jinx struck again. Mexico have now lost in the second round in six consecutive World Cup appearances, and had been just minutes away from a first quarter-final since 1986.

Mars 'flying saucer' splashes down after NASA test Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — NASA has tested new technology designed to bring spacecraft — and one day even astronauts — safely down to Mars, with the agency declaring the experiment a qualified success even though a giant parachute got tangled on the way down.

BRAZIL BEAT: Impromptu viewing party in Recife Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:13 AM PDT RECIFE, Brazil (AP) — A gas station in rural northeastern Brazil turned into an impromptu World Cup viewing party.

Cruise ship leaves Seattle again following fire Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:07 AM PDT SEATTLE (AP) — A cruise ship that returned to Seattle after a fire in its boiler room left the port again on Sunday morning.

Argentina 'won't be brought to our knees' over debt Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:04 AM PDT Argentina took out paid ads in major US newspapers for the second weekend running on Sunday, slamming an "absurd" American court decision as a ploy "to bring us down to our knees." The country is poised to default on its debt for a second time in 13 years if a payments deal cannot be achieved by Monday with hedge funds holding $1.3 billion in bonds. Judge Thomas Griesa, in New York, said Friday a deposit from Argentina towards paying off restructured debt was illegal unless the hedge funds -- which Buenos Aires brands "vulture funds" -- were also paid. Under the title "Argentina Pays," the full-page ad, signed "Presidency of the nation Argentine Republic," appeared in The Washington Post and The New York Times on Sunday.

First UK poll after Juncker battle shows rising support for EU exit Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:59 AM PDT By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Public support for Britain to leave the EU is growing again after falling to a multi-year low, according to the first survey published since EU leaders nominated Jean-Claude Juncker to become the next president of the European Commission. British Prime Minister David Cameron openly campaigned to stop Juncker getting the top EU job, but last Friday lost the final vote by 26-2. He warned at the time that choosing Juncker, an old-style EU federalist, would make it harder to keep Britain in the European Union. Under pressure from Eurosceptic lawmakers in his own Conservative party and from the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) which won European parliamentary elections last month, Cameron has pledged to try to reshape Britain's EU ties before giving people a referendum in 2017 on whether the UK should remain a member of the EU.

Ukraine president talks to Putin, Merkel, Hollande Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:48 AM PDT KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko tried to keep his peace plan to settle the conflict with pro-Russian separatists on track in a four-way phone call Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of France and Germany.

Israeli leader calls for long-term military presence in West Bank to counter extremist threat. Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:30 AM PDT TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli leader calls for long-term military presence in West Bank to counter extremist threat.

Citing chaos in Iraq, Israeli leader endorses Kurdish independence Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:29 AM PDT TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Citing chaos in Iraq, Israeli leader endorses Kurdish independence.

BRAZIL BEAT: Sun scatters fans in Fortaleza Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:24 AM PDT FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) — As the shadows shifted across the Arena Castelao, sections of stands emptied and filled during Sunday's round of 16 match between the Netherlands and Mexico. With an early afternoon start on a hot, muggy day in northeastern Brazil, many fans abandoned their seats when the sun beat down on them in an otherwise full stadium.

US poised to slap record $9 bn fine on BNP Paribas Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:23 AM PDT French bank BNP Paribas is expected to pay a record $9 billion fine and admit its guilt for years of dealing with US-blacklisted Sudan and Iran, in a case that has strained ties between Paris and Washington. US justice authorities could announce the hefty penalty as early as Monday, capping months of haggling which saw French President Francois Hollande pressing US counterpart Barack Obama to step in and lighten the punishment. The record US fine of a foreign bank will also come with a guilty plea from BNP, according to a person close to the situation. France's largest bank is accused of breaching US sanctions against Iran, Sudan and Cuba between 2002 and 2009 by handling $30 billion worth of transactions with them.

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