| Still reeling from loss, Biden wrestles with 2016 decision Posted: 12 Sep 2015 03:57 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — In one minute, Joe Biden seems like a presidential candidate-in-waiting, eating up adoration from die-hard supporters who are pleading with him to run. The next minute, he seems light-years away from convincing himself he's ready to run - a man still reeling from personal tragedy.
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| 'Bye Bye' vs 'Welcome': UK press divided on Corbyn Posted: 12 Sep 2015 03:22 PM PDT  Britain's pro-Conservative newspapers on Sunday crowed that socialist Jeremy Corbyn's crushing leadership victory would condemn the Labour Party to the opposition for a long time, while leftist media hailed the win. "Bye Bye Labour!" screamed a front-page headline in the Sunday Express and the Mail on Sunday published a picture of the new anti-austerity firebrand next to the words "Red and Buried". "Death of New Labour," said the Sunday Telegraph, referring to controversial former prime minister Tony Blair's famous brand from the 1990s.
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| Socialist Corbyn wins UK Labour leadership in landslide Posted: 12 Sep 2015 01:30 PM PDT  Veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of Britain's Labour opposition on Saturday in a landslide victory that puts an anti-austerity figure at the helm of a major UK party. The 66-year-old, whose policies have been compared to those of radical leftist Greece's Syriza and Spain's Podemos, won after clinching 59.5 percent of the vote, giving Britain its most left-wing leader in decades among the main parties. The new Labour chief could divide Britain's biggest opposition party, and he immediately faced shadow cabinet resignations amid warnings from party grandees that Labour could be consigned to electoral oblivion.
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| Who is Corbyn? Glance at Labour's new leader Posted: 12 Sep 2015 01:21 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — Far-left lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn has won the race to lead Britain's opposition Labour Party, a result many considered unimaginable just months ago. Here is a glance at his background and his beliefs:
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| Canada creates matching fund to aid Syria refugees Posted: 12 Sep 2015 12:59 PM PDT  Ottawa (AFP) - Canada will create an emergency relief fund for refugees fleeing Syria, matching private citizens' donations dollar-for-dollar up to Can$ 100 million, Ottawa announced on Saturday.
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| Egypt court ratifies 'IS' death sentences Posted: 12 Sep 2015 11:41 AM PDT  A court in Egypt on Saturday ratified death sentences for 12 people convicted of planning attacks on behalf of the jihadist Islamic State group. All were convicted of having joined IS -- which has declared a "caliphate" in parts of Iraq and Syria under its control -- and of plotting to attack Egypt's police force and military. The court in the Nile Delta province of Sharqiya had recommended the death sentence for the men last month, and was awaiting the mufti's approval to ratify the ruling.
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| Bid to shut Guantanamo roils Pentagon, White House, Congress Posted: 12 Sep 2015 10:53 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration's struggling quest to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is mired in state and federal politics. Frustrated White House and Pentagon officials are blaming one another for the slow progress releasing approved detainees and finding a new prison to house those still held.
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| U.S., allies conduct 25 air strikes against Islamic State militants: U.S. military Posted: 12 Sep 2015 10:23 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition led by the United States bombarded Islamic State militants on Friday with 22 air strikes in Iraq and three in Syria, according to a statement released on Saturday. In Iraq, the air strikes near Tuz, Kirkuk, Ramadi, Mosul and other locations hit tactical units and fighting positions and destroyed vehicles, buildings and weapons belonging to the militant group, the Combined Joint Task Force said in the statement. ... |
| Turkish PM targets single party government 'to fight terror' Posted: 12 Sep 2015 10:15 AM PDT  Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday said Turkey needed a single-party government to fight "terror", as the country prepares for snap November polls against the background of the army's relentless campaign against Kurdish militants. Former foreign minister Davutoglu, who became premier when Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected president in August 2014, is under huge pressure to restore the majority and rumours even circulated he could have faced a leadership challenge at the congress. "A single-party government needs to be ensured to fight both the terror plague and economic challenges," said Davutoglu.
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| Residents of battered Cizre emerge after Turkey lifts curfew Posted: 12 Sep 2015 10:04 AM PDT  Residents of the Turkish southeastern city of Cizre Saturday emerged to find scenes of destruction and despair after authorities lifted a nine-day curfew imposed for an operation against Kurdish militants. An AFP correspondent found several buildings had been destroyed and others pock-marked with bullet holes during the curfew, which took effect late on September 4. People were being allowed to move in and out of Cizre despite continued army checks at roadblocks, said the correspondent who entered the city after the restriction ended 7:00 am (0400 GMT).
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| Marx admirer Corbyn elected UK opposition Labour leader Posted: 12 Sep 2015 09:06 AM PDT  By William James and Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran left-winger who professes an admiration for Karl Marx, was elected leader of Britain's opposition Labour party on Saturday, a victory that may make a British EU exit more likely and which one former Labour prime minister has said could leave their party unelectable. Greeted by cheers from supporters in the room and hailed by radicals across Europe, Corbyn's triumph opened up the prospect of deep splits within Labour with some fearing he will repel voters with radical policies that include unilateral nuclear disarmament, nationalization and wealth taxes. "I say thank you in advance to us all working together to achieve great victories, not just electorally for Labour, but emotionally for the whole of our society to show we don't have to be unequal, it doesn't have to be unfair, poverty isn't inevitable," the gray-haired, bearded 66-year-old said.
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| Marx admirer Corbyn elected opposition Labour leader Posted: 12 Sep 2015 09:04 AM PDT  By William James and Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran left-winger who professes an admiration for Karl Marx, was elected leader of Britain's opposition Labour party on Saturday, a victory that may make a British EU exit more likely and which one former Labour prime minister has said could leave their party unelectable. Greeted by cheers from supporters in the room and hailed by radicals across Europe, Corbyn's triumph opened up the prospect of deep splits within Labour with some fearing he will repel voters with radical policies that include unilateral nuclear disarmament, nationalisation and wealth taxes. "I say thank you in advance to us all working together to achieve great victories, not just electorally for Labour, but emotionally for the whole of our society to show we don't have to be unequal, it doesn't have to be unfair, poverty isn't inevitable," the grey-haired, bearded 66-year-old said.
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| Why Europe’s refugee crisis reached a tipping point Posted: 12 Sep 2015 07:06 AM PDT Record numbers of Syrian refugees are seeking asylum in Europe, but some countries, notably Germany and Sweden, have been more welcoming than others. |
| For GOP candidates, better to be with pope than against him Posted: 12 Sep 2015 06:16 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — To some Republican presidential candidates, it's better to be with the popular pope than against him.
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| Turkish civilian dies after shooting at restaurant in Kurdish area Posted: 12 Sep 2015 05:27 AM PDT  By Seyhmus Cakan DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - A civilian shot by suspected Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey died from his wounds on Saturday, officials said, the latest casualty of the worst violence the region has seen in two decades. Osman Saim Cetin, 66, had been wounded on Friday after assailants belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) opened fire on the restaurant where he was eating in Diyarbakir, the largely Kurdish southeast's biggest city, security sources said. Meanwhile, in the town of Cizre, scene of intense clashes between the PKK and the Turkish army, residents ventured out to stock up on groceries and check on their shops after authorities lifted a nine-day round-the-clock curfew at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT), residents said.
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| Migrants are valuable; Iran's regional role; Arab tourists; Muslims in Canada; Russian food bonfires Posted: 12 Sep 2015 05:00 AM PDT "The flood of refugees trying to land on European shores appears to not be slowing down, notwithstanding measures to discourage them such as the highly debatable decision to suspend the Italian-run search-and-rescue operation Mare Nostrum. "Iran's nuclear agreement with the world powers can be the beginning of a new chapter in regional cooperation between Iran and its neighbors. |
| From rebel to leader: Jeremy Corbyn shakes up Labour Posted: 12 Sep 2015 04:41 AM PDT  Jeremy Corbyn has gone from obscurity as a backbench MP best known for opposing the Iraq War to leading Britain's main opposition Labour party within just three months. The veteran socialist's dizzying ascent has prompted dire warnings from party grandees like Tony Blair that his policies will prove too left-wing to draw wide support from British voters, driving Labour to disaster at the ballot box.
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| Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric condemns kidnapping of Turkish workers Posted: 12 Sep 2015 04:40 AM PDT Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric on Saturday condemned the abduction of 18 Turkish workers from Baghdad last week after the release of a video showed the hostages held by Shi'ite gunmen who threatened to attack Turkish interests. Baghdad has struggled to rein in Shi'ite armed groups, many of which fought the U.S. occupation and are now seen as a critical deterrent against Islamic State militants in northern and western Iraq. "We demand the release of the abductees and an end to these practices which harm the image of Islam," read a statement from the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, whose opinion carries sway with millions of Shi'ite Muslim followers in Iraq and beyond. |
| Jeremy Corbyn Sweeps to Victory in Labour Leadership Contest Posted: 12 Sep 2015 04:14 AM PDT  Radical left-winger Jeremy Corbyn swept to victory with 59.5 percent of the vote, meaning there was no need for further rounds of voting under the party's "alternative vote" system. The sensational result, unthinkable just months ago, will reshape Britain's political landscape, and see one of Labour's most rebellious MPs lead the party that governed for 13 years before being voted out of power in 2010. The West Bromwich East MP beat Ben Bradshaw, Stella Creasey, Angela Eagle and Caroline Flint.
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| Top Shiite cleric condemns kidnapping of Turks in Iraq Posted: 12 Sep 2015 03:55 AM PDT  BAGHDAD (AP) — The top Shiite cleric in Iraq on Saturday called for the release of 18 Turkish workers kidnapped in Baghdad last week, a day after a video released by a shadowy militant group showed the captives and threatened Ankara with the "most violent means" if its demands are not met.
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| Top Iraq Shiite cleric demands release of kidnapped Turks Posted: 12 Sep 2015 03:52 AM PDT  Top Iraqi Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Saturday demanded the release of 18 Turkish workers kidnapped in Baghdad by unknown militants, saying it harmed the image of Islam. The Turkish men, who were working on a football stadium project, were seized in Baghdad's Sadr City area earlier this month, and militants presenting themselves as a Shiite group claimed the kidnappings in a video posted online. "We demand the release of the kidnapped men and the end of such practices, which harm the image of Islam" in general and Shiites specifically, Sistani's office said in a statement.
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| Syrian war seen displacing a million more this year: U.N. official Posted: 12 Sep 2015 03:37 AM PDT  By Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - One million more people will be displaced within Syria by the end of the year if the war there continues unabated, potentially adding to the flow of refugees to Europe, a senior U.N. official said. Yacoub El Hillo, U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Syria, said the conflict had already displaced one million people within Syria so far in 2015, with intensified fighting in much of the country now in its fifth year of war. "Unless something big is done to resolve this conflict through political means, the human train that has started moving out of Syria and the neighborhood will continue to be running for many months to come," El Hillo told Reuters.
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| Michael Moore: 'American exceptionalism is the death of us' Posted: 12 Sep 2015 12:59 AM PDT  TORONTO (AP) — "Mike's Happy Movie" was the working title of Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Where to Invade Next," but few would consider its examination of American ills — from runaway college tuition to mass incarceration — the stuff of bubbly, feel-good delight.
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| Labour expected to anoint leftist Corbyn as leader Posted: 12 Sep 2015 12:55 AM PDT  The Labour party was expected to name radical leftwinger Jeremy Corbyn as its new leader Saturday, embracing the anti-austerity sentiment sweeping Europe but threatening deep splits ahead. The 66-year-old has electrified the race, drawing support from students who had never voted before to older people disillusioned with Labour since it tacked to the centre under Tony Blair in the 1990s and led Britain into the 2003 Iraq war.
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| How the US plans to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees Posted: 11 Sep 2015 10:32 PM PDT  US President Barack Obama has promised that the United States will admit 10,000 Syrian refugees for resettlement over the next 12 months, after criticism that America is not doing enough. Meanwhile they receive medical tests and those with communicable diseases, most commonly tuberculosis, are given treatment before they can travel to the United States, often delaying the process.
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| Australian aircraft in first mission in Syria: defence Posted: 11 Sep 2015 10:32 PM PDT  Australian aircraft have completed their first operation in Syria, defence officials said on Saturday, just days after Canberra extended the mission from Iraq to better fight Islamic State jihadists. "The Australian Air Task Group completed its first operational mission in Syria overnight, returning to base in the Middle East without incident," the defence department said in a statement. "No weapons were released during the mission." The statement added that two Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A Hornets, a KC-30A air-to-air refuelling aircraft and E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft were used.
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| 'Straight Outta Compton' Writer to Adapt Navy SEALs Best-Seller From 'American Sniper' Author Posted: 11 Sep 2015 09:00 PM PDT The story follows the exploits of an Iraqi citizen who worked with the U.S. Navy SEALs as a translator, helping them track down terrorists and became a legend in the U.S. special-ops community. |
| 'Straight Outta Compton' Writer to Adapt Navy SEALs Best-Seller From 'American Sniper' Author (Exclusive) Posted: 11 Sep 2015 09:00 PM PDT The story follows the exploits of an Iraqi citizen who worked with the U.S. Navy SEALs as a translator, helping them track down terrorists and became a legend in the U.S. special-ops community. |
| Four soldiers, two civilians killed in Egypt Sinai attacks: army Posted: 11 Sep 2015 07:49 PM PDT  An Egyptian woman and child were killed in a car bomb, and four soldiers died in a separate explosion in the northern Sinai Peninsula, where the military is engaged in a sweeping campaign against jihadists, the army said. The army said the woman and child were killed in a car bomb in Rafah, on the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip. The four soldiers were killed in a bomb attack during clashes with jihadists, also in northern Sinai, a spokesman said in a statement, without giving further details.
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| Corbyn victory one in the eye for British pragmatism Posted: 11 Sep 2015 05:10 PM PDT  Jeremy Corbyn's election to the leadership of Britain's main opposition Labour party is all the more surprising given how British politics tends towards pragmatism, leaving outsiders on the outside. This point was reiterated by Labour's former prime minister Tony Blair following the party's thrashing at the May general election. After five years of Conservative-led spending reductions in a bid to balance the nation's finances, voters in the Labour leadership race have decided that the platform offered by Corbyn's three rivals for the leadership offered only a watered-down version of Prime Minister David Cameron's programme.
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