South Korean court gives man suspended jail term for retweeting North Korean propaganda posts
SEOUL, South Korea – A South Korean man has received a suspended 10-month prison term for retweeting North Korean propaganda posts.
Suicide attackers strike near US base in Kabul, killing two Afghan guards, police say
KABUL – Two men wearing suicide vests blew themselves up near a U.S. base in the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing two Afghan guards in what looked like a thwarted attempt to attack the American base, police said.
Yemeni transport plane crashes near Sanaa airport, 10 killed
SANAA (Reuters) – A Yemeni military transport plane crashed near Sanaa airport on Wednesday, killing ten of its crew members, an airport official said. The plane came down in the Hasba district near the Yemeni capital after experiencing a technical error, the official said. “The plane tried to land in an empty space in Hasba, but because of a technical problem it crashed and ten of the crew died,” the official said. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Canadian man charged in massive Australian drug bust denied bail in Sydney
SYDNEY – A Canadian man charged in connection with a massive drug bust in Australia has been denied bail in a Sydney court.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
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Suicide blasts hit near US base in Afghan capital
Two men wearing suicide vests blew themselves up near a U.S. base in the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing two Afghan guards in what looked like a thwarted attempt to attack the American base, police said.
Clinton presses on with Israel-Hamas truce efforts
The U.S. secretary of state is pressing on with efforts to wring an elusive deal from Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers to halt the latest violence convulsing the region.
Australia reopens asylum seeker detention in Papua New Guinea
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australia sent the first group of asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea’s remote Manus island on Wednesday, adding a second Pacific nation to its toughened refugee policy designed to stop a steady flow of refugee boats. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen also announced new rules for asylum seekers who make it to Australia’s mainland, saying they could be kept on rolling temporary visas for up to five years, even if they are accepted as refugees. …
China detains man for Twitter joke on party meet
Hundreds of Chinese Internet users are rallying around a Beijing blogger who’s been detained by police after posting a joke on Twitter about the pivotal Communist Party congress.
Australia's Watson misses 2nd South Africa test
ADELAIDE (Reuters) – Australia's Shane Watson has failed to prove his fitness for the second test against South Africa and was left out of an unchanged team for the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. The 31-year-old all-rounder missed the drawn first test in Brisbane with a calf injury but had hoped to play as a specialist batsman in the second, which starts on Thursday. "Once we got here our intent was to give Watto every chance as a very important player and vice captain of the team, but unfortunately we've run out of time," Australia captain Michael Clarke told reporters at Adelaide Oval. …
Two men wearing suicide vests blew themselves up near a U.S. base in the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing two Afghan guards in what looked like a thwarted attempt to attack the American base, police said. Clinton presses on with Israel-Hamas truce efforts
The U.S. secretary of state is pressing on with efforts to wring an elusive deal from Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers to halt the latest violence convulsing the region. Australia reopens asylum seeker detention in Papua New Guinea
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australia sent the first group of asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea’s remote Manus island on Wednesday, adding a second Pacific nation to its toughened refugee policy designed to stop a steady flow of refugee boats. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen also announced new rules for asylum seekers who make it to Australia’s mainland, saying they could be kept on rolling temporary visas for up to five years, even if they are accepted as refugees. …
China detains man for Twitter joke on party meet
Hundreds of Chinese Internet users are rallying around a Beijing blogger who’s been detained by police after posting a joke on Twitter about the pivotal Communist Party congress.
Australia's Watson misses 2nd South Africa test
ADELAIDE (Reuters) – Australia's Shane Watson has failed to prove his fitness for the second test against South Africa and was left out of an unchanged team for the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. The 31-year-old all-rounder missed the drawn first test in Brisbane with a calf injury but had hoped to play as a specialist batsman in the second, which starts on Thursday. "Once we got here our intent was to give Watto every chance as a very important player and vice captain of the team, but unfortunately we've run out of time," Australia captain Michael Clarke told reporters at Adelaide Oval. … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Suicide attacker hits near base in Afghan capital
A man wearing a suicide vest blew himself up near a U.S. base in the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing at least one person in what looked like a thwarted attempt to attack the American base, police said.
Explosion sounds near US embassy, international military headquarters in Afghan capital
KABUL – A blast has sounded in an area of the Afghan capital that is home the U.S. Embassy, the international military coalition headquarters and many high-ranking Afghan officials.
Jack Taylor scores 138 points for Division III Grinnell to shatter NCAA scoring record
GRINNELL, Iowa – Jack Taylor scored 138 points to shatter the NCAA scoring record in Division III Grinnell’s 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible on Tuesday night.
Diplomatic push for Israel-Hamas cease-fire gains momentum, but deal remains elusive
JERUSALEM – Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic efforts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt’s president, a deal remained elusive and fighting raged on both sides of the border.
Large blast hits diplomatic area of Afghan capital
KABUL (Reuters) – A large blast that was most likely a suicide bomb attack ripped through the heavily barricaded diplomatic area of the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday, a police official said, and there were an unknown number of casualties. “Around 8 o’clock today there appeared to be a suicide bomb attack … We cannot say what the target was at this point in time,” said Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a spokesman for Kabul Police. Stanikzai said it was not immediately clear how many people had been killed or wounded, but there were casualties. …
A man wearing a suicide vest blew himself up near a U.S. base in the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing at least one person in what looked like a thwarted attempt to attack the American base, police said.
Explosion sounds near US embassy, international military headquarters in Afghan capital
KABUL – A blast has sounded in an area of the Afghan capital that is home the U.S. Embassy, the international military coalition headquarters and many high-ranking Afghan officials.
Jack Taylor scores 138 points for Division III Grinnell to shatter NCAA scoring record
GRINNELL, Iowa – Jack Taylor scored 138 points to shatter the NCAA scoring record in Division III Grinnell’s 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible on Tuesday night.
Diplomatic push for Israel-Hamas cease-fire gains momentum, but deal remains elusive
JERUSALEM – Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic efforts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt’s president, a deal remained elusive and fighting raged on both sides of the border.
Large blast hits diplomatic area of Afghan capital
KABUL (Reuters) – A large blast that was most likely a suicide bomb attack ripped through the heavily barricaded diplomatic area of the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday, a police official said, and there were an unknown number of casualties. “Around 8 o’clock today there appeared to be a suicide bomb attack … We cannot say what the target was at this point in time,” said Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a spokesman for Kabul Police. Stanikzai said it was not immediately clear how many people had been killed or wounded, but there were casualties. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Justin Trudeau, Alberta Tories react to "go home" comments by Liberal McGuinty
EDMONTON – Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau distanced himself Tuesday from an assertion by his party’s natural resources critic that Alberta Tories have a protectionist, provincial view of energy policies.
New Zealand volcano erupts; dozens of hikers safe
A New Zealand volcano erupted with a brief blast of dark ash Wednesday, canceling flights but causing no significant damage. Schoolchildren and dozens of other hikers who were walking on trails along the mountain’s base were safe.
Australian police find drugs worth $246M in steamroller shipped from China; 2 men arrested
SYDNEY – Australian police say they have seized 237 million Australian dollars ($246 million) worth of cocaine and methamphetamine found inside a steamroller shipped from China.
India hangs lone surviving gunman from 2008 terror attack on Mumbai
MUMBAI, India – India’s Home Ministry says the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai has been hanged.
Labor board says it's not likely to act on Wal-Mart charge against protesters before Thursday
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Federal labour officials said Tuesday they don’t expect to decide before Thursday on whether to seek an injunction on behalf of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stop a union-backed group from encouraging worker walk-outs that are expected to culminate Friday. That’s the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.
India hangs gunman from 2008 Mumbai attack
India executed the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai early Wednesday, India’s home ministry said.
India hangs Mumbai attacker Kasab: government
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India has hanged Mohamm ad Ajmal Kasab, the only militant to have survived the 2008 attacks on the financial capital Mumbai, the home ministry said on Wednesday. In August, India's Supreme Court upheld Kasab's death sentence over the attack on a string of targets in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Kasab was a Pakistani national who said he belonged to the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. (Reporting by Satarupa Bhattacharjya; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Paul Tait)
Jason Richardson's 21 points, Nick Young's 23 lead 76ers over Raptors 106-98
PHILADELPHIA – Jason Richardson scored six of his 21 points late in the fourth quarter, Nick Young had 23 off the bench and the Philadelphia 76ers rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 106-98 on Tuesday night.
U.S. soldier accused of Iraq shooting "psychotic": doctor
TACOMA (Reuters) – A U.S. soldier accused of killing five fellow servicemen at a military combat stress center in Baghdad in 2009 was psychotic and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder during the shooting frenzy, a top U.S. forensic psychiatrist testified on Tuesday. Sergeant John Russell, 48, is accused of going on a shooting spree at Camp Liberty, near the Baghdad airport, in an assault the military said at the time could have been triggered by combat stress. …
U.N. Security Council condemns Congo rebels for seizure of Goma
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Se curity Council strongly condemned M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday for seizing a provincial capital, as the United Nations defended its peacekeepers who gave up the battle for the city of Goma. The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution that also requested that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "report in the coming days" on allegations of external support for M23, upon which it would be ready to take further measures. M23 fighters, who U.N. …
EDMONTON – Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau distanced himself Tuesday from an assertion by his party’s natural resources critic that Alberta Tories have a protectionist, provincial view of energy policies.
New Zealand volcano erupts; dozens of hikers safe
A New Zealand volcano erupted with a brief blast of dark ash Wednesday, canceling flights but causing no significant damage. Schoolchildren and dozens of other hikers who were walking on trails along the mountain’s base were safe.
Australian police find drugs worth $246M in steamroller shipped from China; 2 men arrested
SYDNEY – Australian police say they have seized 237 million Australian dollars ($246 million) worth of cocaine and methamphetamine found inside a steamroller shipped from China.
India hangs lone surviving gunman from 2008 terror attack on Mumbai
MUMBAI, India – India’s Home Ministry says the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai has been hanged.
Labor board says it's not likely to act on Wal-Mart charge against protesters before Thursday
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Federal labour officials said Tuesday they don’t expect to decide before Thursday on whether to seek an injunction on behalf of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stop a union-backed group from encouraging worker walk-outs that are expected to culminate Friday. That’s the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.
India hangs gunman from 2008 Mumbai attack
India executed the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai early Wednesday, India’s home ministry said.
India hangs Mumbai attacker Kasab: government
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India has hanged Mohamm ad Ajmal Kasab, the only militant to have survived the 2008 attacks on the financial capital Mumbai, the home ministry said on Wednesday. In August, India's Supreme Court upheld Kasab's death sentence over the attack on a string of targets in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Kasab was a Pakistani national who said he belonged to the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. (Reporting by Satarupa Bhattacharjya; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Paul Tait) Jason Richardson's 21 points, Nick Young's 23 lead 76ers over Raptors 106-98
PHILADELPHIA – Jason Richardson scored six of his 21 points late in the fourth quarter, Nick Young had 23 off the bench and the Philadelphia 76ers rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 106-98 on Tuesday night.
U.S. soldier accused of Iraq shooting "psychotic": doctor
TACOMA (Reuters) – A U.S. soldier accused of killing five fellow servicemen at a military combat stress center in Baghdad in 2009 was psychotic and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder during the shooting frenzy, a top U.S. forensic psychiatrist testified on Tuesday. Sergeant John Russell, 48, is accused of going on a shooting spree at Camp Liberty, near the Baghdad airport, in an assault the military said at the time could have been triggered by combat stress. … U.N. Security Council condemns Congo rebels for seizure of Goma
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Se curity Council strongly condemned M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday for seizing a provincial capital, as the United Nations defended its peacekeepers who gave up the battle for the city of Goma. The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution that also requested that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "report in the coming days" on allegations of external support for M23, upon which it would be ready to take further measures. M23 fighters, who U.N. … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Asian shares steady, refocusing on U.S. fiscal cliff
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares steadied on Wednesday, after a two days of gains, as investors refocused on the risk of a U.S. fiscal crisis following Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks that the budget impasse was already damaging growth. U.S. st ocks halted a two-day rally on Tuesday, while European shares edged higher on expectations euro zone finance ministers will approve the next tranche of bailout cash for Greece. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was little changed, with Australian shares easing 0.1 percent and South Korean shares opening up 0. …
Euro zone bogged down in myriad of Greek debt options
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – G reece's debt cannot be cut to 120 percent of GDP by 2020, the level deemed sustainable by the IMF, unless euro zone member states write off a portion of their loans to Greece, a document prepared for euro zone finance ministers shows. The 15-page document, circulated among ministers, the European Central Bank and the IMF for a meeting that began on Tuesday and is still going on 10 hours later, sets out in black-and-white how far off-track Greece is in reducing its debt to the IMF-imposed target, from a level around 170 percent of GDP now. …
NLRB unlikely to act on Walmart pickets by Thanksgiving
(Reuters) – The National Labor Relations Board said it is unlikely to make any decision before Thursday's Thanksgiving Holiday on Wal-Mart Stores Inc's push to stop protests and rallies outside its stores, the U.S. labor board said on Tuesday. At the same time, OUR Walmart, the organization that has been staging the protests filed its own charge with the NLRB, saying Wal-Mart was illegally attempting to deter workers from participating in strikes against the world's largest retailer on Friday. …
Stampeders arrive for Grey Cup game as Argonauts feted at downtown rally
TORONTO – As the Calgary Stampeders slogged through traffic to their hotel from Pearson Airport to begin the hectic business of Grey Cup week, the Toronto Argonauts were having a love-in with their fans at a downtown rally.
U.S. has decimated al Qaeda chiefs but must persist in fight: Panetta
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. forces have decimated al Qaeda's leadership and ma de gains against some of its affiliates, but the fight has shifted in new directions that will require persistent U.S. efforts to truly end the threat, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Tuesday. Panetta, in a speech to the Center for a New American Security, said while the United States had achieved progress against al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, associated groups had made inroads in Mali and Nigeria and were trying to gain a foothold in Libya. …
Baird hails 'miracle' of Israel in speech, as Clinton begins ceasefire talks
OTTAWA – With hope of an Israel-Gaza ceasefire beckoning Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird hailed the “miracle” of a Zionist Israel while U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began the hard diplomatic work of brokering an end to the violence.
HP accuses Autonomy of wrongdoing, takes $8.8 billion charge
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co stunned Wall Street by alleging a massive accounting scandal at its British software unit Autonomy and taking an $8.8 billion write-down, the latest in a string of reversals that renewed questions about the competence of the storied company's board and senior managers. HP said on Tuesday it discovered "serious accounting improprieties" and "a willful effort by Autonomy to mislead shareholders," after a whistleblower came forward following the May ouster of former Autonomy Chief Executive Mike Lynch. …
Police chief killed in Libya's Benghazi: sources
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – A top security official in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi was killed in front of his home overnight on Wednesday, security officials said, in the latest violence to plague the cradle of the North African country’s revolt. Faraj al-Deirsy, head of Benghazi police, died from multiple gunshot wounds, police and interior ministry sources said. “This happened in front of his house when unknown attackers opened fire and hit him before fleeing,” a police source. …
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares steadied on Wednesday, after a two days of gains, as investors refocused on the risk of a U.S. fiscal crisis following Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks that the budget impasse was already damaging growth. U.S. st ocks halted a two-day rally on Tuesday, while European shares edged higher on expectations euro zone finance ministers will approve the next tranche of bailout cash for Greece. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was little changed, with Australian shares easing 0.1 percent and South Korean shares opening up 0. … Euro zone bogged down in myriad of Greek debt options
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – G reece's debt cannot be cut to 120 percent of GDP by 2020, the level deemed sustainable by the IMF, unless euro zone member states write off a portion of their loans to Greece, a document prepared for euro zone finance ministers shows. The 15-page document, circulated among ministers, the European Central Bank and the IMF for a meeting that began on Tuesday and is still going on 10 hours later, sets out in black-and-white how far off-track Greece is in reducing its debt to the IMF-imposed target, from a level around 170 percent of GDP now. … NLRB unlikely to act on Walmart pickets by Thanksgiving
(Reuters) – The National Labor Relations Board said it is unlikely to make any decision before Thursday's Thanksgiving Holiday on Wal-Mart Stores Inc's push to stop protests and rallies outside its stores, the U.S. labor board said on Tuesday. At the same time, OUR Walmart, the organization that has been staging the protests filed its own charge with the NLRB, saying Wal-Mart was illegally attempting to deter workers from participating in strikes against the world's largest retailer on Friday. … Stampeders arrive for Grey Cup game as Argonauts feted at downtown rally
TORONTO – As the Calgary Stampeders slogged through traffic to their hotel from Pearson Airport to begin the hectic business of Grey Cup week, the Toronto Argonauts were having a love-in with their fans at a downtown rally.
U.S. has decimated al Qaeda chiefs but must persist in fight: Panetta
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. forces have decimated al Qaeda's leadership and ma de gains against some of its affiliates, but the fight has shifted in new directions that will require persistent U.S. efforts to truly end the threat, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Tuesday. Panetta, in a speech to the Center for a New American Security, said while the United States had achieved progress against al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, associated groups had made inroads in Mali and Nigeria and were trying to gain a foothold in Libya. … Baird hails 'miracle' of Israel in speech, as Clinton begins ceasefire talks
OTTAWA – With hope of an Israel-Gaza ceasefire beckoning Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird hailed the “miracle” of a Zionist Israel while U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began the hard diplomatic work of brokering an end to the violence.
HP accuses Autonomy of wrongdoing, takes $8.8 billion charge
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co stunned Wall Street by alleging a massive accounting scandal at its British software unit Autonomy and taking an $8.8 billion write-down, the latest in a string of reversals that renewed questions about the competence of the storied company's board and senior managers. HP said on Tuesday it discovered "serious accounting improprieties" and "a willful effort by Autonomy to mislead shareholders," after a whistleblower came forward following the May ouster of former Autonomy Chief Executive Mike Lynch. … Police chief killed in Libya's Benghazi: sources
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – A top security official in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi was killed in front of his home overnight on Wednesday, security officials said, in the latest violence to plague the cradle of the North African country’s revolt. Faraj al-Deirsy, head of Benghazi police, died from multiple gunshot wounds, police and interior ministry sources said. “This happened in front of his house when unknown attackers opened fire and hit him before fleeing,” a police source. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
New Zealand volcano erupts, flights told to avoid
A New Zealand volcano has erupted for the second time in less than four months, sending a dark ash plume about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) into the sky.
Mexico inks pact with U.S. to crack down on tax cheats
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s finance ministry said on Tuesday it has approved an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department that aims to help stamp out tax evasion. The agreement took two years to negotiate and was signed by representatives from both governments in Washington on Monday, according to a statement released by the finance ministry. “Both parties agreed to substantially improve the mechanisms for the exchange of banking and financial information to verify (taxpayer) compliance,” the statement said. The ministry did not provide details on the agreement’s provisions. …
J.R.R. Tolkien estate sues Warner Bros. over gambling, games
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The estate of "The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien and publisher Ha rperCollins have filed an $80 million (50 million pounds) lawsuit against Warner Bros. studios over the licensing of characters and plots in online and gambling games derived from the films. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Monday, alleges that Warner Bros. …
Quebec probe hears of brass-knuckle beating; company boss says cartel played rough
MONTREAL – A construction company told Quebec’s public inquiry that he received death threats, had his equipment torched, and his brother was beaten up with brass knuckles.
Exclusive: China's backroom powerbrokers block reform candidates - sources
BEIJING (Reuters) – Retired leaders in China's Communist Party used a last-minute straw poll to block two pro-reform candidates from joining the policymaking standing committee, including one who had alienated party elders, sources with ties to the leadership said. Two sources said the influential retirees flexed their muscles in landmark informal polls taken before last week's 18th party congress, where the seven–member standing committee, the apex of China's power structure, was unveiled. …
B.C. mountain resort has mayor but no voters in area home to grizzlies and goats
INVERMERE, B.C. – British Columbia’s newest mountain resort municipality now has a mayor and councillors but not a single voter in the area that’s home to grizzly bears and goats.
U.N., regional diplomats seek to stem Congo crisis after Goma falls
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Diplomats at the United Nations and regional mediators in Central Africa sought overnight Wednesday to ward off a deeper conflict after rebels widely believed to be backed by Rwanda captured the eastern Congolese town of Goma. Uganda's president will try to broker a meeting between the leaders of Congo and Rwanda in Kampala during the day on Wednesday, while diplomats in New York wrangled over how to react to the town's fall to M23 rebels, officials said. The French government expressed broad frustrations with U.N. …
UN Security Council puts sanctions on Congo rebels
The U.N. Security Council has voted to sanction the leaders of Congo’s M23 rebel force, which hours earlier occupied the eastern Congolese city of Goma as U.N. peacekeepers stood by without resisting.
A New Zealand volcano has erupted for the second time in less than four months, sending a dark ash plume about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) into the sky.
Mexico inks pact with U.S. to crack down on tax cheats
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s finance ministry said on Tuesday it has approved an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department that aims to help stamp out tax evasion. The agreement took two years to negotiate and was signed by representatives from both governments in Washington on Monday, according to a statement released by the finance ministry. “Both parties agreed to substantially improve the mechanisms for the exchange of banking and financial information to verify (taxpayer) compliance,” the statement said. The ministry did not provide details on the agreement’s provisions. …
J.R.R. Tolkien estate sues Warner Bros. over gambling, games
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The estate of "The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien and publisher Ha rperCollins have filed an $80 million (50 million pounds) lawsuit against Warner Bros. studios over the licensing of characters and plots in online and gambling games derived from the films. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Monday, alleges that Warner Bros. … Quebec probe hears of brass-knuckle beating; company boss says cartel played rough
MONTREAL – A construction company told Quebec’s public inquiry that he received death threats, had his equipment torched, and his brother was beaten up with brass knuckles.
Exclusive: China's backroom powerbrokers block reform candidates - sources
BEIJING (Reuters) – Retired leaders in China's Communist Party used a last-minute straw poll to block two pro-reform candidates from joining the policymaking standing committee, including one who had alienated party elders, sources with ties to the leadership said. Two sources said the influential retirees flexed their muscles in landmark informal polls taken before last week's 18th party congress, where the seven–member standing committee, the apex of China's power structure, was unveiled. … B.C. mountain resort has mayor but no voters in area home to grizzlies and goats
INVERMERE, B.C. – British Columbia’s newest mountain resort municipality now has a mayor and councillors but not a single voter in the area that’s home to grizzly bears and goats.
U.N., regional diplomats seek to stem Congo crisis after Goma falls
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Diplomats at the United Nations and regional mediators in Central Africa sought overnight Wednesday to ward off a deeper conflict after rebels widely believed to be backed by Rwanda captured the eastern Congolese town of Goma. Uganda's president will try to broker a meeting between the leaders of Congo and Rwanda in Kampala during the day on Wednesday, while diplomats in New York wrangled over how to react to the town's fall to M23 rebels, officials said. The French government expressed broad frustrations with U.N. … UN Security Council puts sanctions on Congo rebels
The U.N. Security Council has voted to sanction the leaders of Congo’s M23 rebel force, which hours earlier occupied the eastern Congolese city of Goma as U.N. peacekeepers stood by without resisting.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
First AP Spanish-language stylebook launched for journalists, writers, editors and scholars
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Spanish-language journalists can now learn that the correct word for channel-surfing is “zapeo,” sexting is best written in their language as “sextear,” ”submarino” is an accepted term for waterboarding and Thanksgiving day is accurately translated as “Dia de Accion de Gracias.”
Cricket-Australia's Watson left out for second South Africa test
ADELAIDE, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Australia’s Shane Watson has failed in his bid to prove his fitness for the second test against South Africa and was left out of an unchanged team for the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. The 31-year-old all rounder missed the drawn first test in Brisbane with a calf injury but had hoped to play as a specialist batsman in the second, which starts on Thursday. “At this stage we think he’s a couple of days short of his best,” Australia captain Michael Clarke told a news conference. …
Israel-Hamas cease-fire remains elusive
Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic efforts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt's president, a deal remained elusive and fi ghting raged on both sides of the border.
Gaza shakes, Israelis killed as Clinton seeks truce
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli air strikes shook the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rockets struck across the border as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, seeking a truce that can hold back Israel's ground troops. Hamas, the Islamist movement controlling Gaza, and Egypt, whose new, Islamist government is trying to broker a truce, had floated hopes for a ceasefire by late Tuesday; but by the time Clinton met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu it was clear there would be more argument, and more violence, first. …
AP launches its first Spanish-language stylebook
Spanish-language journalists can now learn that the correct word for channel-surfing is "zapeo," sexting is best written in their language as "sextear," ''submarino" is an accepted term for waterboarding and Thanksgiving day is accurately translated as "Dia de Accion de Gracias."
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Spanish-language journalists can now learn that the correct word for channel-surfing is “zapeo,” sexting is best written in their language as “sextear,” ”submarino” is an accepted term for waterboarding and Thanksgiving day is accurately translated as “Dia de Accion de Gracias.”
Cricket-Australia's Watson left out for second South Africa test
ADELAIDE, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Australia’s Shane Watson has failed in his bid to prove his fitness for the second test against South Africa and was left out of an unchanged team for the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. The 31-year-old all rounder missed the drawn first test in Brisbane with a calf injury but had hoped to play as a specialist batsman in the second, which starts on Thursday. “At this stage we think he’s a couple of days short of his best,” Australia captain Michael Clarke told a news conference. …
Israel-Hamas cease-fire remains elusive
Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic efforts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt's president, a deal remained elusive and fi ghting raged on both sides of the border. Gaza shakes, Israelis killed as Clinton seeks truce
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli air strikes shook the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rockets struck across the border as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, seeking a truce that can hold back Israel's ground troops. Hamas, the Islamist movement controlling Gaza, and Egypt, whose new, Islamist government is trying to broker a truce, had floated hopes for a ceasefire by late Tuesday; but by the time Clinton met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu it was clear there would be more argument, and more violence, first. … AP launches its first Spanish-language stylebook
Spanish-language journalists can now learn that the correct word for channel-surfing is "zapeo," sexting is best written in their language as "sextear," ''submarino" is an accepted term for waterboarding and Thanksgiving day is accurately translated as "Dia de Accion de Gracias." seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Tolkien family sues producers of Rings and Hobbit trilogies over 'questionable' merchandizing
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The family of late author J.R.R. Tolkien is suing the producers of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movie trilogies for alleged exploitative merchandizing.
Antarctic Glacier Primed to Form Iceberg
With its protective sea ice barrier melted away, Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier grows ever closer to finally dropping its New York City-sized iceberg into the ocean, according to NASA.
World powers to meet in Brussels to map out Iran plans
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Officials from six world powers meet in Brussels on Wednesday to plan for a possible new round of talks with Iran, the latest effort to resolve a decade-long stand-off over its nuclear program an d avert the threat of a military conflict. The re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama this month has cleared the way for new talks and Western diplomats are eager to start soon as signs grow that Iran is still building up its nuclear capacity. …
Laval Rouge et Or quarterback Tristan Grenon relishing Vanier Cup chance
TORONTO – Tristan Grenon felt helpless.
U.S. concerned about Bahrain violence, weak follow-up on reforms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials voiced concern on Tuesday that Bahrain's failure to implement key reforms outlined in an independent 2011 report is making political dialogue more difficult and widening fissures in society in ways that would benefit Iran. Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based, has been under Western pressure to implement recommendations for police, judicial, media and education reforms made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), an independent commission of international legal experts. …
Analysis: Investors make $100 billion bet on China's drive up value chain
BEIJING (Reuters) – China's soaring wages and strengthening currency might blunt the competitive edge of exporters that have seen average pay double since 2007, but it won't stop firms worldwide making a collective $100 billion bet on setting up shop here this year. Although foreign direct investment inflows in 2012 have seen the longest monthly run of year-on-year declines since 2009, hurt by a weak outlook for corporate investment and sagging global trade, FDI should still top $100 billion for the third year running. …
Irish drop 3 doctors from probe into woman's death
The Irish government removed three doctors Tuesday from its investigation into the death of an ailing woman who was denied an abortion in an Irish hospital, a case that has exposed Ireland to worldwide criticism.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The family of late author J.R.R. Tolkien is suing the producers of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movie trilogies for alleged exploitative merchandizing.
Antarctic Glacier Primed to Form Iceberg
With its protective sea ice barrier melted away, Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier grows ever closer to finally dropping its New York City-sized iceberg into the ocean, according to NASA. World powers to meet in Brussels to map out Iran plans
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Officials from six world powers meet in Brussels on Wednesday to plan for a possible new round of talks with Iran, the latest effort to resolve a decade-long stand-off over its nuclear program an d avert the threat of a military conflict. The re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama this month has cleared the way for new talks and Western diplomats are eager to start soon as signs grow that Iran is still building up its nuclear capacity. … Laval Rouge et Or quarterback Tristan Grenon relishing Vanier Cup chance
TORONTO – Tristan Grenon felt helpless.
U.S. concerned about Bahrain violence, weak follow-up on reforms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials voiced concern on Tuesday that Bahrain's failure to implement key reforms outlined in an independent 2011 report is making political dialogue more difficult and widening fissures in society in ways that would benefit Iran. Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based, has been under Western pressure to implement recommendations for police, judicial, media and education reforms made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), an independent commission of international legal experts. … Analysis: Investors make $100 billion bet on China's drive up value chain
BEIJING (Reuters) – China's soaring wages and strengthening currency might blunt the competitive edge of exporters that have seen average pay double since 2007, but it won't stop firms worldwide making a collective $100 billion bet on setting up shop here this year. Although foreign direct investment inflows in 2012 have seen the longest monthly run of year-on-year declines since 2009, hurt by a weak outlook for corporate investment and sagging global trade, FDI should still top $100 billion for the third year running. … Irish drop 3 doctors from probe into woman's death
The Irish government removed three doctors Tuesday from its investigation into the death of an ailing woman who was denied an abortion in an Irish hospital, a case that has exposed Ireland to worldwide criticism. seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Canada's most infamous utility pole has been removed
MONTREAL – An unfortunately positioned utility pole, which gained national notoriety for its position smack in the middle of a rural Quebec highway, is gone.
Quebec budget kinder to business, delays work on mining royalties
QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) – The Canadian province of Quebec promised on Tuesday to overhaul its system of mining royalties next year in a budget that was otherwise seen as more business-friendly than expected. …
'Batman and Superman' twin says goodbye to RCMP brother killed in car crash
LANGLEY, B.C. – The twin brother of a Mountie killed in a crash told a regimental funeral he can only hope to be the officer and the man that his better half became.
Gaza-Egypt border a critical point of conflict
Computerized passport control points, shiny marble floors and framed photos of beaches greet arrivals at Gaza's Rafah terminal along the Egyptian frontier.
TransCanada to acquire BP's stake in gas storage site
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – TransCanada Corp said on Tuesday it would pay C$210 million ($210 million) for BP Plc’s 40 percent stake in the Crossfield Gas Storage facility, 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Calgary, Alberta, to consolidate ownership of the operation. TransCanada, the country’s largest pipeline company, said the acquisition would give it full control of the site it has operated since last year and adds 27 billion cubic feet of natural-gas storage. …
Rescue group finds sanctuary for feral rabbits being killed in Alberta town
CANMORE, Alta. – Animal rescuers have found sanctuary for some feral rabbits being killed in an Alberta mountain town but the group says it’s unlikely that all the bunnies can be saved.
FBI wraps up investigation of US temple shooting, concludes gunman acted alone
MILWAUKEE – The FBI has concluded a white supremacist who killed six people at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee acted alone.
What has the US already tried in Mali?
When Mali received mentions in the final US presidential debate on foreign policy, some pundits began to ask if the landlocked West African nation would become a new focus of American anti-terror efforts. In actuality, the US has already been heavily engaged in counterterrorism activities in this part of Africa for the past decade, and the nature of this engagement has long been a subject of internal debate.
Public Works pleads guilty in death of worker killed by boiler explosion
OTTAWA – The federal department of Public Works has pleaded guilty to three charges in the death of a worker killed when an Ottawa boiler plant exploded.
Canada's Lululemon settles pant suit
(Reuters) – Canadian yoga wear retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc said on Tuesday it settled a lawsuit over its distinctive yoga pants against PVH Corp’s Calvin Klein and G-III Apparel Group Ltd . Vancouver-based Lululemon said the terms of the settlement agreement are confidential. According to a court filing, it agreed to dismiss its lawsuit. Lululemon filed the design patent suit in a Delaware court in August, singling out two Calvin Klein “Performance” brand pants that it believed were manufactured and supplied by G-III. …
India's uphill battle against "black money" in real estate
MUMBAI (Reuters) – Ulwe, a village of dusty, uneven streets on the outskirts of Mumbai, lacks basic amenities like water supply and electricity, but a two-bedroom, 1,000 sq ft house costs about 5 million rupees ($91,000), beyond the reach of many middle-class Indians. According to prospective buyers, many developers will demand up to 30 percent of that price in cash, a small slice of the ubiquitous, unaccounted “black money” that costs India’s straitened exchequer billions of dollars in lost taxable income. …
MONTREAL – An unfortunately positioned utility pole, which gained national notoriety for its position smack in the middle of a rural Quebec highway, is gone.
Quebec budget kinder to business, delays work on mining royalties
QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) – The Canadian province of Quebec promised on Tuesday to overhaul its system of mining royalties next year in a budget that was otherwise seen as more business-friendly than expected. … 'Batman and Superman' twin says goodbye to RCMP brother killed in car crash
LANGLEY, B.C. – The twin brother of a Mountie killed in a crash told a regimental funeral he can only hope to be the officer and the man that his better half became.
Gaza-Egypt border a critical point of conflict
Computerized passport control points, shiny marble floors and framed photos of beaches greet arrivals at Gaza's Rafah terminal along the Egyptian frontier. TransCanada to acquire BP's stake in gas storage site
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – TransCanada Corp said on Tuesday it would pay C$210 million ($210 million) for BP Plc’s 40 percent stake in the Crossfield Gas Storage facility, 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Calgary, Alberta, to consolidate ownership of the operation. TransCanada, the country’s largest pipeline company, said the acquisition would give it full control of the site it has operated since last year and adds 27 billion cubic feet of natural-gas storage. …
Rescue group finds sanctuary for feral rabbits being killed in Alberta town
CANMORE, Alta. – Animal rescuers have found sanctuary for some feral rabbits being killed in an Alberta mountain town but the group says it’s unlikely that all the bunnies can be saved.
FBI wraps up investigation of US temple shooting, concludes gunman acted alone
MILWAUKEE – The FBI has concluded a white supremacist who killed six people at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee acted alone.
What has the US already tried in Mali?
When Mali received mentions in the final US presidential debate on foreign policy, some pundits began to ask if the landlocked West African nation would become a new focus of American anti-terror efforts. In actuality, the US has already been heavily engaged in counterterrorism activities in this part of Africa for the past decade, and the nature of this engagement has long been a subject of internal debate.
Public Works pleads guilty in death of worker killed by boiler explosion
OTTAWA – The federal department of Public Works has pleaded guilty to three charges in the death of a worker killed when an Ottawa boiler plant exploded.
Canada's Lululemon settles pant suit
(Reuters) – Canadian yoga wear retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc said on Tuesday it settled a lawsuit over its distinctive yoga pants against PVH Corp’s Calvin Klein and G-III Apparel Group Ltd . Vancouver-based Lululemon said the terms of the settlement agreement are confidential. According to a court filing, it agreed to dismiss its lawsuit. Lululemon filed the design patent suit in a Delaware court in August, singling out two Calvin Klein “Performance” brand pants that it believed were manufactured and supplied by G-III. …
India's uphill battle against "black money" in real estate
MUMBAI (Reuters) – Ulwe, a village of dusty, uneven streets on the outskirts of Mumbai, lacks basic amenities like water supply and electricity, but a two-bedroom, 1,000 sq ft house costs about 5 million rupees ($91,000), beyond the reach of many middle-class Indians. According to prospective buyers, many developers will demand up to 30 percent of that price in cash, a small slice of the ubiquitous, unaccounted “black money” that costs India’s straitened exchequer billions of dollars in lost taxable income. …
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Pot activists say B.C. could rake in billions if green was spent on legal grass
VANCOUVER – A new study has rung in British Columbians’ pot purchases at about half a billion dollars each year, and its pro-legalization researchers argue that means the province could be bringing in massive tax revenues.
Quebec separatists see provincial budget balance next year
QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) – Quebec’s new separatist government promised on Tuesday to balance the provincial budget in the next fiscal year through a combination of tax hikes, spending cuts and other measures, while running a deficit for 2012-13. The Parti Quebecois government’s budget sees a C$1.5 billion ($1.5 billion) deficit for the current year, 2012-13, excluding a C$1.8 billion impact from a Hydro-Quebec loss due to the closing of a nuclear power plant. The Parti Quebecois, which would like to take Quebec out of Canada, only has a minority of seats in the provincial legislature. …
13-year-old girl fatally shot on Miami-area school bus; police questioning male student
MIAMI – A 13-year-old girl was shot to death in front of her sister and several other students while riding the bus to a charter school Tuesday, Miami-Dade police said.
Clinton calls for durable outcome to Gaza violence
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States is pushing for a "durable outcome" promoting stability following Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Quebec opposition parties threaten to topple PQ government over budget
QUEBEC – The life of the new Parti Quebecois government is hanging in the balance as Opposition parties threaten to vote against its first budget, a move that would likely send Quebecers back to the polls.
Tunisia will not allow Islamists to impose vision: PM
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia's Islamist-led government will not allow puritanical Salafis to enforce t heir vision on a country grappling with the role of Islam in a once rigidly secular society, the prime minister said on Tuesday. "Militants who have used violence are few, but they can not impose their vision on our country and our people. We will not allow them … Tunisia will remain moderate," Hamadi Jebali, who belongs to the Islamist Ennahda party, said in an interview. …
South Sudan says new demands from Sudan delay oil restart
MELUT, South Sudan (Reuters) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir said resumption of the country’s oil output had been delayed after Sudan made new demands related to rebel fighting in Sudanese territory, in new signs of tension between the African neighbors. Landlocked South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July last year, shut down its roughly 350,000 barrels per day of oil output in January in a dispute with Khartoum over how much it should pay to export oil through Sudan to the Red Sea. …
Courting Asia, Obama finds that home problems and the rest of the world's ills still intrude
on new violence in the Middle East, the “fiscal cliff” back home -- President Barack Obama’s speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia’s strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China’s clout.
Flaherty sees progress toward creation of national securities regulator
OTTAWA – Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he is encouraged by recent progress in the long-standing effort to create a national securities regulator.
Syria rebels win support from Britain, battle in Damascus
AMMAN (Reuters) – Syrian government troops backed by tanks battled to oust rebel forces from an opposit ion stronghold in a Damascus suburb on Tuesday in the heaviest fighting in the capital for months. In the country's north, rebel fighters stormed an air defense base that President Bashar al-Assad's military had used to bombard areas near the Turkish border. On the international front, the Turkish foreign minister said NATO states had agreed to supply Turkey with a Patriot missile system to defend against Syrian cross-border shelling. …
VANCOUVER – A new study has rung in British Columbians’ pot purchases at about half a billion dollars each year, and its pro-legalization researchers argue that means the province could be bringing in massive tax revenues.
Quebec separatists see provincial budget balance next year
QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) – Quebec’s new separatist government promised on Tuesday to balance the provincial budget in the next fiscal year through a combination of tax hikes, spending cuts and other measures, while running a deficit for 2012-13. The Parti Quebecois government’s budget sees a C$1.5 billion ($1.5 billion) deficit for the current year, 2012-13, excluding a C$1.8 billion impact from a Hydro-Quebec loss due to the closing of a nuclear power plant. The Parti Quebecois, which would like to take Quebec out of Canada, only has a minority of seats in the provincial legislature. …
13-year-old girl fatally shot on Miami-area school bus; police questioning male student
MIAMI – A 13-year-old girl was shot to death in front of her sister and several other students while riding the bus to a charter school Tuesday, Miami-Dade police said.
Clinton calls for durable outcome to Gaza violence
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States is pushing for a "durable outcome" promoting stability following Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Quebec opposition parties threaten to topple PQ government over budget
QUEBEC – The life of the new Parti Quebecois government is hanging in the balance as Opposition parties threaten to vote against its first budget, a move that would likely send Quebecers back to the polls.
Tunisia will not allow Islamists to impose vision: PM
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia's Islamist-led government will not allow puritanical Salafis to enforce t heir vision on a country grappling with the role of Islam in a once rigidly secular society, the prime minister said on Tuesday. "Militants who have used violence are few, but they can not impose their vision on our country and our people. We will not allow them … Tunisia will remain moderate," Hamadi Jebali, who belongs to the Islamist Ennahda party, said in an interview. … South Sudan says new demands from Sudan delay oil restart
MELUT, South Sudan (Reuters) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir said resumption of the country’s oil output had been delayed after Sudan made new demands related to rebel fighting in Sudanese territory, in new signs of tension between the African neighbors. Landlocked South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July last year, shut down its roughly 350,000 barrels per day of oil output in January in a dispute with Khartoum over how much it should pay to export oil through Sudan to the Red Sea. …
Courting Asia, Obama finds that home problems and the rest of the world's ills still intrude
on new violence in the Middle East, the “fiscal cliff” back home -- President Barack Obama’s speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia’s strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China’s clout.
Flaherty sees progress toward creation of national securities regulator
OTTAWA – Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he is encouraged by recent progress in the long-standing effort to create a national securities regulator.
Syria rebels win support from Britain, battle in Damascus
AMMAN (Reuters) – Syrian government troops backed by tanks battled to oust rebel forces from an opposit ion stronghold in a Damascus suburb on Tuesday in the heaviest fighting in the capital for months. In the country's north, rebel fighters stormed an air defense base that President Bashar al-Assad's military had used to bombard areas near the Turkish border. On the international front, the Turkish foreign minister said NATO states had agreed to supply Turkey with a Patriot missile system to defend against Syrian cross-border shelling. … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Church of England says no to female bishops
The Church of England's governing body on Tuesday narrowly blocked a move to permit women to serve as bishops, leaving the church facing more years of contentious debate.
Commanders of NATO-led force in Afghanistan
A look at commanders of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force since invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.
Canada says won't rubber-stamp all foreign investments
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday rejected what he characterize d as the error of the two main opposition parties on foreign investment, either to approve all or to oppose all of them. "The government's policy on these matters is very clear: While we welcome foreign investment, (it) is to scrutinize every individual foreign investment to make sure they're in the best interest of this country," he told Parliament in response to a question about CNOOC Ltd's bid for Nexen Inc. …
Afghan revolving door: 5 US generals, 5 years
For former CIA director David Petraeus, it was a one-year stint as top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. His replacement is scheduled to leave next year after 18 months in the job.
No impact on overall beef exports from XL Foods scare, says agriculture minister
OTTAWA – The fallout from a massive tainted beef recall is still being felt as the Harper government prepares to pass legislation aimed at making the food system safer.
In historic move, blasphemy case against Pakistani girl to be dropped
In what is being termed a historic verdict by the higher courts in Pakistan, charges against a Christian girl accused of blasphemy were dropped on Tuesday, in response to an appeal filed by her council of lawyers.
Pathologists' takeover of Ontario death probes nixed but coroners still fret
TORONTO – Forensic pathologists will likely be given an expanded role in Ontario death investigations that will fall far short of what they wanted, The Canadian Press has learned.
Courting Asia, Obama finds that the world intrudes
For all the attention wrenched elsewhere in recent days -- on new violence in the Middle East, the "fiscal cliff" back home -- President Barack Obama's speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia's strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China's clout.
Kosovo PM's ally to be tried again for war crimes
PRISTINA (Reuters) – A close ally of Kosovo's prime minister will be retried for war crimes, the Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday, six months afte r a previous prosecution collapsed due to the suicide of the main witness. Fatmir Limaj, a senior figure in the Kosovo Liberation Army, whose fight against the rule of Slobodan Milosevic's Serbia in the late 1990s culminated in NATO air strikes against Serbia, is accused of killing and torturing Serbian prisoners. …
What happened while Obama was in Asia?
US President Obama heads back to Washington from Cambodia, after meeting leaders from southeast Asia, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, to discuss political and economic issues in a region now seen as the fulcrum of global economic growth.
Police in Quebec investigate phantom political party
LAVAL, Que. – Police are keeping an eye on a political party in Laval, Que., that doesn’t exist anymore.
Britain to unveil minimum energy prices in June 2013
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will outline the minimum prices that utilities will get for generating electricity from nuclear and renewable sources in June next year, the government said on Tuesday, a move that prolongs uncertainty for investors. Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Ch ange Edward Davey told an influential parliamentary committee that the minimum price new nuclear power stations and windfarms can receive for selling into the grid would be published in June 2013 and would apply until 2017, when prices would be subject to revision. …
IceBridge Antarctic Mission Flies Final 2012 Flight
Coordinating a flying airplane with a passing satellite while navigating Antarctica's fierce winds -- and collecting high-priority data on changing sea ice?
In Gaza conflict, Hezbollah stays on sidelines
While the death toll from the Israel-Gaza conflict has mounted, Hezbollah has offered quiet words of encouragement to the Palestinians, pledging support and calling on Arab s tates to send them weapons to fight Israel. But beyond that, the Lebanese militant group appears to be staying firmly on the sidelines.
Israel intensifies attacks, despite truce talk
Israel is intensifying its attacks on the Gaza Strip in what may be a last burst of fire ahead of a cease-fire ending its weeklong offensive in the Palestinian territory.
The Church of England's governing body on Tuesday narrowly blocked a move to permit women to serve as bishops, leaving the church facing more years of contentious debate. Commanders of NATO-led force in Afghanistan
A look at commanders of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force since invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. Canada says won't rubber-stamp all foreign investments
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday rejected what he characterize d as the error of the two main opposition parties on foreign investment, either to approve all or to oppose all of them. "The government's policy on these matters is very clear: While we welcome foreign investment, (it) is to scrutinize every individual foreign investment to make sure they're in the best interest of this country," he told Parliament in response to a question about CNOOC Ltd's bid for Nexen Inc. … Afghan revolving door: 5 US generals, 5 years
For former CIA director David Petraeus, it was a one-year stint as top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. His replacement is scheduled to leave next year after 18 months in the job. No impact on overall beef exports from XL Foods scare, says agriculture minister
OTTAWA – The fallout from a massive tainted beef recall is still being felt as the Harper government prepares to pass legislation aimed at making the food system safer.
In historic move, blasphemy case against Pakistani girl to be dropped
In what is being termed a historic verdict by the higher courts in Pakistan, charges against a Christian girl accused of blasphemy were dropped on Tuesday, in response to an appeal filed by her council of lawyers.
Pathologists' takeover of Ontario death probes nixed but coroners still fret
TORONTO – Forensic pathologists will likely be given an expanded role in Ontario death investigations that will fall far short of what they wanted, The Canadian Press has learned.
Courting Asia, Obama finds that the world intrudes
For all the attention wrenched elsewhere in recent days -- on new violence in the Middle East, the "fiscal cliff" back home -- President Barack Obama's speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia's strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China's clout. Kosovo PM's ally to be tried again for war crimes
PRISTINA (Reuters) – A close ally of Kosovo's prime minister will be retried for war crimes, the Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday, six months afte r a previous prosecution collapsed due to the suicide of the main witness. Fatmir Limaj, a senior figure in the Kosovo Liberation Army, whose fight against the rule of Slobodan Milosevic's Serbia in the late 1990s culminated in NATO air strikes against Serbia, is accused of killing and torturing Serbian prisoners. … What happened while Obama was in Asia?
US President Obama heads back to Washington from Cambodia, after meeting leaders from southeast Asia, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, to discuss political and economic issues in a region now seen as the fulcrum of global economic growth.
Police in Quebec investigate phantom political party
LAVAL, Que. – Police are keeping an eye on a political party in Laval, Que., that doesn’t exist anymore.
Britain to unveil minimum energy prices in June 2013
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will outline the minimum prices that utilities will get for generating electricity from nuclear and renewable sources in June next year, the government said on Tuesday, a move that prolongs uncertainty for investors. Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Ch ange Edward Davey told an influential parliamentary committee that the minimum price new nuclear power stations and windfarms can receive for selling into the grid would be published in June 2013 and would apply until 2017, when prices would be subject to revision. … IceBridge Antarctic Mission Flies Final 2012 Flight
Coordinating a flying airplane with a passing satellite while navigating Antarctica's fierce winds -- and collecting high-priority data on changing sea ice? In Gaza conflict, Hezbollah stays on sidelines
While the death toll from the Israel-Gaza conflict has mounted, Hezbollah has offered quiet words of encouragement to the Palestinians, pledging support and calling on Arab s tates to send them weapons to fight Israel. But beyond that, the Lebanese militant group appears to be staying firmly on the sidelines. Israel intensifies attacks, despite truce talk
Israel is intensifying its attacks on the Gaza Strip in what may be a last burst of fire ahead of a cease-fire ending its weeklong offensive in the Palestinian territory. seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Obama speaks to Egyptian president on Gaza crisis
The White House says President Barack Obama has again spoken to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi as he seeks to end nearly a week of warfare between Israel and Hamas.
Rwanda-Congo deja vu?
History is repeating itself yet again in eastern Congo. Rebels supported by Rwanda are on the march. Civilians are fleeing. And higher powers appear to be ta king sides.
French combat troops withdraw from Afghan war
KABUL (Reuters) – France withdrew its combat troops from Afghanistan on Tuesday, marking the end of its battlefield role in the NATO-led war after a presence of more than 10 years. Four hundred French troops returned to the Afghan capital after four years of combat operations in nearby Kapisa province and Kabul's Sarobi district, a spokesman for the French military said, adding they would return to France within days. "Today is the end of our forward operations. By the end of the year, we will have 1,500 French troops remaining in Afghanistan in non-combat operations," said Lt. …
Elmo actor Kevin Clash resigns, calling sex allegations 'distraction'
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sesame Workshop says Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from “Sesame Street” in the wake of allegations that he had sex with an underage youth.
News Corp to take 49 percent stake in Yankees channel
(Reuters) – News Corp will acquire a 49 equity stake in the YES Network from the New York Yankees baseball team and its partners, the media conglomerate said on Tuesday. After three years, News Corp can acq uire a bigger stake that could bring its ownership to 80 percent, the company said in a joint statement with Yankee Global Enterprises, the owner of the Yankees. News Corp said the current YES Network owners, including Yankee Global Enterprises, Goldman Sachs and other investors, would reduce their stakes as part of the transaction. …
Saskatchewan offers new liquor rules for strip clubs, movie theatres
REGINA – Saskatchewan is offering new liquor laws that will allow booze to be served at striptease performances and wet clothing contests.
IAEA: Iran nuclear program unaffected by sanctions
The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog says he has no evidence that international sanctions against Iran have had any impact on its nuclear program.
Colombia, FARC peace talks off to good start: rebel
HAVANA (Reuters) – Peace negotiations between Colombia and Marxist guerrillas are off to a good start in Cuba, a rebel negotiator said on Tuesday, after delays and rocky moments in the weeks before talks began to end Latin America’s longest-running insurgency. Tempered by a history of failure, Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, started discussions on Monday with rebels calling a unilateral truce, boosting hopes for an end after nearly 50 years of fighting. …
Xstrata shareholders snub board with Glencore vote
LONDON/ZUG, Switzerland (Reuters) – Shareholders in Xstrata dealt a blow to their board on Tuesday, ushering through a long-awaited $31 billion takeover by trader Glencore but vetoing a controversial executive pay plan that had been backed by the miner's directors. The snub prompted Xstrata's current chairman John Bond, who will be chairman of the combined group, to announce he would step down once a replacement is found. …
The White House says President Barack Obama has again spoken to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi as he seeks to end nearly a week of warfare between Israel and Hamas.
Rwanda-Congo deja vu?
History is repeating itself yet again in eastern Congo. Rebels supported by Rwanda are on the march. Civilians are fleeing. And higher powers appear to be ta king sides. French combat troops withdraw from Afghan war
KABUL (Reuters) – France withdrew its combat troops from Afghanistan on Tuesday, marking the end of its battlefield role in the NATO-led war after a presence of more than 10 years. Four hundred French troops returned to the Afghan capital after four years of combat operations in nearby Kapisa province and Kabul's Sarobi district, a spokesman for the French military said, adding they would return to France within days. "Today is the end of our forward operations. By the end of the year, we will have 1,500 French troops remaining in Afghanistan in non-combat operations," said Lt. … Elmo actor Kevin Clash resigns, calling sex allegations 'distraction'
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sesame Workshop says Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from “Sesame Street” in the wake of allegations that he had sex with an underage youth.
News Corp to take 49 percent stake in Yankees channel
(Reuters) – News Corp will acquire a 49 equity stake in the YES Network from the New York Yankees baseball team and its partners, the media conglomerate said on Tuesday. After three years, News Corp can acq uire a bigger stake that could bring its ownership to 80 percent, the company said in a joint statement with Yankee Global Enterprises, the owner of the Yankees. News Corp said the current YES Network owners, including Yankee Global Enterprises, Goldman Sachs and other investors, would reduce their stakes as part of the transaction. … Saskatchewan offers new liquor rules for strip clubs, movie theatres
REGINA – Saskatchewan is offering new liquor laws that will allow booze to be served at striptease performances and wet clothing contests.
IAEA: Iran nuclear program unaffected by sanctions
The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog says he has no evidence that international sanctions against Iran have had any impact on its nuclear program.
Colombia, FARC peace talks off to good start: rebel
HAVANA (Reuters) – Peace negotiations between Colombia and Marxist guerrillas are off to a good start in Cuba, a rebel negotiator said on Tuesday, after delays and rocky moments in the weeks before talks began to end Latin America’s longest-running insurgency. Tempered by a history of failure, Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, started discussions on Monday with rebels calling a unilateral truce, boosting hopes for an end after nearly 50 years of fighting. …
Xstrata shareholders snub board with Glencore vote
LONDON/ZUG, Switzerland (Reuters) – Shareholders in Xstrata dealt a blow to their board on Tuesday, ushering through a long-awaited $31 billion takeover by trader Glencore but vetoing a controversial executive pay plan that had been backed by the miner's directors. The snub prompted Xstrata's current chairman John Bond, who will be chairman of the combined group, to announce he would step down once a replacement is found. … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Israel 'willing partner' in potential cease-fire
Israel's prime minister says Israel would be a "willing partner" in a cease-fire with Gaza's ruling militant group Hamas.
UBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli guilty of fraud
A rogue trader who lost $2.2 billion in bad deals at Swiss bank UBS was sentenced to 7 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted in what prosecutors called the biggest fraud case in U.K. banking history.
Israel warns Gazans to flee homes with leaflets
Israeli warplanes have dropped leaflets on several Gaza City neighborhoods urging people to evacuate their homes immediately.
Hamas kills suspected collaborators with Israel
Witnesses say masked gunmen have publicly killed six suspected collaborators with Israel at a busy Gaza City intersection.
Argentina's Fernandez faces her first general strike
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Public transportation in Argentina as well as grain shipments from the agricultural powerhouse halted on Tuesday for a 24-hour strike over taxes called by a union boss once allied with th e government. The work stoppage by bus drivers, train conductors and port, airline and bank workers follows wide protests held on November 8 over high crime, soaring inflation and the policy response of President Cristina Fernandez. …
4th-ranked Rafael Nadal back training in Spain as part of recovery from left knee injury
MANACOR, Spain – Rafael Nadal has begun training as part of his recovery from a left knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon.
Police arrest another man in case of alleged confinement of Nova Scotia teen
BRIDGEWATER, N.S. – A 63-year-old man has been arrested in the investigation into the alleged sexual assault and confinement of a 16-year-old Nova Scotia boy.
Xstrata shareholders scrap pay plan, Glencore deal goes through
LONDON (Reuters) – Shareholders in Xstrata dealt a blow to their board on Tuesday, ush ering through a long-awaited $31 billion takeover by trader Glencore without a controversial pay plan that had been backed by the miner's directors. In a final vote after a drawn out meeting and a complex shareholder poll, 78.4 percent of voting shareholders voted against the "golden handcuffs" plan for Xstrata managers. That vote means an earlier resolution, in which Xstrata shareholders approved the Glencore takeover without the retention plan, is valid, and the deal goes through. …
Unwise spending exposes Europe's economic errors
The president of these Portuguese islands turned out, as he almost always does, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at his government's latest showpiece investment: a panoramic steel-and-glass viewing point perched on what islanders claim to be Europe's highest cliff-top.
Civil War Trust, Virginia team up for $3.2 million Gaines' Mill preservation
RICHMOND, Va. – The Civil War Trust has teamed up with the state to complete a $3.2 million campaign protecting 285 acres at Gaines’ Mill, where Gen. Robert E. Lee had his first major victory as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.
'Do AC' ads resume after Superstorm; seek to counter misperception that boardwalk is wrecked
Atlantic City is resuming its “Do AC” ad campaign with a new urgency in light of a survey that found four out of 10 respondents wrongly believe the New Jersey resort’s boardwalk was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.
Dutch govt scraps 'weed pass' designed to keep non-residents out of pot-selling coffee shops
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Dope-selling coffee shops in Amsterdam won’t be shutting their doors to foreign visitors any time soon, a huge relief to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who enjoy a toke or two in the Dutch capital alongside their excursions on the canals and to the museums.
Journey through time, identities in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Little Paris
CHERNIVTSI, Ukraine – Onion-domed Orthodox churches. Solemn Catholic cathedrals. Cobblestone streets lined with mansions. A movie theatre built on the ashes of a synagogue.
Hudson's Bay to raise about C$365 million via IPO
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Co said on Tuesday its initial public offering will raise some C$365 million ($366.6 million), a sum that is well below the company’s original target of about C$400 million. The retailer, in a brief statement late on Monday, said its offering of 21.48 million shares priced at C$17 apiece – at the bottom of the company’s already lowered range of C$17 to C$18 a share. The offering price pegs its market capitalization at just over C$2 billion. …
Syrian rebels seize military base, munitions
Syrian rebels have taken over a large military base in the country’s north, carting off tanks, armored vehicles and truck-loads of munitions.
Israel's prime minister says Israel would be a "willing partner" in a cease-fire with Gaza's ruling militant group Hamas. UBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli guilty of fraud
A rogue trader who lost $2.2 billion in bad deals at Swiss bank UBS was sentenced to 7 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted in what prosecutors called the biggest fraud case in U.K. banking history. Israel warns Gazans to flee homes with leaflets
Israeli warplanes have dropped leaflets on several Gaza City neighborhoods urging people to evacuate their homes immediately. Hamas kills suspected collaborators with Israel
Witnesses say masked gunmen have publicly killed six suspected collaborators with Israel at a busy Gaza City intersection.
Argentina's Fernandez faces her first general strike
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Public transportation in Argentina as well as grain shipments from the agricultural powerhouse halted on Tuesday for a 24-hour strike over taxes called by a union boss once allied with th e government. The work stoppage by bus drivers, train conductors and port, airline and bank workers follows wide protests held on November 8 over high crime, soaring inflation and the policy response of President Cristina Fernandez. … 4th-ranked Rafael Nadal back training in Spain as part of recovery from left knee injury
MANACOR, Spain – Rafael Nadal has begun training as part of his recovery from a left knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon.
Police arrest another man in case of alleged confinement of Nova Scotia teen
BRIDGEWATER, N.S. – A 63-year-old man has been arrested in the investigation into the alleged sexual assault and confinement of a 16-year-old Nova Scotia boy.
Xstrata shareholders scrap pay plan, Glencore deal goes through
LONDON (Reuters) – Shareholders in Xstrata dealt a blow to their board on Tuesday, ush ering through a long-awaited $31 billion takeover by trader Glencore without a controversial pay plan that had been backed by the miner's directors. In a final vote after a drawn out meeting and a complex shareholder poll, 78.4 percent of voting shareholders voted against the "golden handcuffs" plan for Xstrata managers. That vote means an earlier resolution, in which Xstrata shareholders approved the Glencore takeover without the retention plan, is valid, and the deal goes through. … Unwise spending exposes Europe's economic errors
The president of these Portuguese islands turned out, as he almost always does, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at his government's latest showpiece investment: a panoramic steel-and-glass viewing point perched on what islanders claim to be Europe's highest cliff-top. Civil War Trust, Virginia team up for $3.2 million Gaines' Mill preservation
RICHMOND, Va. – The Civil War Trust has teamed up with the state to complete a $3.2 million campaign protecting 285 acres at Gaines’ Mill, where Gen. Robert E. Lee had his first major victory as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.
'Do AC' ads resume after Superstorm; seek to counter misperception that boardwalk is wrecked
Atlantic City is resuming its “Do AC” ad campaign with a new urgency in light of a survey that found four out of 10 respondents wrongly believe the New Jersey resort’s boardwalk was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.
Dutch govt scraps 'weed pass' designed to keep non-residents out of pot-selling coffee shops
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Dope-selling coffee shops in Amsterdam won’t be shutting their doors to foreign visitors any time soon, a huge relief to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who enjoy a toke or two in the Dutch capital alongside their excursions on the canals and to the museums.
Journey through time, identities in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Little Paris
CHERNIVTSI, Ukraine – Onion-domed Orthodox churches. Solemn Catholic cathedrals. Cobblestone streets lined with mansions. A movie theatre built on the ashes of a synagogue.
Hudson's Bay to raise about C$365 million via IPO
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Co said on Tuesday its initial public offering will raise some C$365 million ($366.6 million), a sum that is well below the company’s original target of about C$400 million. The retailer, in a brief statement late on Monday, said its offering of 21.48 million shares priced at C$17 apiece – at the bottom of the company’s already lowered range of C$17 to C$18 a share. The offering price pegs its market capitalization at just over C$2 billion. …
Syrian rebels seize military base, munitions
Syrian rebels have taken over a large military base in the country’s north, carting off tanks, armored vehicles and truck-loads of munitions.
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