CA-NEWS Summary

Cyprus seeks Russian rescue, EU threatens cutoff

NICOSIA/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Cyprus pleaded for a new loan from Russia on Wednesday to avert a financial meltdown, after the island's parliament rejected the terms of a bailout from the EU, raising the risk of default and a bank crash. Cypriot Finance Minister Michael Sarris said he had not reached a deal at a first meeting with his Russian counterpart Anton Siluanov in Moscow, but talks there would continue.

Obama arrives in Israel, vows undying U.S. support

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Making his first official visit to Israel, President Barack Obama pledged on Wednesday unwavering commitment to the security of the Jewish State where concern over a nuclear-armed Iran has clouded U.S.-Israeli relations. He also stressed the need for Middle East peace at the start of a three-day trip, which is aimed at resetting strained relations with both the Israelis and Palestinians, but is not expected to provide new initiatives or substantial policy moves.

U.S. ambassador to Syria: no evidence to back chemical weapons report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robert Ford, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, said on Wednesday there is so far no evidence to back reports that chemical weapons were used in Syria on Tuesday. "So far, we have no evidence which substantiates the reports that chemical weapons were used yesterday. But I want to underline that we are looking very carefully at these reports," he said in testimony to a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the crisis in Syria.

North Korea's Kim supervises "drone attack" drill

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a drone attack on a simulated South Korean target on Wednesday, Pyongyang's KCNA news agency reported, and the armed forces shot down a target mimicking a cruise missile. North Korea has stepped up its military exercises in response to what it regards as "hostile" joint drills by South Korea and the United States after Pyongyang was sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council for a nuclear test in February.

Iraqi tells inquiry of ill-treatment by British troops

LONDON (Reuters) - An Iraqi man told a public inquiry in London on Wednesday that he was beaten, threatened with a metal tent pole and subjected to sleep deprivation by occupying British troops. Madhi Jasim Abdullah Al-Behadili, 26, is the first of nine Iraqi former detainees who will give evidence at the Al-Sweady inquiry into alleged crimes by British troops after the battle of Danny Boy on May 14, 2004.

Venezuela opposition chief mocks Chavez heir as non-entity

CIUDAD BOLIVAR, Venezuela (Reuters) - Fighting an uphill battle in Venezuela's election, opposition leader Henrique Capriles scoffs at acting president and rival Nicolas Maduro as a non-entity riding on the memory of Hugo Chavez to hide his own incompetence. In an interview on his campaign bus on Tuesday, Capriles also accused the late president's chosen heir Maduro of trying to distract voters from real problems with wild claims including a U.S.-based plot to kill the opposition candidate.

Lew's China visit ends with focus on currency, cyber security

BEIJING (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Jack Lew wrapped up a two-day visit to China on Wednesday having reopened dialogue on pressing issues of economic reform but saying more action is needed on China's exchange rate. Lew, in his first international trip since taking office last month, also raised concerns about security issues involving cyber threats and North Korea.

Italian president seeks way out of political stalemate

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano began consultations with political leaders on Wednesday to try to find a way of forming a government after the deadlocked election last month which left no party with a majority in parliament. Senate speaker Pietro Grasso said after meeting Napolitano the president was determined to reach an accord, saying there was "an absolute necessity to give the country a government".

UK says Syria chemical attack report boosts case to arm rebels

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Wednesday reports of a chemical attack in Syria strengthened the case for relaxing a European Union arms embargo on the country, and warned that a failure to do so could lead to the kind of wartime massacres seen in Bosnia. Britain and France are pushing for the EU ban to be eased to allow a flow of arms to outgunned rebels waging a two-year-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but several EU countries and Russia oppose the move.

Afghanistan, NATO agree on troops leaving key province

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan and NATO-led forces have reached a deal on foreign troops leaving a key strategic district near Kabul, coalition forces said, but a controversial expulsion order against U.S. special forces from the entire province remained unclear. An Afghan defense ministry spokesman told reporters in Kabul that the elite American force would quit the whole province of Wardak within a few days, despite U.S. concerns that their departure would leave a security vacuum.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-000945250.html

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