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Oklahoma Tornado: Six People Still Missing

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:15:37 +0100

President Barack Obama has said he will visit storm-ravaged Oklahoma this weekend, where six people remain unaccounted for two days after the tornado disaster.

U.S. says four Americans have been killed in counterterrorism operations

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:05:49 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday that the United States has killed four Americans in counterterrorism operations, three of whom were not targets of the strikes involving drones in Yemen and elsewhere. Holder named the four dead U.S. citizens in a letter to members of Congress one day before President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver an address on the use of drones. The letter defends the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, the one dead American who was an intended target of a drone strike, the letter said. ...

US formally takes responsibility for killing Awlaki

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:40:35 +0100

The United States formally admitted for the first time on Wednesday that it had killed radical American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and three other US citizens in anti-terror strikes abroad.

Obama to travel to tornado-ravaged Oklahoma on Sunday

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:24:51 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to the Oklahoma City area on Sunday to see the devastation caused by tornadoes this week and to talk to families affected by the storm, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

U.S. may boost Syria rebels if Assad won't talk peace

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:39:18 +0100

By Arshad Mohammed and Erika Solomon AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Washington threatened on Wednesday to increase support for Syria's rebels if President Bashar al-Assad refuses to discuss a political end to a civil war that is spreading across borders. Rebels called for reinforcements to combat an "invasion" by Hezbollah and its Iranian backers, days after President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched an offensive against a strategic town that could prove to be a turning point in the war. ...

Syria to decide soon on peace talk participation -minister

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:47:14 +0100

By Steve Gutterman MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government will decide soon whether to take part in peace talks with the opposition, a senior Syrian diplomat said after talks in Moscow. Asked whether Damascus had committed to joint Russian-U.S. efforts to hold a peace conference, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said: "We are still discussing these questions." "A final decision will be taken after our return to Damascus," Mekdad told Russian news agency Itar-TASS following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. ...

Two babies among US tornado victims

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:32:44 +0100

Two babies are among the 24 killed by a tornado that tore through this US community, officials said Wednesday, as residents began the daunting task of rebuilding their lives in the wake of the catastrophe.

Analysis - From opera to exercises, U.S. and China deepen military ties

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:13:42 +0100

By Peter Apps, Political Risk Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even as the United States accuses China of military espionage and worries about Beijing's more strident posture in the Asia-Pacific region, the ties between the armed forces of the two nations have been getting closer. Direct contact between China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and some of its potential adversaries has increased dramatically in the last two years. The first major public sign of the thaw was a joint concert by the U.S. ...

France says Syria's Assad must give up power to end war

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:42:34 +0100

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must turn over power to a transitional government in order for a U.S.- and Russian-backed peace conference to have any chance of success, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday. "It is perfectly clear that the main aim of this possible conference is to bring in a transitional government for Syria which will have the full executive power," Fabius said before a meeting of the Friends of Syria alliance in Jordan's capital. "The position of France is ... there has to be a transitional body which will have all the executive power. ...

Kerry warns Syria's Assad against rejecting political solution

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:26:44 +0100

By Arshad Mohammed AMMAN (Reuters) - Western governments are ready to increase support to opponents of President Bashar al-Assad if he rejects a political solution to Syria's civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday. Kerry said recent military gains by Assad's forces were only temporary and that if the Syrian leader believed that the counter-offensives against the rebels would be decisive, "then he is miscalculating". ...

Kerry says thousands of Hezbollah fighters in Syria

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:43:30 +0100

AMMAN (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not prepared to discuss a political solution to end Syria's civil war, the United States and others would consider increasing support for his opponents. Kerry also told a news conference in the Jordanian capital Amman that there were several thousand fighters from the Lebanese group Hezbollah taking part in Syria's conflict, with Iranian support. ...

Anthony Weiner Stands For New York City Mayor

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:20:54 +0100

Former US congressman Anthony Weiner, who was forced to resign two years ago over a series of racy tweets, has said he is running for New York City mayor.

Turkey eyes oil, gas deals with Iraqi Kurdistan

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:28:33 +0100

By Orhan Coskun ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is looking to sign commercial contracts this year with Russian and U.S. companies operating in northern Iraq for joint oil and gas exploration, Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told Reuters. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan last week discussed U.S. concerns about Turkey's deepening energy ties with Iraqi Kurdistan during meetings in Washington with President Barack Obama. Minutes before his departure for Washington, Erdogan announced that a Turkish company already had a contract in place with U.S. ...

EU mission seeks to rebuild Mali army after U.S. faltered

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:49:53 +0100

By David Lewis KOULIKORO, Mali (Reuters) - Under a blazing sun and the critical gaze of British and Irish instructors, a line of 11 Malian soldiers lie prone in the dust firing AK-47 rounds at targets, one-by-one. "One out of 10 - not very good," Captain Ibrahim Soumassa, commander of the Malian unit, tells one of the men. "We're at 25 metres. When we're at 100, it'll be difficult." A European Union training mission faces a considerable challenge as it seeks to succeed where years of U.S. ...

Iran bars Rafsanjani from standing for president

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:01:00 +0100

Iran said Tuesday the moderate ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was among those barred from standing in next month's presidential election, provoking a sharp reaction from Washington.

Parents withdraw from inquiry into death of U.S. engineer Shane Todd

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:06:36 +0100

By Kevin Lim and Joyce Lim SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The parents of a U.S. engineer found dead in Singapore last year said on Wednesday they will not take part in the rest of a coroner's inquiry into his death, which they say was linked to a project involving the transfer of sensitive technology to China. In a statement issued through their lawyers, Rick and Mary Todd said they had lost confidence in the system investigating the death of their 31-year-old son, Shane, who was found hanging in his Singapore apartment last June. The Todds did not appear in court on Wednesday, the day after a U.S. ...

Landmark US immigration bill clears key Senate hurdle

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:21:37 +0100

A sweeping overhaul of the US immigration system took a major step toward viability when a Senate panel gave bipartisan approval to a landmark bill offering a path to citizenship for millions.

US heads to end Myanmar sanctions after landmark visit

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:52:06 +0100

A key US senator backed an end to US sanctions on Myanmar after a landmark visit by the country's reformist leader, signaling a new normalization in relations despite rights concerns.

US missile test delayed for a day

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:15:31 +0100

The US Air Force delayed for a day an intercontinental ballistic missile test because of a "range safety instrumentation issue."

Oklahoma Tornado: Survivor Search Almost Over

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:50:29 +0100

President Barack Obama says Americans will support victims of the Oklahoma tornado by "opening our homes and hearts to those in need".

Factbox - The 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:46:23 +0100

(Reuters) - A powerful tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing 24 people, including nine children, according to the Oklahoma medical examiner's office. At one point, as many as 91 were feared dead, but authorities have since scaled back the official death toll. Here are the 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history: 1. March 18, 1925 - Missouri/Illinois/Indiana - 695 dead 2. May 6, 1840 - Natchez, Mississippi - 317 dead 3. May 27, 1896 - St. Louis - 255 dead 4. April 5, 1936 - Tupelo, Mississippi - 216 dead 5. April 6, 1936 - Gainesville, Georgia - 203 dead 6. ...

In US tornado's wake, rain hampers relief effort

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:48:29 +0100

Torrential rains hampered rescue and relief efforts Tuesday in this Oklahoma City suburb reeling from one of the worst tornadoes in the United States in the years.

Rescuers dig for life after US tornado kills 24

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:18:38 +0100

Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people.

Cat bond investors on alert after Oklahoma twister

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:59 +0100

By Sarah Mortimer LONDON (Reuters) - Investors in niche financial bonds that cover insurers against huge natural disasters are on alert for future events that could force them to pay out after the powerful tornado that struck the U.S. on Monday, brokers and fund managers said. Catastrophe bonds are used by the insurance industry to transfer financial risks of extreme events like earthquakes or hurricanes, to investors, who receive an annual return in exchange for agreeing to cover damages they consider very unlikely. ...

Obama pledges all necessary help for storm-hit Oklahoma

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:46:26 +0100

By Mark Felsenthal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday offered condolences for the victims of a deadly tornado in Oklahoma and pledged to focus the nation's resources on recovery and rebuilding. "As a nation, our full focus right now is on the urgent work of rescue and the hard work of recovery and rebuilding that lies ahead," he said at the White House. "Yesterday I spoke with Governor (Mary) Fallin to make it clear to Oklahomans that they would have all the resources that they need at their disposal. ...

U.S. tornado threat continues, including Dallas-Fort Worth area

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10:38 +0100

By Greg McCune CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tornadoes could form across a wide area of the southern Plains and into the U.S. southeast again on Tuesday, including metropolitan Dallas-Fort Worth, the most populous urban area in the threatened area, a government meteorologist said. "There could be a few more tornadoes again, particularly in northern and central Texas," said Brynn Kerr, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. ...

Syrian opposition, government prepare for peace talks - mediator

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:08:55 +0100

CAIRO (Reuters) - Syria's opposition and government are preparing to take part in an internationally-sponsored peace conference, the United Nations-Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said on Tuesday. "The Syrian people are building great hopes on the conference, as the opposition prepares itself to take part and likewise the Syrian regime prepares to take part in this conference," he told reporters at the Arab League. "The United Nations is working to organise the conference in the best way possible." The talks are due to take place in the Swiss city of Geneva in June. U.S. ...

Peace debate exposes deep rifts in Israeli government

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:05:21 +0100

By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's coalition government presented a divided front on Palestinian statehood on Tuesday as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry prepared a new mission to revive long-defunct peace talks. Appearing before a parliamentary committee, Israeli chief peace negotiator Tzipi Livni outlined a vision she said she shared with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of an end to the decades-old conflict with the Palestinians. ...

US court rules Bin Laden death photos can stay secret

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:59:02 +0100

A US appeals court ruled Tuesday that the federal government is not required to release photos that were taken of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden after he was killed by special forces.

Kerry visits Oman for arms deal, talks on Syria, Mideast

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:47:05 +0100

By Arshad Mohammed MUSCAT (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Oman on Tuesday for Raytheon Co's signing of an estimated $2.1 billion (1.3 billion pounds) arms deal and to consult on Syria and Iran, U.S. officials said. Oman is expected to sign a letter of intent to purchase a ground-based air defence system that would help protect against cruise missile, drone or fighter aircraft attacks, a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters aboard Kerry's plane. Part of the sale has been previously disclosed. In October 2011, the U.S. ...

Obama to meet with China's Xi in California June 7-8

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:20:20 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first meeting since Xi became president in March when they sit down for a June 7-8 summit in Rancho Mirage, California, the White House announced on Monday. The two leaders are likely to discuss ways to apply pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program after a period of bellicose rhetoric and threats from Pyongyang. The United States also has concerns about cyber attacks it says are emanating from China. ...

Israel extends Palestinians' Gaza fishing zone

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:10:35 +0100

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel on Tuesday expanded the distance it permits Gaza fishermen to head out to sea, restoring a limit it cut in half two months ago in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave. The Defence Ministry announced the decision two days before a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks stalled since 2010. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the expansion of the zone from three to six nautical miles (5.5 to 11 km), a statement said. ...

Obama hails Myanmar leader but warns on Muslims

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:02:09 +0100

US President Barack Obama threw his support behind Myanmar President Thein Sein in his drive to reform a former pariah state but warned that a wave of violence against Muslims must stop.

Pentagon to take over some CIA drone operations - sources

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:35:14 +0100

By Tabassum Zakaria and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration has decided to give the Pentagon control of some drone operations against terrorism suspects overseas that are currently run by the CIA, several U.S. government sources said on Monday. Obama has pledged more transparency on controversial counterterrorism programs, and giving the Pentagon the responsibility for part of the drone program could open it to greater congressional oversight. ...

Obama to meet Xi in California in June

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:02:35 +0100

President Barack Obama will hold his first summit with President Xi Jinping in California next month, with Sino-US relations rattled by alleged Chinese cyber spying and tensions in the Pacific.

Kerry visits Oman for arms deal signing, talks on Syria, Mideast

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:52:08 +0100

By Arshad Mohammed SHANNON, Ireland (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flies to Oman on Tuesday for Raytheon Co's signing of an estimated $2.1 billion arms deal and to consult on Syria and Iran, U.S. officials said. Oman is expected to sign a letter of intent to purchase a ground-based air defence system that would help protect against cruise missile or drone attacks, a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters aboard Kerry's plane. ...

Top White House officials knew in April of tax probe

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:50:50 +0100

Top White House aides knew of a scandal over tax officials targeting conservative groups in April, but did not tell President Barack Obama, in a possible bid to insulate him from political damage.

Obama urges Myanmar to stop violence against Muslims

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:23:08 +0100

By Paul Eckert WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged the president of Myanmar on Monday to halt violence against a Muslim minority but praised economic and political reforms in the formerly pariah nation that is emerging as a U.S. ally in China's backyard. During the first visit to the White House in 47 years by a leader of the Southeast Asian nation, Obama called for an end to the killings of Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. Reformist Myanmar President Thein Sein vowed to resolve ethnic conflicts and bring perpetrators to justice. ...

Monster tornado flattens suburb of Oklahoma City

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:52:29 +0100

By R.J. Young MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter's eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured as the dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states with more twisters. ...

What's in a name? U.S. starts using Myanmar as well as Burma

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:31:49 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Southeast Asian nation formerly known as Burma received further backing from the White House on Monday in its campaign to be called Myanmar. Successive U.S. governments have refused to acknowledge the name change made in the late 1980s by the country's military rulers. The United States for years deliberately referred to the nation of 60 million people as Burma, so as not to give legitimacy to military governments. But in a nod to political reforms made by President Thein Sein, the White House acknowledged it is now employing the name Myanmar more often than before. ...