Iraqis vote in first local ballot since US withdrawal

Iraqis vote in first local ballot since US withdrawal


Iraqis vote in first local ballot since US withdrawal

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 10:29 PM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqis voted for provincial councils on Saturday in their first ballot since U.S. troops left the country, a key measure of political strength before parliamentary elections next year. Iraqi politics are deeply split along sectarian lines with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government mired in crisis over how to share power among Shi'ites, Sunni Muslims and ethnic Kurds who run their own autonomous region in the north. ...

Iraqis vote in first local ballot since US withdrawal

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 10:30 PM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqis voted for provincial councils on Saturday in their first ballot since U.S. troops left the country, a key measure of political strength before parliamentary elections next year.

Boston bombing suspect captured, brother killed

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 09:27 PM PDT

ALTERNATE CROP - This still frame from video shows Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev visible through an ambulance after he was captured in Watertown, Mass., Friday, April 19, 2013.A 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings was taken into custody Friday evening after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralyzed and his older brother and accomplice dead. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Lifting days of anxiety for a city and a nation on edge, police captured the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, found bloodied in a backyard boat Friday night less than 24 hours after a wild car chase and gun battle that left his older brother dead and Boston and its suburbs sealed in an extraordinary dragnet.


Quake jolts China's Sichuan, killing 41

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 09:12 PM PDT

In this photo provided by China's official Xinhua News Agency, a giant rock blocks the road, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the county seat of Lushan in Ya'an city, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Saturday, April 20, 2013. A powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province Saturday near where a devastating quake struck five years ago. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Hai Mingwei) NO SALESBEIJING (AP) — A powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province Saturday near where a devastating quake struck five years ago, leaving at least 41 dead and more than 600 injured and prompting state media to warn the casualty toll could climb sharply.


10 Questions Startups Use to Make Change Happen

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 08:11 PM PDT

Change is hard. I see entrepreneurs every day who are trying to change the world with a new idea, and startups that are trying to survive their hyper-growth phase by changing processes to meet demand. In both cases, it's easy for them to become frustrated and give up, since most have never been trained in change management, and don't even know what questions to ask.

China's Sichuan hit by earthquake, killing 12

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 08:16 PM PDT

In this photo provided by China's official Xinhua News Agency, people gather on a street to avoid aftershocks of an earthquake, in Shifang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Saturday, April 20, 2013. People were killed Saturday when a powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province near the same area where a devastating quake struck five years ago, with state media warning the casualty toll could climb sharply. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Xiaoli) NO SALESBEIJING (AP) — A powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province Saturday near where a devastating quake struck five years ago, leaving at least 12 dead and more than 100 injured and prompting state media to warn the casualty toll could climb sharply.


Senator Lindsey Graham Says Suspend the Constitution For Boston Marathon Suspect And Designate Him An Enemy Combatant

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 07:58 PM PDT

Why is it that those who spend an inordinate amount of time professing their dedication and fealty to the United States Constitution seem to always be among the first to toss our founding document out the window the moment it becomes inconvenient to their desires?

China Retail Rout: 1st-Qtr Profit At Billionaire Chen Fashu's New Huadu Drops 49%

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 07:58 PM PDT

New Huadu Supercenter, one of the largest shopping center operators in China's southern Fujian province, said on Thursday net profit in first three months of 2013 dropped by 49% from a year earlier to 31 million yuan, or $5 million, owing to rising costs, weak economic conditions and losses at some individual stores.

Making A Difference After Boston: Charitable Giving, Crowdfunding & Other Donations

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 07:41 PM PDT

On Monday, in the midst of all of the terrible news coming out of Boston, I was heartened to hear the stories of ordinary people acting in extraordinary ways: those who rushed toward the scene - and not away - in order to help the wounded, those marathon runners who kept running to the hospital to give blood, those first responders who led runners and spectators to safety and then went back to save more, even though there was no assurance that the danger had passed.

Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 08:27 PM PDT

ALTERNATE CROP - This still frame from video shows Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev visible through an ambulance after he was captured in Watertown, Mass., Friday, April 19, 2013.A 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings was taken into custody Friday evening after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralyzed and his older brother and accomplice dead. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Lifting days of anxiety for a city and a nation on edge, police captured the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, found bloodied in a backyard boat Friday night less than 24 hours after a wild car chase and gun battle that left his older brother dead and Boston and its suburbs sealed in an extraordinary dragnet.


H7N9 Bird Flu Cases In China Rise By Four To 91; Half Have Had No Contact With Poultry

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 07:10 PM PDT

The number of confirmed H7N9 bird flu cases in China increased by four to 91 on Friday.  Jiangsu province reported one new case, and Zhejiang province reported three, the state-run Shanghai Daily reported today.  The number of dead was unchanged at 17.

Strong Quake Hits China Province

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 10:39 PM PDT

A powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province Saturday near where a devastating quake struck five years ago, leaving at least 32 dead and more than 600 injured.

China's Sichuan hit by earthquake, killing 2

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 07:25 PM PDT

BEIJING (AP) — At least two people were killed Saturday when a powerful earthquake jolted China's Sichuan province near the same area where a devastating quake struck five years ago, with state media warning the casualty toll could climb sharply.

Police: Boston bomb suspect in serious condition

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 06:55 PM PDT

ALTERNATE CROP - This still frame from video shows Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev visible through an ambulance after he was captured in Watertown, Mass., Friday, April 19, 2013.A 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings was taken into custody Friday evening after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralyzed and his older brother and accomplice dead. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Police say the 19-year-old suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings exchanged gunfire with law enforcement for an hour while holed up in a boat before being captured.


A Film Producer, A Cancer Doctor, And Their Critics

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 06:43 PM PDT

I just returned from the Cleveland Clinic, one of the world's most respected medical centers. By a quick check on PubMed, the (young) doctor I met there has about 60 publications to his name, all in well-respected journals. He's recognized as one of the best in his field, and people come from all over the world to visit him and his colleagues for surgery. I found out about him through my usual channels: I spoke to a half-dozen cardiologists and called a colleague at the Clinic whose opinion I trust.

Opposition hopes Syria Friends set to agree on arming rebels

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 06:36 PM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's opposition says it hopes their international backers meeting in Istanbul on Saturday will give teeth to a tacit agreement that arming rebel groups is the best way to end the dynastic rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Europe, U.S. privacy differs on Boston bombing

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 05:54 PM PDT

BERLIN — The United States is an on-camera nation, as the efforts to identify suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings showed this week. In the battle of security vs. privacy, many European countries have made a different calculation.

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How string of events involving Tsarnaev brothers unfolded

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 05:46 PM PDT

As their photographs spread rapidly across the Internet, the Tsarnaev brothers decided to make their move. Not waiting for police to find them, they gathered guns and homemade explosives for what became a final, bloody rampage on a community still in shock from the bombings three days before.

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Strong quake hits China; 56 dead, about 600 injured

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 10:14 PM PDT

A view of a collapsed building after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China's Sichuan provinceBy Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - A strong 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China's Sichuan province on Saturday, killing at least 56 people and injuring about 600 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. The earthquake occurred at 8.02 a.m. (0002 GMT) in Lushan county near Ya'an city and the epicenter had a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. ...


Boston police: Bombing suspect is in custody

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 05:51 PM PDT

Law enforcement search for the suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, Friday, April 19, 2013, in Watertown, Mass. Gunfire erupted Friday night amid the manhunt for the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, and police in armored vehicles and tactical gear rushed into the Watertown neighborhood in a possible break in the case. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Boston Police say a 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings is in custody after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralyzed and his older brother and accomplice dead.


Corruption probe raises questions over Guinea mine's future

Corruption probe raises questions over Guinea mine's future


Corruption probe raises questions over Guinea mine's future

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 01:22 PM PDT

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Documents obtained by U.S. authorities investigating mining corruption in Guinea show Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz's mining company promised to pay millions of dollars in Africa to win valuable mining concessions.

The remote corner of Pakistan flattened by an earthquake

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 01:01 PM PDT

The remote corner of Pakistan flattened by an earthquake

Photos of the Day: April 19

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:47 PM PDT

In today's pictures, a woman carries flowers in Guatemala, a newborn giraffe is presented to the public in Berlin, a wounded protester is carried away in Cairo, and more.

Clashes as Bahrain gears up for Grand Prix

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:38 PM PDT

Demonstrators seeking to highlight pro-reform demands skirmish with security forces ahead of Formula One car race.

The remote corner of Pakistan flattened by an earthquake

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 01:01 PM PDT

The remote corner of Pakistan flattened by an earthquake

Packed Amazon river boat capsizes, at least 13 dead

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - At least 13 people drowned when an overcrowded boat capsized early on Friday on a tributary near the mouth of the Amazon River, police said.

Georgia's Saakashvili holds out olive branch to prime minister

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:48 PM PDT

TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili held out an olive branch to Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Friday, proposing an end to months of friction that threatens stability in the former Soviet republic.

U.S. near $10 billion arms deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:56 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is finalizing a complex $10 billion arms deal that would strengthen two key Arab allies while maintaining Israel's military edge, defense officials said on Friday ahead of a trip to the Middle East by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Nicolas Maduro sworn in as Venezuelan president

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 11:13 AM PDT

CARACAS, Venezuela — Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as Venezuela's new president on Friday after a disputed election that has sharply divided the country between those who want to continue the socialist system begun by his charismatic predecessor, Hugo Chavez, and those who contend the ruling party won through a fraudulent vote.

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US approves Dreamliner battery fix

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 01:31 PM PDT

US regulators approve a revamped battery design for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, paving the way for flights to resume, after problems grounded planes for months.

Pickles amends home extension plans

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:14 PM PDT

Government plans to ease planning rules in England for three years have been amended to give neighbours the right to be consulted on building work

Tajik opposition leader beaten as election looms

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:25 PM PDT

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - A leader of Tajikistan's largest opposition party, the Islamic Revival Party (IRP), was severely beaten on Friday evening in Dushanbe, a colleague said, in a sign of rising tensions ahead of presidential elections due in November.

Maduro sworn in, Venezuela to review disputed vote

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as Venezuela's president on Friday at a ceremony attended by leaders from Iran to Brazil after a decision to widen an electronic audit of the vote took some of the heat out of a dispute over his election.

F.A.A. Endorses Boeing Remedy for 787 Battery

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 11:47 AM PDT

The decision, which came three months after the passenger jets were grounded, could allow the planes to return to service within weeks.
    


Rios Montt genocide trial up in air as Guatemalan judges squabble

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 12:53 PM PDT

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - The genocide trial of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt was mired in uncertainty on Friday as judges squabbled over who should hear the case following an order to annul nearly a year-and-a-half of proceedings.

Brahimi gives grim report on Syria stalemate

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 11:39 AM PDT

UN envoy says Damascus is completely uncooperative and urges the Security Council to come together to address the crisis

9 questions about Chechnya and Dagestan you were too embarrassed to ask

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 10:47 AM PDT

Although information is still emerging about their exact connections to the Russian regions of Chechnya and Dagestan, early reporting suggests that Boston marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev may be of Chechen origin and may have grown up partially in neighboring Dagestan, The Washington Post reports. The regions are sometimes described as part of the "Caucasus region," so named for the Caucasus mountains.

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Webber dismisses F1 exit rumours

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 11:00 AM PDT

Red Bull's Mark Webber dismisses rumours he has agreed a move to sportscars from 2014 and hints he wants to stay in Formula 1.

Taiwan executions horrify activists

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 08:37 AM PDT

Taiwan executes a group of six prisoners for the second time in six months, sparking an angry reaction from an anti-death penalty group.

Media Becomes Part of Story in Boston Manhunt

Posted: 19 Apr 2013 11:37 AM PDT

Reporters found themselves in a complex relationship with the authorities, being thanked and chastised at the same time.