Monday, June 8, 2015
Obama huddles on G-7 sidelines over pressing Mideast problems, pushes Russia sanctions
ELMAU, Germany (AP) — President Barack Obama was huddling with allies Monday on the sidelines of an international summit to address pressing Mideast problems while trying to convince European leaders not to waver on sanctions against Russia in the face of fresh violence in Ukraine.
Obama came to the final day of the Group of Seven summit under the strain of an intimidating list of global pressures and little signs of movement to address them among the world's largest industrial democracies. Climate change and terrorism topped the official agenda, but leaders also grappled with Russia's aggressive moves on Ukraine, an upcoming nuclear deadline with Iran, tenuous trade pact politics and an impasse over Greece's international bailout.
Obama met privately with French President Francois Hollande, a sometimes skeptical partner in the talks with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. Obama also planned to consult with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as he struggles against an increasing threat from Islamic State militants. Abadi has called for more help from the U.S. and its partners to confront the militants. He also was scheduled to address G-7 leaders during a closed session focused on terrorism.
Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said the president wants to look for "more efficient ways that we can offer assistance to Iraqi security forces" and he expects that will be part of the discussion among the G-7, which also includes Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan.
Meeting on Sunday with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama said he wanted to address the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and "assess what's working, what's not, and how we can continue to make progress there in dismantling the infrastructure that ISIL has built."
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THE LATEST: Iraqi, African leaders join G-7 summit for discussion on terrorism, diseases
ELMAU, Germany (AP) — 11:50 a.m. (0950 GMT; 5:50 a.m. EDT)
The G-7 has opened its exclusive circle to meet with the leaders of Iraq and several African nations, along with the heads of various international organizations.
Key topics of discussion include the threat from terrorism and deadly diseases.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Arabi will brief leaders Monday on his country's fight against the Islamic State group, while African countries will talk about their efforts to stop the spread of Ebola.
The so-called "outreach" format also ensures that developing countries' views are heard on global issues such as plans to rein in global warming.
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10 Things to Know for Today
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA AT G-7
Iraq's premier and the presidents of Nigeria and Tunisia will detail their struggles in the fight against terror. Global trade, climate change and hunger will also be discussed.
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Authorities probing how inmates pulled off 'Shawshank Redemption'-style escape in NY
DANNEMORA, N.Y. (AP) — Two murderers who escaped from a prison by cutting through steel walls and pipes remain on the loose as authorities investigate how the inmates obtained the power tools used in the "Shawshank Redemption"-style breakout.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the escape over the weekend was a "sophisticated plan" and announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to men's capture.
David Sweat, 34, was serving a sentence of life without parole for the 2002 killing of a sheriff's deputy. Richard Matt, 48, had been sentenced to 25 years to life for kidnapping, killing and dismembering his former boss in 1997.
"These are killers. They are murderers," the governor said. "There's never been a question about the crimes they committed. They are now on the loose, and our first order of business is apprehending them."
Officials gave no details on how the men managed to avoid detection while cutting their way out. "They had to be heard," Cuomo told ABC's "Good Morning America."
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Despite win, Erdogan's ruling party looks set to struggle to form new government
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's ruling party was left Monday with few options to form a new government, after it was stripped of its parliamentary majority and opposition parties ruled out joining it in a coalition pact.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party won about 41 percent of the votes in Sunday's election and was projected to take 258 seats — 18 below the minimum required to rule alone.
The result was a stunning rebuke to Erdogan's ambitions to expand his powers in a new presidential system.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was scheduled to convene his cabinet and party executives Monday to discuss the party's options as its 13-year single party rule came to an end.
The result also puts Erdogan's hopes of passing constitutional changes that would have boosted his powers on hold. He is likely to see his pre-eminent position in Turkish politics erode without the ability to steer the government through his party.
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In Gaza, nervous Hamas forces take on a new home-grown jihadi threat from IS loyalists
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Still recovering from a devastating war with Israel last summer, Gaza's Hamas rulers now find themselves confronting a new internal threat: jihadi militants who support the Islamic State group and appear intent on provoking Israel in order to pressure and embarrass Hamas.
While these Salafi groups are not strong enough to threaten Hamas, they are making life increasingly difficult for the ruling Islamic militant group. Hamas accuses them of being behind a series of mysterious explosions aimed at Hamas security posts, as well as recent rocket launches that have drawn Israeli reprisals and threats of tougher military action. A Hamas crackdown on the Salafists killed a wanted fugitive during an arrest raid last week, appearing to erase any hopes of reconciliation in the near term.
The fugitive, Younis al-Hunnor, had been wanted for months, and his death has prompted angry calls for revenge.
"Hamas are infidels," says a spray-painted message written on the stairway of al-Hunnor's apartment building in southern Gaza. "No condolences before revenge," said another message.
On a recent day, blood stains were still visible outside the apartment, and al-Hunnor's mother, Basma, fully covered in a black gown and veil, pointed to several bullets holes at the entrance. "They killed him here. They executed him," she said.
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Texas officer on leave after video shows him pushing teen to ground, pointing gun at others
McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — A suburban Dallas police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video showed him pushing a 14-year-old girl in a swimsuit to the ground outside a pool and pointing his gun at other teens.
McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley said at a news conference Sunday that the incident began when officers responded Friday to a report of a disturbance involving a group of juveniles at a neighborhood pool.
The police department said in an earlier statement that the young people did not live in the area or have permission to be there.
When officers arrived, residents and private security pointed out the juveniles, who were "creating the disturbance, fighting and refusing to leave," Conley said.
As officers dispersed the crowd, the 14-year-old girl was "temporarily detained" by an officer, said Conley, who did not describe what led to her detainment.
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Police shoot tear gas to disperse crowd outside New Jersey concert; bottles thrown at troopers
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey State Police blocking gates outside of a major hip-hop concert at MetLife Stadium had bottles thrown at them by angry people in the crowd who were trying to get inside — some without tickets — and they later used tear gas to try to disperse them, according to officials.
Crowds at the Hot 97 Summer Jam concert became upset Sunday night when the gates were closed and blocked off by police in riot gear. An armored state police vehicle began blasting a piercing loud noise to try to disperse the crowd and police later deployed tear gas.
Additional troops were sent for "crowd control" and arrests were made, a police spokesman, Sgt. Gregory Williams, told The Associated Press. State police didn't release details about what measures they used to disperse the crowd. The number of arrests wasn't immediately known.
The disturbance began when crowds of people tried to "illegally" force their way into the sold out event by climbing over fences and forcing their way through security, state police said in a statement Sunday night. Police said they insisted that everyone outside of the gate leave the stadium complex to avoid congestion when the concert ended.
Videos and photos posted by people outside of the stadium on social media showed fights between concertgoers and police in riot gear blocking the entrance. Images also showed police using large military-style vehicles to try to disperse the crowds.
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Report: Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, detained in Iran, back in court for hearing
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The detained Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian was back in a Teheran court on Monday for the second closed-door hearing in his espionage trial, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.
The session was expected to last until early in the afternoon in Iran, according to IRNA.
Rezaian, the Post's 39-year-old bureau chief, had his first closed-door hearing on May 26 in a Revolutionary Court on charges including espionage and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. U.S. officials, the Post and rights groups have criticized his trial.
Rezaian, his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained on July 22 in Tehran. All were later released except Rezaian, who has been held over 300 days.
IRNA said two other people detained with Rezaian were also in court Monday. It did not elaborate or say who those two are, but Rezaian's defense lawyer, Leila Ahsan, has previously said Salehi and one of the two unnamed photojournalists also face trial.
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Emotional 'Fun Home' victory, O'Hara's overdue triumph are among top moments at Tony Awards
NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Patrick Harris was just a presenter this time, but he sure looked glad to be back from the Oscars. And why wouldn't he be?
Even when uneven, the Tonys are the most reliably entertaining of the awards shows, and often the most warmhearted and uplifting, too. That was the case Sunday, as the intimate, poignant, lesbian coming-of-age story "Fun Home" took best musical over more conventional fare, and longtime stage sweetheart Kelli O'Hara finally won a trophy after six nominations, charming the crowd with a goofy mix of bliss and relief.
Here are 10 memorable moments, including some you didn't see on TV:
A YEAR FOR WOMEN:
An early award — best score — signaled it was going to be a good night for "Fun Home," but it was doubly important because composer Jeanine Tesori and playwright Lisa Kron are the first all-female team to win the award. "We stand on the shoulders of other women who came before us," Tesori said. Kron also won best book of a musical, and one of the night's two directing prizes went to Marianne Elliott for "The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-time."
