CA-NEWS Summary

Bombs kill more than 35 people across Iraq

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Bomb attacks in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and in northern Iraq killed more than 35 people on Wednesday, following weeks of violence by Sunni Islamist insurgents determined to unleash sectarian confrontation. Tensions between minority Sunni Muslims and the Shi'ites who now lead Iraq are at their highest since U.S. troops pulled out in 2011, with relations coming under more pressure by the day from the largely sectarian conflict in neighboring Syria.

Nigerian troops on new offensive against Islamists

MAIDUGURI/YOLA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria launched a military campaign on Wednesday to flush Islamist militants out of their bases in remote border areas, after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the northeast. Nigerian troops deployed in large numbers, part of a plan to rout an insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist group that has seized control of parts of the region.

Venezuela's Maduro buries hatchet with billionaire businessman

CARACAS (Reuters) - Socialist leader Nicolas Maduro and the billionaire boss of Venezuela's biggest private company have buried the hatchet after a war of words over food shortages and other economic problems in the South American nation. Perpetuating the hard-line rhetoric of his predecessor Hugo Chavez, newly-elected Maduro turned on Empresas Polar president Lorenzo Mendoza in recent days, accusing him of hoarding products as part of an "economic war" on the state by private business.

U.S. says 'concerned' with tensions between Taiwan, Philippines

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it is concerned with the increase in tensions between Taiwan and the Philippines over the killing of a fisherman from Taiwan last week and urged them to work their through their differences as quickly as possible. "We urged the Philippines and Taiwan to take all appropriate measures to clarify disagreements and prevent recurrence of such tragic events," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.

Quebec seeks fracking moratorium in shale gas rich area

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Quebec, citing public concerns, unveiled a bill on Wednesday to impose a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, in a region rich in shale gas deposits. The province's minority Parti Quebecois government needs opposition support to adopt the moratorium - which would last a maximum of five years. It would ban gas exploration and extraction in the Lowlands region of the St Lawrence River, site of the rich Utica and Lorraine shale gas formations.

UK's Cameron survives humbling parliamentary revolt over EU

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron suffered an embarrassing blow in parliament on Wednesday when a third of his Conservative lawmakers voted against him in protest at his stance on Britain's membership of the European Union. Though the revolt was defeated, the rebellion could undermine Cameron's leadership, as scores of his own party's lawmakers took the highly unusual step of voting to criticize his government's legislative plans, a week after they were first put before parliament.

France suggests EU link easing Syria arms embargo to peace talks

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France is floating a proposal that the European Union ease an arms embargo for Syrian rebels but delay acting on the decision to intensify pressure on Damascus to negotiate an end to Syria's civil war, a French diplomat said on Wednesday. Sweden, Austria and some other EU member states are resisting efforts by France and Britain to modify the ban to strengthen rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Lonmin's South African platinum workers end strike

MARIKANA, South Africa (Reuters) - Workers at Lonmin's South African platinum shafts were ending a walkout, the company said on Wednesday, easing fears that a two-day strike could ignite fresh labor violence in the continent's largest economy. Leaders of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) earlier told thousands of strikers at a rally to return to their posts, pending negotiations between the union and an independent mediator.

Thousands of Palestinians mark 65 years since displacement

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday during demonstrations to mark 65 years since what they call the Nakba (Catastrophe) when the creation of Israel's caused many to lose their homes and become refugees. A shell fired from Gaza, which is ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas, exploded in an open area of Israel but caused no injuries, according to an Israeli military spokesman. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

No breakthrough in nuclear talks with Iran: U.N

VIENNA (Reuters) - Talks between the U.N. nuclear watchdog and Iran about Tehran's nuclear program failed to clinch an accord and no date has been set for more meetings, a senior U.N. official said on Wednesday. "We had intensive discussions today but did not finalize the structured approach document that has been under negotiation for a year and a half now," Herman Nackaerts, deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told reporters after meeting Iranian officials in Vienna.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-015720922.html

dierks bentley kenny chesney academy of country music awards brad paisley zac brown band aubrey born to run