Police: Gaza militants fire rocket into Israel as Palestinian tensions mount
JERUSALEM – Israeli police say a rocket has been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. A police spokesman says there was damage to a road but no injuries.
Rodman worms his way into NKorea in flamboyant bid for basketball diplomacy
PYONGYANG, North Korea – Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea with VICE media company -- tattoos, piercings, bad-boy reputation and all.
Monday, February 25, 2013
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Group: Syrian regime missiles kill 140 in Aleppo
BEIRUT (AP) -- An international human rights organization says the Syrian military fired at least four ballistic missiles into the embattled northern city of Aleppo over the past week, killing more than 140 people, including 70 children.
Dennis Rodman worms his way into North Korea
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea with VICE media company -- tattoos, piercings, bad-boy reputation and all.
Hossa scores in OT as Blackhawks extend points streak to 19 games with 3-2 win over Oilers
CHICAGO – Marian Hossa scored 1:44 into overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Monday night to stretch their NHL-record opening points streak to 19 games.
Federal judge says lesbian Army veteran can sue government over denial of spousal benefits
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A lawsuit brought by a lesbian Army veteran and her wife over the denial of disability benefits can move forward over the objections of the Department of Justice, a federal judge in California ruled Monday.
Soccer-New Zealand coach Herbert steps down from A-League post
Feb 26 (Reuters) – Ricki Herbert has resigned as coach of A-League club Wellington Phoenix to focus on steering New Zealand to a second consecutive World Cup finals appearance. The 51-year-old, who guided the ‘All Whites’ to their first World Cup in 28 years at the 2010 finals in South Africa, steps down with Phoenix mired at the bottom of the 10-team league with five rounds to play. “The results this year have not been what anyone would have wanted and I felt that it was time for someone else to take a fresh look at things at the club,” Herbert told Phoenix’s website on Tuesday. …
Seals take scientists to Antarctic's ocean floor
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Elephant seals wearing head sensors and swimming deep beneath Antarctic ice ha ve helped scientists better understand how the ocean's coldest, deepest waters are formed, providing vital clues to understanding its role in the world's climate. The tagged seals, along with sophisticated satellite data and moorings in ocean canyons, all played a role in providing data from the extreme Antarctic environment, where observations are very rare and ships could not go, said researchers at the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystem CRC in Tasmania. …
Powers to offer sanctions relief if Iran curbs nuclear program
ALMATY (Reuters) – Major powers will offer Iran some sanctions relief during talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this week if Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear program, a U.S. official said on Monday. But the Islamic Republic could face more economic pain if it fails to address international concerns about its atomic activities, the official said ahead of the February 26-27 meeting in the central Asian state, speaking on condition of anonymity. “There will be continued sanctions enforcement … …
Italy faces stalemate after election shock
ROME (Reuters) – Italy faced political deadlock on Tuesday after a stunning election that saw the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comic Beppe Grillo become the strongest party in the country but left no group with a clear majority in parliament. The center-left coaliti on led by Pier Luigi Bersani won the lower house by around 125,000 votes and claimed the most seats in the Senate but was short of the majority in the upper house that it would need to govern. Bersani claimed victory but said it was obvious that Italy was in "a very delicate situation". …
Syria says ready to talk with armed opposition
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syria is ready for talks with its armed opponents, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday, in the clearest offer yet to negotiate with rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad. But Moualem said at the same time Syria would pu rsue its fight "against terrorism," alluding to the conflict in which the United Nations says 70,000 people have been killed. His offer of talks drew a dismissive response from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was starting a nine-nation tour of European and Arab capitals in London. …
Colombia to send committee for release of German hostages
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia's government on Monday aut horized a committee of civilians and Red Cross officials to travel to a jungle zone where it hopes two German hostages will be freed by the nation's second-largest guerrilla group. The National Liberation Army (ELN) said in early February they had captured two German men in Catatumbo, near the border with Venezuela, the second time in a month it seized foreigners. "They sent us a message saying that if we authorized the Red Cross and a committee that already exists to interact with the ELN … …
BEIRUT (AP) -- An international human rights organization says the Syrian military fired at least four ballistic missiles into the embattled northern city of Aleppo over the past week, killing more than 140 people, including 70 children. Dennis Rodman worms his way into North Korea
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea with VICE media company -- tattoos, piercings, bad-boy reputation and all. Hossa scores in OT as Blackhawks extend points streak to 19 games with 3-2 win over Oilers
CHICAGO – Marian Hossa scored 1:44 into overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Monday night to stretch their NHL-record opening points streak to 19 games.
Federal judge says lesbian Army veteran can sue government over denial of spousal benefits
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A lawsuit brought by a lesbian Army veteran and her wife over the denial of disability benefits can move forward over the objections of the Department of Justice, a federal judge in California ruled Monday.
Soccer-New Zealand coach Herbert steps down from A-League post
Feb 26 (Reuters) – Ricki Herbert has resigned as coach of A-League club Wellington Phoenix to focus on steering New Zealand to a second consecutive World Cup finals appearance. The 51-year-old, who guided the ‘All Whites’ to their first World Cup in 28 years at the 2010 finals in South Africa, steps down with Phoenix mired at the bottom of the 10-team league with five rounds to play. “The results this year have not been what anyone would have wanted and I felt that it was time for someone else to take a fresh look at things at the club,” Herbert told Phoenix’s website on Tuesday. …
Seals take scientists to Antarctic's ocean floor
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Elephant seals wearing head sensors and swimming deep beneath Antarctic ice ha ve helped scientists better understand how the ocean's coldest, deepest waters are formed, providing vital clues to understanding its role in the world's climate. The tagged seals, along with sophisticated satellite data and moorings in ocean canyons, all played a role in providing data from the extreme Antarctic environment, where observations are very rare and ships could not go, said researchers at the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystem CRC in Tasmania. … Powers to offer sanctions relief if Iran curbs nuclear program
ALMATY (Reuters) – Major powers will offer Iran some sanctions relief during talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this week if Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear program, a U.S. official said on Monday. But the Islamic Republic could face more economic pain if it fails to address international concerns about its atomic activities, the official said ahead of the February 26-27 meeting in the central Asian state, speaking on condition of anonymity. “There will be continued sanctions enforcement … …
Italy faces stalemate after election shock
ROME (Reuters) – Italy faced political deadlock on Tuesday after a stunning election that saw the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comic Beppe Grillo become the strongest party in the country but left no group with a clear majority in parliament. The center-left coaliti on led by Pier Luigi Bersani won the lower house by around 125,000 votes and claimed the most seats in the Senate but was short of the majority in the upper house that it would need to govern. Bersani claimed victory but said it was obvious that Italy was in "a very delicate situation". … Syria says ready to talk with armed opposition
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syria is ready for talks with its armed opponents, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday, in the clearest offer yet to negotiate with rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad. But Moualem said at the same time Syria would pu rsue its fight "against terrorism," alluding to the conflict in which the United Nations says 70,000 people have been killed. His offer of talks drew a dismissive response from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was starting a nine-nation tour of European and Arab capitals in London. … Colombia to send committee for release of German hostages
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia's government on Monday aut horized a committee of civilians and Red Cross officials to travel to a jungle zone where it hopes two German hostages will be freed by the nation's second-largest guerrilla group. The National Liberation Army (ELN) said in early February they had captured two German men in Catatumbo, near the border with Venezuela, the second time in a month it seized foreigners. "They sent us a message saying that if we authorized the Red Cross and a committee that already exists to interact with the ELN … … seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Kessel, Kulemin, Grabovski and McClement each score to lead Maple Leafs over Flyers 4-2
PHILADELPHIA – Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski and Jay McClement scored to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
Canada's Wiggins wins Naismith award as top high school basketball player in US
ATLANTA – Highly-touted Canadian basketball prospect Andrew Wiggins has won the Naismith Trophy as the top high school player in the United States.
PHILADELPHIA – Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski and Jay McClement scored to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
Canada's Wiggins wins Naismith award as top high school basketball player in US
ATLANTA – Highly-touted Canadian basketball prospect Andrew Wiggins has won the Naismith Trophy as the top high school player in the United States.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
U.S. gives banking green light to Myanmar tycoons
YANGON (Reuters) – Two banks owned by tycoons associ ated with Myanmar's former military regime will start to do business with U.S. companies and investors in the latest reward for the Southeast Asian country's rapid political transformation. The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday it would issue a general licence for four of Myanmar's biggest banks — Myanma Economic Bank, Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, Asia Green Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Bank — allowing U.S. companies and citizens to deal with them. …
Victoria-area police search for suspects who spray painted graffiti on drunk man
VICTORIA – RCMP near Victoria are looking for a nasty prankster who spray painted graffiti on a man’s face and torso while he was passed out drunk.
Tibetan monks self-immolate in anti-China protest
BEIJING (AP) -- Two Tibetan monks in their early twenties have set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese rule, near dozens of pilgrims who had gathered for prayers to mark the end of the Tibetan New Year festival.
YANGON (Reuters) – Two banks owned by tycoons associ ated with Myanmar's former military regime will start to do business with U.S. companies and investors in the latest reward for the Southeast Asian country's rapid political transformation. The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday it would issue a general licence for four of Myanmar's biggest banks — Myanma Economic Bank, Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, Asia Green Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Bank — allowing U.S. companies and citizens to deal with them. … Victoria-area police search for suspects who spray painted graffiti on drunk man
VICTORIA – RCMP near Victoria are looking for a nasty prankster who spray painted graffiti on a man’s face and torso while he was passed out drunk.
Tibetan monks self-immolate in anti-China protest
BEIJING (AP) -- Two Tibetan monks in their early twenties have set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese rule, near dozens of pilgrims who had gathered for prayers to mark the end of the Tibetan New Year festival.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Duffy still in hot seat, despite voluntary repayment of Senate housing allowance
OTTAWA – Mike Duffy may have hoped controversy over his expenses and eligibility to sit in the Senate would go away after his offer to repay tens of thousands in an improperly collected housing allowance.
Through tears, wife of NY police officer testifies he wanted to kill her, eat other women
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The estranged wife of a police officer struggled to keep her composure Monday as she testified about discovering shocking online chats and other evidence on his computer showing he had discussed killing her and abducting, torturing and eating other women.
Mexico reverses foreign investment flows
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- After decades of depending on inflows of foreign capital to develop its economy, Mexico has turned a corner and become a net exporter of direct investment capital in 2012.
Analysis: Castro successor lacks charisma but is experienced manager
HAVANA (Reuters) – When Cuban President Raul Castro named former engineering professor and long-time Communist Party insider Miguel Diaz-Canel as his first vice president and potential successor on Sunday, he chose managerial skills over flair. Diaz-Canel, 52, is the youngest non-military man to come so close to the pinnacle of power in Cuba since the Castro brothers took power in 1959. He was appointed first vice president on Sunday at a meeting of the National Assembly where Castro also announced he would step down in 2018 at the end of his second five-year term as president. …
California couple vanishes during cycling trip in Peru
(Reuters) – Authorities in Peru have launched a search for a California couple reported missing while on a cycling trip through the Andean country in an area where U.S. citizens have been warned of kidnapping risks, U.S. Embassy officials in Lima said on Monday. Families of the couple, Garrett Hand and Jamie Neal, said they last heard from the pair on January 25, a day before they were expected to arrive in Lima after a journey of several hundred miles from Cusco, in the country’s mountainous interior southeast of the capital, the embassy said in a statement. “Embassy officers are … …
Dominican singer can be held for year in drug case
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- A judge in the Dominican Republic ruled Monday that the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
Oxfam slates AB Foods on development impact, praises Nestle
ZURICH (Reuters) – Associated British Foods scored lowest among 10 of the top food and beverage companies assessed for their social and environmental impact on poor countries, development group Oxfam said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Nestle and Unileve r ranked highest for their policies on seven areas assessed by Oxfam as critical to sustainable agriculture: women, small-scale farmers, farm workers, water, land, climate change and transparency. …
Obama urged to back tough arms trade treaty at U.N. talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Three dozen arms control and human rights groups have writt en to U.S. President Barack Obama ahead of new arms-trade negotiations at the United Nations next month, urging him to back a tough treaty that would end loopholes in international weapons sales. Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies worldwide as a result of armed violence and a convention is needed to prevent the unregulated and illicit flow of weapons into conflict zones and fueling wars and atrocities. The U.N. …
Raul Castro promises an end of an era in Cuba
Cuban President Raul Castro made the strongest statement yet that the island nation is preparing for a post-Castro era in announcing yesterday that he will step down in five years with plans to institute term limits.
Dominican singer gets 1 year in jail in drug case
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- A judge in the Dominican Republic says the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
OTTAWA – Mike Duffy may have hoped controversy over his expenses and eligibility to sit in the Senate would go away after his offer to repay tens of thousands in an improperly collected housing allowance.
Through tears, wife of NY police officer testifies he wanted to kill her, eat other women
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The estranged wife of a police officer struggled to keep her composure Monday as she testified about discovering shocking online chats and other evidence on his computer showing he had discussed killing her and abducting, torturing and eating other women.
Mexico reverses foreign investment flows
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- After decades of depending on inflows of foreign capital to develop its economy, Mexico has turned a corner and become a net exporter of direct investment capital in 2012.
Analysis: Castro successor lacks charisma but is experienced manager
HAVANA (Reuters) – When Cuban President Raul Castro named former engineering professor and long-time Communist Party insider Miguel Diaz-Canel as his first vice president and potential successor on Sunday, he chose managerial skills over flair. Diaz-Canel, 52, is the youngest non-military man to come so close to the pinnacle of power in Cuba since the Castro brothers took power in 1959. He was appointed first vice president on Sunday at a meeting of the National Assembly where Castro also announced he would step down in 2018 at the end of his second five-year term as president. … California couple vanishes during cycling trip in Peru
(Reuters) – Authorities in Peru have launched a search for a California couple reported missing while on a cycling trip through the Andean country in an area where U.S. citizens have been warned of kidnapping risks, U.S. Embassy officials in Lima said on Monday. Families of the couple, Garrett Hand and Jamie Neal, said they last heard from the pair on January 25, a day before they were expected to arrive in Lima after a journey of several hundred miles from Cusco, in the country’s mountainous interior southeast of the capital, the embassy said in a statement. “Embassy officers are … …
Dominican singer can be held for year in drug case
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- A judge in the Dominican Republic ruled Monday that the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
Oxfam slates AB Foods on development impact, praises Nestle
ZURICH (Reuters) – Associated British Foods scored lowest among 10 of the top food and beverage companies assessed for their social and environmental impact on poor countries, development group Oxfam said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Nestle and Unileve r ranked highest for their policies on seven areas assessed by Oxfam as critical to sustainable agriculture: women, small-scale farmers, farm workers, water, land, climate change and transparency. … Obama urged to back tough arms trade treaty at U.N. talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Three dozen arms control and human rights groups have writt en to U.S. President Barack Obama ahead of new arms-trade negotiations at the United Nations next month, urging him to back a tough treaty that would end loopholes in international weapons sales. Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies worldwide as a result of armed violence and a convention is needed to prevent the unregulated and illicit flow of weapons into conflict zones and fueling wars and atrocities. The U.N. … Raul Castro promises an end of an era in Cuba
Cuban President Raul Castro made the strongest statement yet that the island nation is preparing for a post-Castro era in announcing yesterday that he will step down in five years with plans to institute term limits.
Dominican singer gets 1 year in jail in drug case
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- A judge in the Dominican Republic says the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
British police to review sex scandal claims at Lib Dems
LONDON (Reuters) – British police said they would review accusations of sexual misconduct made against a former official of the coalition's Lib Dems, inten sifying a scandal that threatens to overwhelm the party ahead of a by-election. Detectives from London's police force will consider whether "criminal activity" took place relating to the allegations of sexual impropriety made against the party's former chief executive Chris Rennard, the Metropolitan Police Service said. …
Inspection agency says no European horsemeat products sold in Canada
OTTAWA – No meat products involved in a European labelling controversy have been sold in Canada, says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
UK police to review sex scandal claims at coalition party
LONDON (Reuters) – British police said they would review accusations of sexual misconduct made against a former official of the coalition's Liberal Democrats, intensifyin g a scandal that threatens to overwhelm the party ahead of a by-election. Detectives from London's police force will consider whether "criminal activity" took place relating to the allegations of sexual impropriety made against the party's former chief executive Chris Rennard, the Metropolitan Police Service said. …
Analysis: U.S. shale boom forces change in Canadian oil patch
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – The U.S. shale oil revolution is forcing Canada's oil sands industry to question whether there is a future in processing its crude into lighter oil, a tried-and-true way of wringing the most money out of a resource considered crucial to the country's prosperity. Suncor Energy Inc , which nearly 50 years ago pioneered the practice in Canada of mining and then upgrading the oil sands bitumen into refinery-ready light crude at the same site, served notice this month that the era of the integrated project may be ending. …
Yum cutting some supplier ties after China food scare
BEIJING (Reuters) – Yum Brands Inc said on Monday it will stop using more than 1,000 slaughterhouses in China as it moves to tighten food safety and reverse a sharp drop in business a t KFC restaurants in its top market after a scare over contaminated chicken. Diners began avoiding Kentucky-based Yum's nearly 5,300, mostly KFC, restaurants in China in December after news reports and government investigations in the Asian country focused on chemical residue found in a small portion of its chicken supply. …
Dominican singer who won TV talent show to be jailed for year on suspicion of heroin smuggling
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – A judge in the Dominican Republic says the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
United Nations removes Osama bin Laden from sanctions list
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Almost two years after his death at the hands of U.S. special forces in Pakistan, a U.N. Securi ty Council committee has removed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden from its sanctions list, although an order freezing any assets of the Islamist extremist remains in place. Bin Laden had been subjected to a travel ban and asset freeze since he was listed by the Security Council al-Qaeda sanctions committee on January 25, 2001. He was shot and killed on May 2, 2011 by U.S. forces who stormed his compound in Pakistan. The U.N. …
Big tally for Berlusconi throws wrench into Italy's election
Silvio Berlusconi pulled off a Lazarus-like rise from political oblivion on Monday by securing enough support in Italy's general election to hobble, or block altogether, the formation of a new government.
Canadian Press NewsAlert: CNOOC completes $15.1-billion takeover of Nexen
CALGARY – Chinese state-owned firm CNOOC Ltd. has completed its $15.1-billion takeover of Calgary oil and gas producer Nexen Inc. (TSX:NXY). Kevin Reinhart, who had been serving as interim CEO, will continue on in the top job.
Exclusive: Carlyle prepares to sell Arinc, hires banks - sources
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity firm Carlyle Group LP is preparing to sell aerospace and defense company Arinc Inc and HAD hired JPMorgan Chase and Evercore Partne rs Inc to advise on the process, people familiar with the matter said. Arinc, which the buyout firm bought from six U.S. airlines in 2007 for an undisclosed sum, is expected to draw interest mostly from larger aerospace industry rivals and may fetch $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion in a sale, the people said. The auction is expected to be launched later this spring, they added. …
CNOOC closes $15.1 billion acquisition of Canada's Nexen
TORONTO (Reuters) – The contentious $15.1 billion takeover of Canadian oil and gas company Nexen Inc by Chinese state-owned entity CNOOC Ltd closed on Monday, more than seven months after the Asian country's largest-ever foreign takeover was announced. Calgary, Alberta-based Nexen said in a statement on Monday that the deal has closed and that its shareholders will receive $27.50 in cash for each Nexen share. …
Months after Sandy, lower Manhattan's seaport a 'ghost town' of shuttered businesses
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The historic cobblestone streets and 19th-century mercantile buildings near the water’s edge in lower Manhattan are eerily deserted, a neighbourhood silenced by Superstorm Sandy.
Frostbite Forces Adventurer to Quit Antarctic Trek
Seasoned adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has had to quit his attempt to be the first person to cross the South Pole on skis during the brutal Antarctic winter.
LONDON (Reuters) – British police said they would review accusations of sexual misconduct made against a former official of the coalition's Lib Dems, inten sifying a scandal that threatens to overwhelm the party ahead of a by-election. Detectives from London's police force will consider whether "criminal activity" took place relating to the allegations of sexual impropriety made against the party's former chief executive Chris Rennard, the Metropolitan Police Service said. … Inspection agency says no European horsemeat products sold in Canada
OTTAWA – No meat products involved in a European labelling controversy have been sold in Canada, says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
UK police to review sex scandal claims at coalition party
LONDON (Reuters) – British police said they would review accusations of sexual misconduct made against a former official of the coalition's Liberal Democrats, intensifyin g a scandal that threatens to overwhelm the party ahead of a by-election. Detectives from London's police force will consider whether "criminal activity" took place relating to the allegations of sexual impropriety made against the party's former chief executive Chris Rennard, the Metropolitan Police Service said. … Analysis: U.S. shale boom forces change in Canadian oil patch
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – The U.S. shale oil revolution is forcing Canada's oil sands industry to question whether there is a future in processing its crude into lighter oil, a tried-and-true way of wringing the most money out of a resource considered crucial to the country's prosperity. Suncor Energy Inc , which nearly 50 years ago pioneered the practice in Canada of mining and then upgrading the oil sands bitumen into refinery-ready light crude at the same site, served notice this month that the era of the integrated project may be ending. … Yum cutting some supplier ties after China food scare
BEIJING (Reuters) – Yum Brands Inc said on Monday it will stop using more than 1,000 slaughterhouses in China as it moves to tighten food safety and reverse a sharp drop in business a t KFC restaurants in its top market after a scare over contaminated chicken. Diners began avoiding Kentucky-based Yum's nearly 5,300, mostly KFC, restaurants in China in December after news reports and government investigations in the Asian country focused on chemical residue found in a small portion of its chicken supply. … Dominican singer who won TV talent show to be jailed for year on suspicion of heroin smuggling
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – A judge in the Dominican Republic says the winner of a TV talent show can be held in jail for up to a year while authorities investigate her alleged involvement in drug smuggling.
United Nations removes Osama bin Laden from sanctions list
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Almost two years after his death at the hands of U.S. special forces in Pakistan, a U.N. Securi ty Council committee has removed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden from its sanctions list, although an order freezing any assets of the Islamist extremist remains in place. Bin Laden had been subjected to a travel ban and asset freeze since he was listed by the Security Council al-Qaeda sanctions committee on January 25, 2001. He was shot and killed on May 2, 2011 by U.S. forces who stormed his compound in Pakistan. The U.N. … Big tally for Berlusconi throws wrench into Italy's election
Silvio Berlusconi pulled off a Lazarus-like rise from political oblivion on Monday by securing enough support in Italy's general election to hobble, or block altogether, the formation of a new government.
Canadian Press NewsAlert: CNOOC completes $15.1-billion takeover of Nexen
CALGARY – Chinese state-owned firm CNOOC Ltd. has completed its $15.1-billion takeover of Calgary oil and gas producer Nexen Inc. (TSX:NXY). Kevin Reinhart, who had been serving as interim CEO, will continue on in the top job.
Exclusive: Carlyle prepares to sell Arinc, hires banks - sources
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity firm Carlyle Group LP is preparing to sell aerospace and defense company Arinc Inc and HAD hired JPMorgan Chase and Evercore Partne rs Inc to advise on the process, people familiar with the matter said. Arinc, which the buyout firm bought from six U.S. airlines in 2007 for an undisclosed sum, is expected to draw interest mostly from larger aerospace industry rivals and may fetch $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion in a sale, the people said. The auction is expected to be launched later this spring, they added. … CNOOC closes $15.1 billion acquisition of Canada's Nexen
TORONTO (Reuters) – The contentious $15.1 billion takeover of Canadian oil and gas company Nexen Inc by Chinese state-owned entity CNOOC Ltd closed on Monday, more than seven months after the Asian country's largest-ever foreign takeover was announced. Calgary, Alberta-based Nexen said in a statement on Monday that the deal has closed and that its shareholders will receive $27.50 in cash for each Nexen share. … Months after Sandy, lower Manhattan's seaport a 'ghost town' of shuttered businesses
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The historic cobblestone streets and 19th-century mercantile buildings near the water’s edge in lower Manhattan are eerily deserted, a neighbourhood silenced by Superstorm Sandy.
Frostbite Forces Adventurer to Quit Antarctic Trek
Seasoned adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has had to quit his attempt to be the first person to cross the South Pole on skis during the brutal Antarctic winter. seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Investigation into massive data breach widens to Justice Department
OTTAWA – A investigation into the federal government’s loss of personal information on over 5,000 Canadians has widened to include the Justice Department.
British cardinal will skip upcoming papal conclave
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- In a season of startling change for the Catholic Church, the latest break with tradition was as unexpected as it was a wakeup call to the 115 men who will elect the next pope.
Tunisia arrests suspect for killing of opposition politician
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian police arrested a hardline Islamist suspected of killing opposition politician Chokri Belaid, a senior security source told Reuters on Monday. "The police arrested a Salafist suspected of killing Belaid," the source said without giving more details. Belaid's death led to widespread protests across Tunisia. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Jon Hemming)
Accused crew member told colleague 'my life is over' after fatal ferry sinking
VANCOUVER – A trial has heard that the crew member accused of criminal negligence in the fatal ferry sinking told a colleague that his life was over as he and other crew and passengers sat in life boats.
Chinese transport "workhorses" extending military's reach
HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is expanding its long-neglected fleet of supply ships and heavy-lift aircraft, bolstering its military prowess in support of missions to enforce claims over disputed territory and to defend Chinese interests abroad. These transport workhorses are unlikely to arouse the same regional unease as the steady rollout of high performance fighters, long-range missiles or potent warships, but they are a crucial element of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) three-decade military build-up, defense analysts say. …
Ikea withdraws meatballs in more than 20 countries
STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat.
Canada's Carney says more work needed to rebuild trust in banks
LONDON, Ontario (Reuters) – Banks an d regulators must do much more to rebuild the trust in the financial system that was shattered in the recent crisis, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, head of the G20's Financial Stability Board, said on Monday. The Group of 20 leading economies has made progress on financial reforms and that will go a long way, but these alone will not be sufficient, Carney said in a speech to business students at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. "Virtue cannot be regulated. Even the strongest supervision cannot guarantee good conduct. …
Barnes & Noble's chairman says he wants to acquire book seller's retail business
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The last remaining national bookstore chain is being taken off the shelf and dusted off for sale.
Dickey happy with first outing of spring as knuckleballers take centre stage
DUNEDIN, Fla. – The brotherhood of knuckleballers held a rare get-together Monday afternoon with R.A. Dickey and Steven Wright facing off and Tim Wakefield looking on.
Analysis: Weak yen trend to slow as wary Japan insurers take stock of "Abenomics"
TOKYO (Reuters) – The yen has quickly dived to near three-year lows, but one Japanese sector with serious currency clo ut has yet to be heard: big insurers who control a combined $2 trillion in assets. Conventional wisdom holds that a weakening yen and stronger U.S. dollar will spur insurers to buy more foreign assets as they search for higher returns, which would send the Japanese currency into a steeper tailspin. …
Tepid response in Miami over Castro retirement
MIAMI (AP) -- Cuban-Americans in Miami are reacting with a collective shrug over the news that Raul Castro plans to retire within five years.
Cuba's new heir apparent has work cut out for him
HAVANA (AP) -- Miguel Diaz-Canel has five years to get started and a lot of work to do.
Skeptical Syrian opposition to attend Rome talks
BERLIN (AP) -- Skeptical Syrian opposition leaders agreed Monday to attend an international conference in Rome after first threatening to boycott the session that was to be the centerpiece of Secretary of State John Kerry's his first overseas mission in his new job.
Feds to probe nearly 725,000 Ford vehicles after getting complaints of stalling or surges
DETROIT – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will investigate problems with stalling or surging engines in nearly 725,000 Ford cars and SUVs.
Ex-Canada ambassador pleased Affleck thanks Canada
TORONTO (AP) -- The former Canadian ambassador to Iran who protected Americans at great personal risk during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis said Monday it was good to hear Ben Affleck thank Canada after Affleck's film "Argo" won the Oscar for best picture.
Central African Republic rebels threaten to resume fighting
BANGUI (Reuters) – Rebels in Central African Republic threatened on Monday to resume fighting, accusing President Francois Bozize of failing to hon or a peace deal signed last month. Bozize agreed in mid-January to form a national unity government to end an insurgency which swept to within striking distance of Bangui, the capital of the mineral-rich former French colony. Opposition figures and members of the rebel Seleka coalition did take up key posts in that government in February – but the insurgents said they were still waiting for the president to free prisoners and meet other demands. …
Manitoba's education minister not prepared to compromise on proposed bully law
WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s education minister says she won’t compromise on proposed anti-bullying legislation that would force schools to accommodate gay and lesbian support groups.
Bank of Canada's Carney reiterates need for eventual rate hike
LONDON, Ontario (Reuters) – The head of the Bank of Canada reiterated on Monday that the next move in the country's interest rates is likely to be higher, even as he acknowledged growth in the last quarter of 2012 might have been softer than predicted. Governor Mark Carney noted that the central bank only last month said there's ultimately a need for some withdrawal of monetary policy stimulus, though the prospect was "was less imminent." "Obviously we stand by that assessment," he told reporters after a speech in London, Ontario. …
Hamid Karzai is mad as heck and he isn't going to take it anymore
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been on a roll recently in attacking the professionalism and ability of the US military - the people most responsible for his run as Afghanistan’s leader.
OTTAWA – A investigation into the federal government’s loss of personal information on over 5,000 Canadians has widened to include the Justice Department.
British cardinal will skip upcoming papal conclave
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- In a season of startling change for the Catholic Church, the latest break with tradition was as unexpected as it was a wakeup call to the 115 men who will elect the next pope. Tunisia arrests suspect for killing of opposition politician
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian police arrested a hardline Islamist suspected of killing opposition politician Chokri Belaid, a senior security source told Reuters on Monday. "The police arrested a Salafist suspected of killing Belaid," the source said without giving more details. Belaid's death led to widespread protests across Tunisia. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Jon Hemming) Accused crew member told colleague 'my life is over' after fatal ferry sinking
VANCOUVER – A trial has heard that the crew member accused of criminal negligence in the fatal ferry sinking told a colleague that his life was over as he and other crew and passengers sat in life boats.
Chinese transport "workhorses" extending military's reach
HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is expanding its long-neglected fleet of supply ships and heavy-lift aircraft, bolstering its military prowess in support of missions to enforce claims over disputed territory and to defend Chinese interests abroad. These transport workhorses are unlikely to arouse the same regional unease as the steady rollout of high performance fighters, long-range missiles or potent warships, but they are a crucial element of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) three-decade military build-up, defense analysts say. … Ikea withdraws meatballs in more than 20 countries
STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat. Canada's Carney says more work needed to rebuild trust in banks
LONDON, Ontario (Reuters) – Banks an d regulators must do much more to rebuild the trust in the financial system that was shattered in the recent crisis, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, head of the G20's Financial Stability Board, said on Monday. The Group of 20 leading economies has made progress on financial reforms and that will go a long way, but these alone will not be sufficient, Carney said in a speech to business students at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. "Virtue cannot be regulated. Even the strongest supervision cannot guarantee good conduct. … Barnes & Noble's chairman says he wants to acquire book seller's retail business
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The last remaining national bookstore chain is being taken off the shelf and dusted off for sale.
Dickey happy with first outing of spring as knuckleballers take centre stage
DUNEDIN, Fla. – The brotherhood of knuckleballers held a rare get-together Monday afternoon with R.A. Dickey and Steven Wright facing off and Tim Wakefield looking on.
Analysis: Weak yen trend to slow as wary Japan insurers take stock of "Abenomics"
TOKYO (Reuters) – The yen has quickly dived to near three-year lows, but one Japanese sector with serious currency clo ut has yet to be heard: big insurers who control a combined $2 trillion in assets. Conventional wisdom holds that a weakening yen and stronger U.S. dollar will spur insurers to buy more foreign assets as they search for higher returns, which would send the Japanese currency into a steeper tailspin. … Tepid response in Miami over Castro retirement
MIAMI (AP) -- Cuban-Americans in Miami are reacting with a collective shrug over the news that Raul Castro plans to retire within five years.
Cuba's new heir apparent has work cut out for him
HAVANA (AP) -- Miguel Diaz-Canel has five years to get started and a lot of work to do. Skeptical Syrian opposition to attend Rome talks
BERLIN (AP) -- Skeptical Syrian opposition leaders agreed Monday to attend an international conference in Rome after first threatening to boycott the session that was to be the centerpiece of Secretary of State John Kerry's his first overseas mission in his new job. Feds to probe nearly 725,000 Ford vehicles after getting complaints of stalling or surges
DETROIT – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will investigate problems with stalling or surging engines in nearly 725,000 Ford cars and SUVs.
Ex-Canada ambassador pleased Affleck thanks Canada
TORONTO (AP) -- The former Canadian ambassador to Iran who protected Americans at great personal risk during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis said Monday it was good to hear Ben Affleck thank Canada after Affleck's film "Argo" won the Oscar for best picture. Central African Republic rebels threaten to resume fighting
BANGUI (Reuters) – Rebels in Central African Republic threatened on Monday to resume fighting, accusing President Francois Bozize of failing to hon or a peace deal signed last month. Bozize agreed in mid-January to form a national unity government to end an insurgency which swept to within striking distance of Bangui, the capital of the mineral-rich former French colony. Opposition figures and members of the rebel Seleka coalition did take up key posts in that government in February – but the insurgents said they were still waiting for the president to free prisoners and meet other demands. … Manitoba's education minister not prepared to compromise on proposed bully law
WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s education minister says she won’t compromise on proposed anti-bullying legislation that would force schools to accommodate gay and lesbian support groups.
Bank of Canada's Carney reiterates need for eventual rate hike
LONDON, Ontario (Reuters) – The head of the Bank of Canada reiterated on Monday that the next move in the country's interest rates is likely to be higher, even as he acknowledged growth in the last quarter of 2012 might have been softer than predicted. Governor Mark Carney noted that the central bank only last month said there's ultimately a need for some withdrawal of monetary policy stimulus, though the prospect was "was less imminent." "Obviously we stand by that assessment," he told reporters after a speech in London, Ontario. … Hamid Karzai is mad as heck and he isn't going to take it anymore
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been on a roll recently in attacking the professionalism and ability of the US military - the people most responsible for his run as Afghanistan’s leader.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Iacobucci report into aboriginal representation on Ontario juries out Tuesday
TORONTO – First Nations and legal communities will be watching closely on Tuesday when a former Supreme Court of Canada justice delivers a report on whether on-reserve aboriginals have been systematically excluded from Ontario’s juries.
Nexen reports loss ahead of CNOOC takeover
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Nexen Inc , whose $15.1 billion takeover by China's CNOOC Ltd is set to close this week, reported a fourth-quarter net loss on Monday as expectations for extended weakness in the North American natural gas market led to a multimillion-do llar asset impairment charge. CNOOC's takeover of Nexen gives it a portfolio of oil sands assets in Canada and other energy holdings around the world. The deal forced Ottawa to develop policies to balance increased investment by foreign state-owned companies with the desire to keep control of strategic oil sands reserves in Canada. …
Lawyer told me to say I heard voices, Belgian killer tells court
GHENT, Belgium (Reuters) – A Belgian charged with stabbing two babies to death at a day-care centre stunned a court on Monday when he said it had been his lawyer’s idea to tell investigators he had been driven by voices in his head. Kim De Gelder, 24, who is also accused of killing a carer and an elderly woman a week before the nursery attack, admits the acts, leaving his trial to decide whether or not he is sane. “My lawyer wanted to get me committed. That’s why I kept saying that,” De Gelder said when asked by the judge whether there were voices in his head which commanded him to kill. …
Ikea withdraws meatballs in Europe, 21 nations hit
STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat.
Pippa Middleton to write cookery column for Waitrose
LONDON (Reuters) – Pippa Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambrid ge, is to give cooking tips to the masses in a new column for supermarket chain Waitrose. Middleton, 29, will write a column for the upmarket chain's monthly magazine, Waitrose Kitchen, called "Pippa's Friday Night Feasts". Her foray into kitchen advice comes after she released a book called "Celebrate" last year, which was a guide to entertaining through the year and built on the experience she gained working for her family's party-planning business. …
Cyprus remains stumbling block in Turkey's EU ambition: Merkel
ANKARA (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she was in favor of reviving Turkey's stalle d talks on its relationship with the European Union but a dispute over the divided island of Cyprus remained a stumbling block. Speaking during a two-day visit to Turkey, Merkel, who favors a "privileged partnership" for Turkey in place of full EU membership, said it would be right to open a new chapter in Ankara's negotiations with Brussels. …
Pippa Middleton, columnist: Younger sister to Kate to write for grocery store magazine
LONDON – Pippa Middleton is making another foray into lifestyle writing.
U.N. told atheists face discrimination around globe
GENEVA (Reuter s) – Atheists, humanists and freethinkers face widespread discrimination around the world with expression of their views criminalized and subject in some countries to capital punishment, the United Nations was told on Monday. In a document for consideration by the world body's Human Rights Council, a global organization linking people who reject religion said atheism was banned by law in a number of states where people were forced to officially adopt a faith. …
Diplomats: No Iran-UN nuke agency meeting planned
VIENNA (AP) -- Top Iranian officials coming to Vienna usually hold talks with the head of the U.N. nuclear agency. But diplomats say not this time, in a development that may reflect a deadlock on agency attempts to probe Tehran’s atomic work.
IKEA takes meatballs off Europe menus after horsemeat found
PRAGUE/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden's IKEA stopped nearly all sales of meatballs at its furniture store cafeterias across Europe after tests in the Czech Republic on Monday showed some contained horsemeat. The world's No. 1 furniture retailer, known also for the signature restaurants at its huge out-of-town stores, said it was pulling all meatballs produced by its main supplier in Sweden after the tests showed horsemeat in its beef and pork meatballs. …
Complaints on U.S.-led Afghan troops to be checked, Kerry says
LONDON (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday complaints against Afghans working for U.S. special forces in Afghanistan would be investigated, a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered U.S. troops to leave a critical battleground province. Karzai's spokesman on Sunday said Karzai had decided that all U.S. special forces must leave Wardak Province within two weeks, after accusations that Afghans working for them had tortured and killed innocent people. …
Islamists threaten to kill French kidnapped in Cameroon
DAKAR (Reuters) – Gunmen claiming to be from Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group threatened on Monday to kill a kidnapped French family of seven if authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon do no t release Muslim militants held there. French ministers said they believed the three adults and four children seized in Cameroon's far north near the Nigerian border on Tuesday were being held by Boko Haram which has killed hundreds to try to carve out an Islamist state in Nigeria. …
Two minor earthquakes jostle Haida Gwaii, cause no damage or tsunami
VANCOUVER – For the second day in a row, the Haida Gwaii region on B.C.’s northwest coast has been jostled by a minor earthquake.
Tesco says to close depot, relocate workers
LONDON (Reuters) – Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, plans to close a distribution centre near London where 800 people are employed. The firm said the depot in Harlow, northeast of the capital, was one of its distribution centres being closed following a strategic review . It said employees would be offered jobs at other Tesco sites or at two new distribution centres in the south of England where it would created 2,000 jobs. (Reporting by James Davey and Lorraine Turner; Editing by David Cowell)
Libyan militia brings pay protest to minister's office
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – A group of unarmed militiamen demanding better pay for guarding Libya' s borders barged into the prime minister's headquarters on Monday, but the man they'd come to see was away, an official said. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was in Geneva to address the United Nations Human Rights Council when about 30 men forced their way into the government compound in central Tripoli, in the latest example of volatility plaguing the North African country. …
Amid mounting pressures, some see potential for new Palestinian uprising
Less than a month before President Obama is to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah, raising hopes he will help bring Israelis and Palestinians back to the peace table, some see the West Bank heading in a very different direction.
Blast at Sufi shrine in Pakistan kills 2
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- A police official says a blast at a Sufi shrine in southern Pakistan has killed two people.
TORONTO – First Nations and legal communities will be watching closely on Tuesday when a former Supreme Court of Canada justice delivers a report on whether on-reserve aboriginals have been systematically excluded from Ontario’s juries.
Nexen reports loss ahead of CNOOC takeover
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Nexen Inc , whose $15.1 billion takeover by China's CNOOC Ltd is set to close this week, reported a fourth-quarter net loss on Monday as expectations for extended weakness in the North American natural gas market led to a multimillion-do llar asset impairment charge. CNOOC's takeover of Nexen gives it a portfolio of oil sands assets in Canada and other energy holdings around the world. The deal forced Ottawa to develop policies to balance increased investment by foreign state-owned companies with the desire to keep control of strategic oil sands reserves in Canada. … Lawyer told me to say I heard voices, Belgian killer tells court
GHENT, Belgium (Reuters) – A Belgian charged with stabbing two babies to death at a day-care centre stunned a court on Monday when he said it had been his lawyer’s idea to tell investigators he had been driven by voices in his head. Kim De Gelder, 24, who is also accused of killing a carer and an elderly woman a week before the nursery attack, admits the acts, leaving his trial to decide whether or not he is sane. “My lawyer wanted to get me committed. That’s why I kept saying that,” De Gelder said when asked by the judge whether there were voices in his head which commanded him to kill. …
Ikea withdraws meatballs in Europe, 21 nations hit
STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat. Pippa Middleton to write cookery column for Waitrose
LONDON (Reuters) – Pippa Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambrid ge, is to give cooking tips to the masses in a new column for supermarket chain Waitrose. Middleton, 29, will write a column for the upmarket chain's monthly magazine, Waitrose Kitchen, called "Pippa's Friday Night Feasts". Her foray into kitchen advice comes after she released a book called "Celebrate" last year, which was a guide to entertaining through the year and built on the experience she gained working for her family's party-planning business. … Cyprus remains stumbling block in Turkey's EU ambition: Merkel
ANKARA (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she was in favor of reviving Turkey's stalle d talks on its relationship with the European Union but a dispute over the divided island of Cyprus remained a stumbling block. Speaking during a two-day visit to Turkey, Merkel, who favors a "privileged partnership" for Turkey in place of full EU membership, said it would be right to open a new chapter in Ankara's negotiations with Brussels. … Pippa Middleton, columnist: Younger sister to Kate to write for grocery store magazine
LONDON – Pippa Middleton is making another foray into lifestyle writing.
U.N. told atheists face discrimination around globe
GENEVA (Reuter s) – Atheists, humanists and freethinkers face widespread discrimination around the world with expression of their views criminalized and subject in some countries to capital punishment, the United Nations was told on Monday. In a document for consideration by the world body's Human Rights Council, a global organization linking people who reject religion said atheism was banned by law in a number of states where people were forced to officially adopt a faith. … Diplomats: No Iran-UN nuke agency meeting planned
VIENNA (AP) -- Top Iranian officials coming to Vienna usually hold talks with the head of the U.N. nuclear agency. But diplomats say not this time, in a development that may reflect a deadlock on agency attempts to probe Tehran’s atomic work.
IKEA takes meatballs off Europe menus after horsemeat found
PRAGUE/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden's IKEA stopped nearly all sales of meatballs at its furniture store cafeterias across Europe after tests in the Czech Republic on Monday showed some contained horsemeat. The world's No. 1 furniture retailer, known also for the signature restaurants at its huge out-of-town stores, said it was pulling all meatballs produced by its main supplier in Sweden after the tests showed horsemeat in its beef and pork meatballs. … Complaints on U.S.-led Afghan troops to be checked, Kerry says
LONDON (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday complaints against Afghans working for U.S. special forces in Afghanistan would be investigated, a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered U.S. troops to leave a critical battleground province. Karzai's spokesman on Sunday said Karzai had decided that all U.S. special forces must leave Wardak Province within two weeks, after accusations that Afghans working for them had tortured and killed innocent people. … Islamists threaten to kill French kidnapped in Cameroon
DAKAR (Reuters) – Gunmen claiming to be from Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group threatened on Monday to kill a kidnapped French family of seven if authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon do no t release Muslim militants held there. French ministers said they believed the three adults and four children seized in Cameroon's far north near the Nigerian border on Tuesday were being held by Boko Haram which has killed hundreds to try to carve out an Islamist state in Nigeria. … Two minor earthquakes jostle Haida Gwaii, cause no damage or tsunami
VANCOUVER – For the second day in a row, the Haida Gwaii region on B.C.’s northwest coast has been jostled by a minor earthquake.
Tesco says to close depot, relocate workers
LONDON (Reuters) – Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, plans to close a distribution centre near London where 800 people are employed. The firm said the depot in Harlow, northeast of the capital, was one of its distribution centres being closed following a strategic review . It said employees would be offered jobs at other Tesco sites or at two new distribution centres in the south of England where it would created 2,000 jobs. (Reporting by James Davey and Lorraine Turner; Editing by David Cowell) Libyan militia brings pay protest to minister's office
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – A group of unarmed militiamen demanding better pay for guarding Libya' s borders barged into the prime minister's headquarters on Monday, but the man they'd come to see was away, an official said. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was in Geneva to address the United Nations Human Rights Council when about 30 men forced their way into the government compound in central Tripoli, in the latest example of volatility plaguing the North African country. … Amid mounting pressures, some see potential for new Palestinian uprising
Less than a month before President Obama is to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah, raising hopes he will help bring Israelis and Palestinians back to the peace table, some see the West Bank heading in a very different direction.
Blast at Sufi shrine in Pakistan kills 2
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- A police official says a blast at a Sufi shrine in southern Pakistan has killed two people.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
Boko Haram claiming to hold French family: French PM
PARIS (Reuters) – Islamist militant group Boko Haram has claimed that it is holding seven French nationals captured in Cameroon last week, Fr ance's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Monday. "(We) have received information that the group Boko Haram is claiming to be holding the French family," Ayrault told reporters, adding that French experts were examining a video posted on YouTube appearing to show the hostages to determine whether it was authentic. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Vicky Buffery; Editing by Michael Roddy)
Eager Israelis send invites to Obama ahead of tour
JERUSALEM (AP) -- President Barack Obama is coming to town, and it seems like everyone in Israel wants to be a part of the historic visit.
After election win, Anastasiades tackles Cyprus bailout
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Cypriot pr esident-elect Nicos Anastasiades, armed with a clear mandate from voters to protect the island from insolvency, said on Monday he was committed to reforms in return for a bailout. The Conservative Anastasiades won decisive backing in a presidential election on Sunday for an aggressive approach to resolving the island's worst financial crisis in four decades. …
Looking for doctor? Well-off may do better than poor getting appointments: study
TORONTO – People of higher socioeconomic status seeking a primary-care doctor are more likely to receive an appointment than those of lower status, even though there’s no financial benefit under Canada’s universal health-care system, a study suggests.
B.C. organized crime investigators set to announce break in major case
VANCOUVER – The police unit that investigates organized crime in British Columbia is preparing to announce a break in a gang murder investigation.
Israel fears prisoner death may spark Palestinian uprising
SE'EER, West Bank (Reuters) – Masked Palestinian gunmen fired in the air on Monday as t housands marched at the West Bank funeral of a prisoner whose death in an Israeli jail has raised fears in Israel of a new uprising. Arafat Jaradat's death on Saturday and a hunger strike by four other Palestinian inmates have raised tension in the occupied territory after repeated clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli soldiers in recent days. …
Egypt's Morsi uses TV interview to burnish image
CAIRO (AP) -- During a more than 2-hour television interview, Egypt's Islamist president sought to depict himself as a man of the people, his voice rising and tears welling in his eyes as he spoke of the country's poor and portrayed the masses protesting against his rule as "thugs" and "outlaws."
Israel says it successfully tests new missile defense
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel carried out a s uccessful first test on Monday of its upgraded Arrow interceptor, which is designed to destroy in space the kind of missiles held by Iran and Syria, defense officials said. The U.S.-backed Arrow III will deploy "kamikaze" satellites that track and slam into ballistic missiles above the earth's atmosphere, high enough to allow for any chemical, biological or nuclear warheads to disintegrate safely. Monday's test was the first flight of the system, but did not involve the interception of any target. …
Cardinal O'Brien's views have sparked controversy
LONDON (AP) -- Cardinal Keith O’Brien had sparked more than his fair share of controversy before stepping down as archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh on Monday and announcing he wouldn’t take part in the conclave to elect the next pope.
UK Cardinal skips conclave amid priest accusations
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's highest-ranking Catholic leader, recused himself on Monday from taking part in the conclave to elect the next pope after being accused of improper conduct with priests -- an unprecedented first head to roll in the mudslinging that has followed Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.
Afghan president orders US troops out of volatile province on Kabul's flank
The Afghan government has demanded that US Special Forces leave a strategic province that lies just to the west of Kabul, claiming in a written statement that American soldiers operating in the region have been "torturing and even murdering innocent people." The US-led coalition denies the claims.
Horse a hidden ingredient in many European foods
DUBLIN (AP) -- So hungry you could eat a horse? Chances are, if you've regularly consumed processed-meat products in Europe, you already have.
South Korea's first female president innagurated today. Will she bring change?
South Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, was sworn in today, taking the helm of the dynamic northeast Asian state at a tumultuous time - both for the economy and for relations with North Korea.
NATO says no evidence for Afghan misconduct claim
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan said Monday it has found no evidence to support allegations that American special forces were involved in the abuse of Afghan civilians in a restive eastern province that serves as a gateway to Kabul.
Early results point to Italy elex gridlock
ROME (AP) -- Italy's crucial elections appeared to be heading toward gridlock, initial results showed Monday, with the center-left forces of Pier Luigi Bersani moving ahead in the lower house of Parliament and the camp of former premier Silvio Berlusconi gaining the upper hand in the equally powerful Senate.
Reports for years showed Montrealers were getting hosed on construction: probe
MONTREAL – Quebec’s corruption inquiry is hearing that there were warning signs for over a decade that Montreal was significantly over-paying for public construction projects.
Low gas prices scuttle Synfuels carbon capture deal with Alberta government
EDMONTON – Another energy company has pulled the plug on a plan to capture and store carbon created by coal-fired power generation.
PARIS (Reuters) – Islamist militant group Boko Haram has claimed that it is holding seven French nationals captured in Cameroon last week, Fr ance's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Monday. "(We) have received information that the group Boko Haram is claiming to be holding the French family," Ayrault told reporters, adding that French experts were examining a video posted on YouTube appearing to show the hostages to determine whether it was authentic. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Vicky Buffery; Editing by Michael Roddy) Eager Israelis send invites to Obama ahead of tour
JERUSALEM (AP) -- President Barack Obama is coming to town, and it seems like everyone in Israel wants to be a part of the historic visit. After election win, Anastasiades tackles Cyprus bailout
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Cypriot pr esident-elect Nicos Anastasiades, armed with a clear mandate from voters to protect the island from insolvency, said on Monday he was committed to reforms in return for a bailout. The Conservative Anastasiades won decisive backing in a presidential election on Sunday for an aggressive approach to resolving the island's worst financial crisis in four decades. … Looking for doctor? Well-off may do better than poor getting appointments: study
TORONTO – People of higher socioeconomic status seeking a primary-care doctor are more likely to receive an appointment than those of lower status, even though there’s no financial benefit under Canada’s universal health-care system, a study suggests.
B.C. organized crime investigators set to announce break in major case
VANCOUVER – The police unit that investigates organized crime in British Columbia is preparing to announce a break in a gang murder investigation.
Israel fears prisoner death may spark Palestinian uprising
SE'EER, West Bank (Reuters) – Masked Palestinian gunmen fired in the air on Monday as t housands marched at the West Bank funeral of a prisoner whose death in an Israeli jail has raised fears in Israel of a new uprising. Arafat Jaradat's death on Saturday and a hunger strike by four other Palestinian inmates have raised tension in the occupied territory after repeated clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli soldiers in recent days. … Egypt's Morsi uses TV interview to burnish image
CAIRO (AP) -- During a more than 2-hour television interview, Egypt's Islamist president sought to depict himself as a man of the people, his voice rising and tears welling in his eyes as he spoke of the country's poor and portrayed the masses protesting against his rule as "thugs" and "outlaws." Israel says it successfully tests new missile defense
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel carried out a s uccessful first test on Monday of its upgraded Arrow interceptor, which is designed to destroy in space the kind of missiles held by Iran and Syria, defense officials said. The U.S.-backed Arrow III will deploy "kamikaze" satellites that track and slam into ballistic missiles above the earth's atmosphere, high enough to allow for any chemical, biological or nuclear warheads to disintegrate safely. Monday's test was the first flight of the system, but did not involve the interception of any target. … Cardinal O'Brien's views have sparked controversy
LONDON (AP) -- Cardinal Keith O’Brien had sparked more than his fair share of controversy before stepping down as archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh on Monday and announcing he wouldn’t take part in the conclave to elect the next pope.
UK Cardinal skips conclave amid priest accusations
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's highest-ranking Catholic leader, recused himself on Monday from taking part in the conclave to elect the next pope after being accused of improper conduct with priests -- an unprecedented first head to roll in the mudslinging that has followed Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign. Afghan president orders US troops out of volatile province on Kabul's flank
The Afghan government has demanded that US Special Forces leave a strategic province that lies just to the west of Kabul, claiming in a written statement that American soldiers operating in the region have been "torturing and even murdering innocent people." The US-led coalition denies the claims.
Horse a hidden ingredient in many European foods
DUBLIN (AP) -- So hungry you could eat a horse? Chances are, if you've regularly consumed processed-meat products in Europe, you already have. South Korea's first female president innagurated today. Will she bring change?
South Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, was sworn in today, taking the helm of the dynamic northeast Asian state at a tumultuous time - both for the economy and for relations with North Korea.
NATO says no evidence for Afghan misconduct claim
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan said Monday it has found no evidence to support allegations that American special forces were involved in the abuse of Afghan civilians in a restive eastern province that serves as a gateway to Kabul. Early results point to Italy elex gridlock
ROME (AP) -- Italy's crucial elections appeared to be heading toward gridlock, initial results showed Monday, with the center-left forces of Pier Luigi Bersani moving ahead in the lower house of Parliament and the camp of former premier Silvio Berlusconi gaining the upper hand in the equally powerful Senate. Reports for years showed Montrealers were getting hosed on construction: probe
MONTREAL – Quebec’s corruption inquiry is hearing that there were warning signs for over a decade that Montreal was significantly over-paying for public construction projects.
Low gas prices scuttle Synfuels carbon capture deal with Alberta government
EDMONTON – Another energy company has pulled the plug on a plan to capture and store carbon created by coal-fired power generation.
seenewstoday.com : Top News updates
The Onion apologizes for offensive Quvenzhane Wallis tweet, says it is 'deeply sorry'
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Onion is apologizing for calling the 9-year-old star of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” a vulgar and offensive name on Twitter.
Japan's ANA scrubs 787 flights planned through May as grounding continues
Japan’s All Nippon Airways is scrubbing its planned 787 flights through May as the Boeing Co. plane remains grounded.
Exclusive: Goldman to begin fresh round of job cuts - sources
(Reuters) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to begin a fresh round of job cuts as early as this week, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday, with its equities busine ss bracing for bigger cuts than fixed-income trading. The cuts come at the time of year in which the Wall Street bank typically gets rid of its weakest 5 percent of employees across the entire firm. But as the trading business continues to suffer from weak volumes and earnings, the losses are expected to be deeper in some businesses. …
Homan beats Jones for Scotties gold; Scott tops Nedohin for bronze
KINGSTON, Ont. – Ontario’s Rachel Homan showed her mettle as a skip and her skills as a team leader Sunday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Rebuilding trust in banking will take more than regulations, Carney says
Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says it will take more than tough new regulations to restore trust in the banking system in the wake of the financial crisis.
Brit explorer pulls out of Antarctic trek; team that includes Canadian to go on
LONDON – A British explorer has pulled out of a group expedition to cross Antarctica during the region’s winter, but the team that includes a Canadian says it will continue on without him.
Carney: Lack of trust in banking system is slowing the recovery
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Banks and regulators need to do much more to rebuild the trust in the banking system that was shattered in the recent crisis, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, head of the G20's Financial Stability Board, said on Monday. The Group of 20 leading economies has made progress in financial reforms which will go a long way, but these alone will not be sufficient, he said in a speech to business students at Western University in London, Ontario. "Virtue cannot be regulated. Even the strongest supervision cannot guarantee good conduct. …
Goldman managing director in insider trading probe leaves bank
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A Goldman Sachs Group Inc salesman who has been under investigation for possibly passing confidential information about technology companies to hedge funds has left the bank, a spokesman confirmed on Monday. David Loeb, 42, who was a managing director based in New York, has never been charged with wrongdoing. But his name surfaced among a small group of Goldman bankers under scrutiny in connection with an insider trading probe conducted by the FBI. …
Warden underestimated difficulties dealing with Ashley Smith
TORONTO – The warden of a women’s prison in Nova Scotia is telling an inquest in Toronto that he underestimated how difficult Ashley Smith would be as an inmate.
Billions of dollars at stake for BP, other companies as trial opens for Gulf oil spill
NEW ORLEANS – A high-stakes trial started Monday to assign blame and help figure out exactly how much more BP and other companies should pay for the nation’s worst offshore oil spill.
NJ court tosses suit filed against Continental for no-cash in-flight policy
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey court has thrown out a lawsuit that claimed an airline was at fault for not accepting cash on its flights.
Online video claims radical Islamic group Boko Haram from Nigeria holding 7 French hostages
LAGOS, Nigeria – A video apparently showing seven French hostages kidnapped from northern Cameroon has been posted online, with a man claiming that a radical Islamic group from Nigeria holds them.
Video appears to show French family kidnapped in Cameroon
DAKAR (Reuters) – A video appearing to show seven French citizens, including four children, kidnapped in Cameroon last week was posted on the YouTube website on Monday. “We have been taken by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad,” one of the male hostages said in the video, referring to the name in Arabic of Nigeria’s Boko Haram militants. “They want the liberation of their brothers in Cameroon and their women imprisoned in Nigeria. …
Video claims Nigeria sect holds 7 French hostages
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) -- A video apparently showing seven French hostages kidnapped from northern Cameroon has been posted online, with a man claiming that a radical Islamic group from Nigeria holds them.
Newly Russian, Gérard Depardieu tours his adopted homeland
Freshly-minted Russian citizen, French actor, and tax-hopper Gérard Depardieu returned to Russia over the weekend to get his “propiska,” the registration of residency that every Russian must have stamped into his passport.
New rules to cut greenhouse emissions from trucks, phased in over four years
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The federal government says new regulations for heavy-duty trucks will eventually cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 23 per cent and give truckers a break on fuel costs to boot.
German intel paid neo-Nazi informer $240,000
BERLIN (AP) -- Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has come under fire for paying almost a quarter of a million dollars to a neo-Nazi informer linked to a far-right terror group.
Dubai officials block Bahrain-based AP journalist
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- A Bahrain-based journalist for The Associated Press has been blocked from entry into the United Arab Emirates under apparent new restrictions by Gulf Arab states.
Pistorius faces random bail checks for drugs and alcohol
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, charged with murdering his girlfriend, faces at least four rando m tests for drugs and alcohol in coming months to ensure he is complying with bail terms, an official said on Monday. Pistorius, who is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend in cold blood in the early hours of February 14, checked in with a probation officer at Pretoria magistrate's court on Monday in compliance with bail conditions laid down last week, the prison service said. …
Karen Olson taps religious groups to help the homeless
In the early 1980s Karen Olson was in a job she enjoyed, working on marketing projects for a pharmaceutical company.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Onion is apologizing for calling the 9-year-old star of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” a vulgar and offensive name on Twitter.
Japan's ANA scrubs 787 flights planned through May as grounding continues
Japan’s All Nippon Airways is scrubbing its planned 787 flights through May as the Boeing Co. plane remains grounded.
Exclusive: Goldman to begin fresh round of job cuts - sources
(Reuters) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to begin a fresh round of job cuts as early as this week, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday, with its equities busine ss bracing for bigger cuts than fixed-income trading. The cuts come at the time of year in which the Wall Street bank typically gets rid of its weakest 5 percent of employees across the entire firm. But as the trading business continues to suffer from weak volumes and earnings, the losses are expected to be deeper in some businesses. … Homan beats Jones for Scotties gold; Scott tops Nedohin for bronze
KINGSTON, Ont. – Ontario’s Rachel Homan showed her mettle as a skip and her skills as a team leader Sunday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Rebuilding trust in banking will take more than regulations, Carney says
Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says it will take more than tough new regulations to restore trust in the banking system in the wake of the financial crisis.
Brit explorer pulls out of Antarctic trek; team that includes Canadian to go on
LONDON – A British explorer has pulled out of a group expedition to cross Antarctica during the region’s winter, but the team that includes a Canadian says it will continue on without him.
Carney: Lack of trust in banking system is slowing the recovery
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Banks and regulators need to do much more to rebuild the trust in the banking system that was shattered in the recent crisis, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, head of the G20's Financial Stability Board, said on Monday. The Group of 20 leading economies has made progress in financial reforms which will go a long way, but these alone will not be sufficient, he said in a speech to business students at Western University in London, Ontario. "Virtue cannot be regulated. Even the strongest supervision cannot guarantee good conduct. … Goldman managing director in insider trading probe leaves bank
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A Goldman Sachs Group Inc salesman who has been under investigation for possibly passing confidential information about technology companies to hedge funds has left the bank, a spokesman confirmed on Monday. David Loeb, 42, who was a managing director based in New York, has never been charged with wrongdoing. But his name surfaced among a small group of Goldman bankers under scrutiny in connection with an insider trading probe conducted by the FBI. … Warden underestimated difficulties dealing with Ashley Smith
TORONTO – The warden of a women’s prison in Nova Scotia is telling an inquest in Toronto that he underestimated how difficult Ashley Smith would be as an inmate.
Billions of dollars at stake for BP, other companies as trial opens for Gulf oil spill
NEW ORLEANS – A high-stakes trial started Monday to assign blame and help figure out exactly how much more BP and other companies should pay for the nation’s worst offshore oil spill.
NJ court tosses suit filed against Continental for no-cash in-flight policy
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey court has thrown out a lawsuit that claimed an airline was at fault for not accepting cash on its flights.
Online video claims radical Islamic group Boko Haram from Nigeria holding 7 French hostages
LAGOS, Nigeria – A video apparently showing seven French hostages kidnapped from northern Cameroon has been posted online, with a man claiming that a radical Islamic group from Nigeria holds them.
Video appears to show French family kidnapped in Cameroon
DAKAR (Reuters) – A video appearing to show seven French citizens, including four children, kidnapped in Cameroon last week was posted on the YouTube website on Monday. “We have been taken by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad,” one of the male hostages said in the video, referring to the name in Arabic of Nigeria’s Boko Haram militants. “They want the liberation of their brothers in Cameroon and their women imprisoned in Nigeria. …
Video claims Nigeria sect holds 7 French hostages
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) -- A video apparently showing seven French hostages kidnapped from northern Cameroon has been posted online, with a man claiming that a radical Islamic group from Nigeria holds them.
Newly Russian, Gérard Depardieu tours his adopted homeland
Freshly-minted Russian citizen, French actor, and tax-hopper Gérard Depardieu returned to Russia over the weekend to get his “propiska,” the registration of residency that every Russian must have stamped into his passport.
New rules to cut greenhouse emissions from trucks, phased in over four years
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The federal government says new regulations for heavy-duty trucks will eventually cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 23 per cent and give truckers a break on fuel costs to boot.
German intel paid neo-Nazi informer $240,000
BERLIN (AP) -- Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has come under fire for paying almost a quarter of a million dollars to a neo-Nazi informer linked to a far-right terror group.
Dubai officials block Bahrain-based AP journalist
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- A Bahrain-based journalist for The Associated Press has been blocked from entry into the United Arab Emirates under apparent new restrictions by Gulf Arab states.
Pistorius faces random bail checks for drugs and alcohol
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, charged with murdering his girlfriend, faces at least four rando m tests for drugs and alcohol in coming months to ensure he is complying with bail terms, an official said on Monday. Pistorius, who is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend in cold blood in the early hours of February 14, checked in with a probation officer at Pretoria magistrate's court on Monday in compliance with bail conditions laid down last week, the prison service said. … Karen Olson taps religious groups to help the homeless
In the early 1980s Karen Olson was in a job she enjoyed, working on marketing projects for a pharmaceutical company.
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