WorldNews

[attach=full]18646[/attach] US Republican Senators attempted to further undermine President Barack Obama's efforts to reach a nuclear accord with Iran on Monday, warning Tehran that any deal might not last. In an open letter to the Islamic republic signed by 47 lawmakers, they told Iran any deal signed by Obama must be ratified by Congress or it could be abandoned by any future president. The letter appeared to be another bid to derail the talks under way between Tehran and the P5+1 group of world powers to place Iran's nuclear program under international surveillance. Many Republican senators fear such a deal would loosen economic sanctions on Tehran while leaving it free to secretly attempt to develop nuclear weapons technology. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18640[/attach] By Siva Govindasamy SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Last year was by some measures the safest in the history of commercial aviation, despite two high-profile crashes involving Malaysia Airlines aircraft in which hundreds of people were killed, a leading industry body said on Monday. While more people died in air accidents in 2014 than the average in recent years, the number of fatal accidents compared with the total number of flights was a record low, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). "While aviation safety was in the headlines in 2014, the data show that flying continues to improve its safety performance," said Tony Tyler, IATA's director general and chief executive officer, in a statement. IATA, which represents about 250 airlines, said in an annual safety report that there were 12 fatal accidents in 2014 with 641 fatalities, versus 19 fatal accidents and 517 fatalities per year in the five-year period between 2009 and 2013. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18639[/attach] The first attempt to fly around the world in a plane using only solar power launched from Abu Dhabi on Monday on a landmark journey that will test its pilots' endurance to the limit. "The adventure has started," Solar Impulse chairman Bertrand Piccard said emotionally, after pilot Andre Borschberg took off from Abu Dhabi's Al-Bateen airport at 7:12 am (0412 GMT) on the historic circumnavigation aimed at promoting green energy. After four hours' flying, Borschberg was on schedule, having already entered Omani air space and covered just over a third of the distance. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18638[/attach] London equities fell in early trade Monday after a strong US jobs report raised expectations that the Federal Reserve could soon hike interest rates. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index of top companies was down 23.33 points, or 0.34 percent, at 6,888.47 points, with developer Land Securities Group and DIY retailer Kingfisher the biggest fallers. US markets sank Friday after the Labor Department said 295,000 jobs were created in February, pushing the unemployment rate down to 5.5 percent, the lowest level since May 2008. Analysts said the latest strong jobs report -- which also follows a series of other positive indicators -- increased the likelihood the Fed will lift rates from near-zero as early as the summer. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18637[/attach] By Mehreen Zahra-Malik ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani court upheld the death sentence on Monday for the killer of the governor of Pakistan's largest province after he had called for reform of a law against blasphemy, media said. Mumtaz Qadri was a bodyguard for Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and was convicted of shooting him dead in Islamabad in January 2011. Taseer was an outspoken critic of predominantly Muslim Pakistan's harsh blasphemy law - which carries the death penalty. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18636[/attach] JERUSALEM (AP) — Jay Leno is making a comeback — in Israel. Continue reading...

CASTRIES, St. Lucia (AP) — A team of independent investigators is alleging that St. Lucia's police force maintained "death lists" of people deemed to be criminals and planted guns at the scenes of police shootings to legitimize their unlawful actions, the Caribbean country's leader announced Sunday. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18632[/attach] The first attempt to fly around the world in a plane using solar energy will be launched Monday in Abu Dhabi, its pilots said, in a landmark journey aimed at promoting green energy. The takeoff of Solar Impulse 2, which was delayed on Saturday due to high winds, would cap 13 years of research and testing by Swiss pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard. "This project is a human project, it is a human challenge," Borschberg, co-founder and chief executive of Solar Impulse who will fly the plane on the first leg, told reporters on Sunday. It will take off from Abu Dhabi on Monday at 6:30 am (0230 GMT), landing first in Muscat, Oman. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18631[/attach] MILAN (AP) — After winning the English League Cup to end a trophy drought of nearly three years, Jose Mourinho now has his sights set on joining Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley as the only managers to win the Champions League or European Cup three times. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18630[/attach] Afghanistan have exceeded expectations at their first World Cup but need to keep playing against top sides to maintain momentum and become a real force in the game, coach Andy Moles said Monday. Afghanistan proved competitive in their tournament debut, including posting a win against Scotland, even though the minnow nation only contested their first one-day international in 2009. Moles said his players, many of whom learned their cricket in refugee camps, were passionate about showing the world there was more to their country than war and unrest. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18629[/attach] HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's Cricket World Cup squad might be forced to change its lineup for its final pool match this week after several players came down with a stomach illness on Monday. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18624[/attach] RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Alex Cejka won the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, making a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a five-man playoff. Continue reading...

A low pressure system off northeastern Australia holds up to a 50 percent chance of intensifying to cyclone strength over the next two days and slamming into a region devastated two weeks ago by Cyclone Marcia, according to meteorologists. "This low is expected to deepen during the next few days and has a moderate potential to develop into a tropical cyclone on Tuesday or Wednesday," Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said on Monday. Insurance Australia Group is facing 3,500 claims totaling up to A$90 million ($70 million) from damage caused by Marcia. Continue reading...

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Shared Belief won't run in the $10 million Dubai World Cup this month. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18623[/attach] MILAN (AP) — Roma was held 0-0 Sunday at Chievo Verona as the capital side's title hopes took another blow in a Serie A match which was marred by a gruesome injury to youngster Federico Mattiello. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18622[/attach] Jordan's King Abdullah II and his wife Queen Rania will begin a two-day visit to Morocco on Tuesday at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan royal palace announced. The Jordanian royal visit will end on Thursday. Both countries are involved in a US-led coalition battling against Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria. The two nations are the only Arab monarchies who do not belong to the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council, closed to outsiders since its creation in 1981. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18611[/attach] Boko Haram's bid to forge an alliance with the Islamic State group in sub-Saharan Africa will provide only a propaganda boost for now, but in the long term it could internationalize a conflict restricted to Nigeria for nearly six years, analysts say. Continue reading...

ARLES, France (AP) — European champion Yohann Diniz set a world record in the 20-kilometer race walk at the French championships on Sunday. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18610[/attach] By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will introduce new laws on Tuesday to try to stop airlines carrying passengers who may be traveling to join Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, a junior minister said on Sunday. Security services estimate some 600 Britons have gone to Syria or Iraq to join militant groups, including the man known as "Jihadi John" who has appeared in several Islamic State beheading videos. Under the proposed new laws, Home Secretary Theresa May would be able to prevent airlines from carrying passengers, including children, believed to be traveling to take part in "terrorism-related activity" on known routes, such as those into Syria, according to a Home Office statement. "This important legislation will disrupt the ability of people to travel abroad to fight and then return," James Brokenshire, a junior minister for security in May's department, said in the statement. Continue reading...

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — �West Midlands Police says a football supporter is in critical condition after being attacked in the street following Saturday's second-tier match between Watford and host Wolverhampton Wanderers. Continue reading...

BEIRUT (AP) — A former Lebanese pop star turned wanted Islamic militant denied in an interview broadcast Sunday that he took part in deadly clashes with the military and said he wants to return to his "normal, natural life" with his friends and family. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18602[/attach] Yemen's defence minister was to resume his duties from second city Aden on Sunday after defecting from the Shiite militia which controls the capital, a source in the president's office said. General Mahmud Subaihi's overnight escape from Sanaa follows that of Western-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who has called on ministers to join him in the southern port city to reestablish the government. The minister reached Aden unharmed but at least one of his guards was killed in a firefight with Huthi militiamen during the escape, a military source told AFP. The militia had named Subaihi head of a new security committee when they completed their seizure of power in Sanaa in February. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18601[/attach] Anarchists occupied Greece's ruling party headquarters on Sunday in support of hunger strikers protesting against conditions in the country's maximum-security jails. A group of 50 anarchists burst into the offices of the radical left-wing Syriza party in downtown Athens on Sunday, forcing staff to leave the building, party officials said. "I was inside my office giving my first official interview to a radio station," the party's new spokeswoman Rania Svigou told AFP. Continue reading...

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Security and local officials say at least 12 people have been killed in violent clashes between al-Qaida militants and Shiite Houthi rebels in the central province of Bayda. Continue reading...

[attach=full]18600[/attach] WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Thousands of Warsaw residents have taken their first rides on the Polish capital's second subway line, just over a year later than expected. Continue reading...