2014年2月14日星期五

Yahoo! News: India Top Stories - Reuters

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: India Top Stories - Reuters


Shift seen in legal battle for gay rights

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 03:11 PM PST

From left back row, Carol Schall , Emily Schall-Townley,16, daughter of Schall and Townley and Mary Townley , Tim Bostic and Tony London celebrate the Thursday's ruling by federal Judge Arenda Wright Allen that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional on Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 in Norfolk, Va. Wright Allen on Thursday issued a stay of her order while it is appealed, meaning that gay couples in Virginia still won't be able to marry until the case is ultimately resolved. An appeal will be filed to the 4th District Court of Appeals, which could uphold the ban or side with Wright Allen. At the bottom of photo is Adam Umhoefer, Executive Director of the American Foundation for Equal Rights. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Bill Tiernan) MAGS OUTUptick in federal judges' willingness to embrace same-sex marriage could hasten Supreme Court.


Skater who fled tsunami pays heartfelt tribute

Posted:

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu dedicates Olympic gold medal to 'return the favors I got.'


7 rejected GOP Valentine’s Day jokes (4 REAL)

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:14 PM PST

Charlie Crist Obama HugAhhh, February 14, when a young party official's thoughts turn to the sweetness and light of Valentine's Day-themed political attacks.


Homosexuals may soon face threat of life sentence in Uganda

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:58 PM PST

Kenyan gays and lesbians and others supporting their cause wear masks to preserve their anonymity as they stage a rare protest, against Uganda's increasingly tough stance against homosexuality and in solidarity with their counterparts there, outside the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. Homosexuality has been criminalized in Uganda where lawmakers have recently passed a new bill, which appears to have wide support among Ugandans, that prescribes life imprisonment for "aggravated" homosexual acts. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni plans to sign a bill into law that prescribes life imprisonment for some homosexual acts, officials said Friday, alarming rights activists who have condemned the bill as draconian in a country where homosexuality already has been criminalized.


What's next, flying pigs? Researchers say crocs can climb trees

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:08 PM PST

Undated handout photo shows an adult Philippine crocodile on a tree limbThough the reptiles lack obvious physical features to suggest this is possible, crocodiles in fact climb trees all the way to the crowns, according to University of Tennessee researcher Vladimir Dinets. Researchers in the climbing study observed crocodiles in Australia, Africa and North America. Dinets said crocodiles lack the toe and foot structure that would be expected of a climber. However, smaller and juvenile crocodiles in particular were observed climbing vertically while larger ones tended to climb angled trunks and branches, all of which is a measure of the reptiles' spectacular agility, he said.


Photos of the day

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST

Photos of the dayA view of the Pont Des Arts on Valentine's Day on February 14, 2014 in Paris, France. The accumulation of the 'love locks', a phenomenon popular in many European cities, where couples attach a lock to symbolise their love to the mesh panels on the sides of the bridge, is starting to pose safety concerns, due to their mass weight. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

Feds give banks guidance on pot sellers

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 11:15 AM PST

FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2013 file photo, marijuana is displayed at the River Rock dispensary in Denver. The federal government takes another step toward enabling a legalized marijuana industry to operate in the U.S., announcing that it will allow banks to do business with legal marijuana sellers. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)DOJ and Treasury Dept. action moves U.S. a step closer to legalized marijuana industry.


Scrapped flights soar to historic high

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 07:44 AM PST

FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, file photo, Airline passenger Hossam Shalaby, from Egypt, waits for his rescheduled flight to Orlando under the departure board showing hundreds of cancellations at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, in Atlanta. The relentless snow and ice storms this winter have led to the highest number of flight cancellations in more than 25 years, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/David Tulis, File)Harsh winter blamed for highest percentage of canceled flights since record-keeping began.


Massive pileup snarls travel on Pennsylvania Turnpike

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 07:53 AM PST

Massive pileup snarls travel on Pennsylvania TurnpikePennsylvania State Police trooper inspects vehicles piled up in an accident, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Cupid's arrow sparks romance among Ukraine protesters

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 11:57 AM PST

A priest celebrates a marriage under a tent on Independence square in Kiev on February 14, 2014She dropped her job to join the revolution against a hated regime. The storyline could be that of Hollywood's newest blockbuster, but it happened in real life on Kiev's Independence Square, where passion has blossomed among the grimy tents of Ukraine's barricaded anti-government enclave. It all began in December when Yulia Serko, a slim and stylish 25-year-old, left her hometown of Rivne in western Ukraine after protesters rose up in the capital against the president's decision to edge away from the European Union and move closer to Russia. The softly-spoken brunette went straight to Kiev city hall, which had been taken over by protesters demanding the departure of President Viktor Yanukovych, and volunteered in the kitchen.


Putin visits Team USA in Sochi

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:27 AM PST

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, emerges from Canada House in Olympic Park after visiting there and USA House during the 2014 Winter Olympics Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/David Phillip)Athletes in the Olympic house got a surprise visit from their host.


Before smooching in the Philippines, lovers are pointed to life jackets

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Couples kiss during a free mass wedding in Manila of February 14, 2014Rescuers are deploying in the Philippines' Manila Bay to help distracted lovers aboard boats who could fall into the water while on Valentine's Day cruise dates, the coastguard said Friday. The authorities expect the bay, with its spectacular views of the sunset, to throb with activity by sundown as couples hop onto yachts and cruise ships for deck-side, candle-lit dinners accompanied by romantic music from live bands. Hundreds of lovers are expected in the area until midnight, and the main danger would be people falling overboard, coastguard spokesman Commander Armando Balilo said in a statement announcing the safety measures. "We cannot prevent people from being sweet on Valentine's Day but they should be alert and be mindful of their safety, be mindful of their environment," he said.


Obama turns attention to California drought

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:58 PM PST

President Barack Obama waves he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, en route to travel to Fresno, Calif., to discuss the ongoing drought. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — President Barack Obama will offer millions of dollars in federal aid for drought-stricken California during a visit with farmers and ranchers Friday and outline plans to seek $1 billion from Congress to help communities manage the effects of climate change.


Consumers liken Comcast-TWC merger to creation of 'Death Star'

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 11:12 AM PST

FILE - In this July 30, 2008 file photo illustration, a silhouetted coaxial cable is photographed with the Comcast Corp. logo in the background in Philadelphia.Comcast Corp. announced Thursday that it is buying Time Warner Cable Inc. for $45.2 billion in stock. The deal combines two of the nation's top pay TV and Internet service companies and makes Comcast, which also owns NBCUniversal, a dominant force in both creating and delivering entertainment to U.S. homes. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cable subscribers don't give Comcast and Time Warner Cable good grades when it comes to customer satisfaction. So after Comcast announced its $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable Thursday, it didn't take long for consumers to start venting their frustrations over high prices, spotty service and fears of a monopoly.


American's photo takes top prize in World Press Photo contest

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:22 AM PST

American's photo takes top prize in World Press Photo contestWorld Press Photo of the Year 2013 --- John Stanmeyer, USA, VII for National Geographic --- 26 February 2013, Djibouti City, Djibouti - African migrants on the shore of Djibouti city at night, raising their phones in an attempt to capture an inexpensive signal from neighboring Somaliaâa tenuous link to relatives abroad. Djibouti is a common stop-off point for migrants in transit from such countries as Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, seeking a better life in Europe and the Middle East.

Thousands flee deadly volcano eruption

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:08 AM PST

Residents listen to the authorities and Red Cross on the volcano's activity and evacuation, near the area of the Chaparrastique volcano in the municipality of Placitas outside San SalvadorThe eruption of Mount Kelud could be heard 125 miles away, Indonesian authorities say.


Pileup on icy Pennsylvania Turnpike injures dozens, snarls traffic much of the day

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 01:32 PM PST

Vehicles are piled up in an accident Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Bensalem, Pa. Traffic accidents involving multiple tractor trailers and dozens of cars have completely blocked one side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia and caused some injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)At least 30 motorists were injured on Friday morning in massive chain-reaction crashes on an icy Pennsylvania Turnpike outside Philadelphia, according to news reports. Traffic along the state's primary east-west highway was snarled for seven hours by a series of accidents involving multiple tractor-trailers and cars, but officials announced that all lanes had reopened by 4 p.m.


'House of Cards' cast gets presidential endorsement

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 09:18 AM PST

Kevin Spacey, left, and Robin Wright arrive at a special screening for season 2 of "House of Cards", on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Barack Obama's latest playful executive order is a tweeted effort to limit "House of Cards" plot spoilers.


Fear looms in Indian villages as man-eating tiger prowls

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 07:05 AM PST

In this Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 photo, Samar Jeet Singh, left, and Sanjay Singh, hunters who have been brought in to kill a man eating tiger, walk near the site where the tiger killed an elderly man, at the forest range of Sahuwala, in northern India. One of the challenges facing the hunters and forest officials is to properly identify the tiger that is killing human beings as the area she is in is rich in fauna and is home to several other tigers. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)MANIWALA, India (AP) — She lies in wait while her victims are collecting firewood, or taking cattle to graze, or working in the fields. She has grabbed people in broad daylight, carrying them away silently into the forests or the sugarcane fields. By the time the victims are found, often little is left but a pair of shoes, unspeakable gore and a ring of drying blood.


Another messy morning in winter-weary Northeast

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 11:53 AM PST

A pedestrian walks along a snow-covered street, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Schools are closed across a swath of eastern New York from the mid-Hudson Valley to the Albany area as the region starts to dig out from 12 to 20 inches of snow dumped by the latest winter storm. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A winter storm that brought snow and ice to the East Coast moved offshore Friday after causing at least 25 deaths, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and causing a large pileup in Pennsylvania that injured 30 people.


Judge: Va. same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 09:36 AM PST

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2013 file photo, Virginia Attorney General-elect Mark Herring smiles during a news conference at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. A federal judge ruled Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 that Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, making it the first state in the South to have its voter-approved prohibition overturned. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — In a first for the South, Virginia's same-sex marriage ban has been overturned, with a federal judge ruling that the voter-approved amendment is unconstitutional and declaring the move "another moment history when We the People becomes more inclusive."


More mayhem: Fresh snow for East Coast

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 11:40 PM PST

Snow arcs in the air as it is removed from the driveway at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. After pummeling wide swaths of the South, a winter storm dumped nearly a foot of snow in Washington as it marched Northeast and threatened more power outages, traffic headaches and widespread closures for millions of residents. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)The misery continues a day after a fierce winter storm slammed the region.


Indonesia volcano erupts; 2 killed, 100,000 evacuated

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:45 AM PST

A man watches from Mbaladak village in Blitar, East Java, Indonesia, as Mount Kelud erupts Friday, Feb. 14, 2014. Volcanic ash from a major eruption in Indonesia shrouded a large swath of the country's most densely populated island on Friday, closed three international airports and sent thousands fleeing. (AP Photo/Trisnadi)SUGIHWARAS, Indonesia (AP) — An explosive volcanic eruption on Indonesia's most populous island blasted ash and debris 18 kilometers (12 miles) into the air Friday, killing two people while forcing authorities to evacuate more than 100,000 and close six airports.


Inquiry says Incognito, 2 others harassed Martin

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:32 PM PST

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2013, file photo, Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito (68) and tackle Jonathan Martin (71) look over plays during an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Miami Gardens, Fla. Martin was subjected to "a pattern of harassment" that included racist slurs and vicious sexual taunts about his mother and sister by three teammates, according to a report ordered by the NFL. The report said Incognito, who was suspended by the Dolphins in November, and fellow offensive linemen John Jerry and Mike Pouncey harassed Martin. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)An investigation into the racially charged Miami Dolphins bullying scandal detailed widespread harassment in the team's locker room that extended beyond the two players at the center of the probe.


Gov't lets banks, marijuana sellers do business

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 03:47 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Friday gave banks a road map for conducting transactions with legal marijuana sellers so these new businesses can stash away savings, make payroll and pay taxes like any other enterprise. It's not clear banks will get on board.

Switzerland and Japan are big winners at Olympics

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:47 PM PST

Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan competes in the men's free skate figure skating final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)SOCHI, Russia (AP) — A pair of skiers from Switzerland collected gold medals at the Sochi Games on Friday, and a teenager from Japan overcame a pair of falls to become the first Asian man to win an Olympic title in men's figure skating.


US changing suits after dismal speedskating start

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 03:25 PM PST

Shani Davis of the U.S., center, puts on the prototype of the official US Speedskating suit, while coach Ryan Shimabukuro checks his phone prior to a training session at the Adler Arena Skating Center at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. The team thought it had a chance to do something special, given some impressive World Cup results this season and new high-tech suits from Under Armour, which got an assist in the design from aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Now, there's plenty of grumbling that the suits are actually slowing the skaters down in Sochi. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)SOCHI, Russia (AP) — They were touted as the fastest speedskating suits in the world.


Crimes against humanity in NKorea, UN panel finds

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:32 PM PST

FILE - This Oct. 30, 2013 file photo shows Jin hye Jo wiping a tear as she testifies during a hearing of the United Nations mandated Commission of Inquiry about the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in Washington. Her father was tortured in detention in North Korea and died. Her elder sister went searching for food during the great famine of the 1990s, only to be trafficked to China. Her two younger brothers died of starvation, one of them a baby without milk whose life ebbed away in her arms. Jin Hye Jo tearfully told her family's story Wednesday to U.N. investigators during a public hearing in Washington, their latest stop in a globe-trotting effort to probe possible crimes against humanity in North Korea. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.N. panel has found that crimes against humanity have been committed in North Korea and will call for an international criminal investigation, The Associated Press has learned.


Big, runaway snowball slams into college dorm

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:37 PM PST

This Feb. 8, 2014 image provided by Reed College shows a large snowball that crashed into a Grove Quad dormitory at Reed College in Portland, Ore. The crash ripped a wall off its studs and narrowly missed a window. No one was injured in the collision. College officials say the ball was some 40 inches in diameter and weighed from 800 to 900 pounds.(AP Photo/Reed College)PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Two math majors at Reed College lost control of a massive snowball that rolled into a dorm, knocking in part of a bedroom wall.


Guess who dropped by USA House? Vladimir Putin

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:50 PM PST

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, toasts member of the International Olympic Committee Larry Probst while visiting USA House during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service)SOCHI, Russia (AP) — In a powerful symbol of international sports detente, Russian President Vladimir Putin dropped in on U.S. Olympic headquarters Friday to chat about the Winter Games and the upcoming Russia-U.S. hockey showdown.


Va. gay marriage case heads to appeals court

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:23 PM PST

From left; Tim Bostic and Tony London celebrate Thursday's ruling by federal Judge Arenda Wright Allen that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional during a news conference, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 in Norfolk, Va. Wright Allen on Thursday issued a stay of her order while it is appealed, meaning that gay couples in Virginia still won't be able to marry until the case is ultimately resolved. An appeal will be filed to the 4th District Court of Appeals, which could uphold the ban or side with Wright Allen. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Bill Tiernan) MAGS OUTWASHINGTON (AP) — With Virginia's gay marriage ban overturned, the legal fight over same-sex unions in that state goes to a court that has shifted to the left since President Barack Obama's election.


Car bomb outside mosque in Syria kills dozens

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 03:14 PM PST

In this image made from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, vehicles smolder after an explosion outside a mosque in Yadouda, Syria, Friday, Feb. 14, 2014. A car bomb blew up outside a mosque in a rebel-held village in southern Syria as worshippers were leaving after Friday prayers, killing dozens of people and filling clinics and hospitals with the wounded, anti-government activists said. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network)BEIRUT (AP) — A car bomb blew up outside a mosque in a rebel-held village in southern Syria as worshippers were leaving after Friday prayers, killing dozens of people and filling clinics and hospitals with the wounded, anti-government activists said.


Thousands in dark in Ga., SC days after ice storm

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 03:42 PM PST

Ben Ziegler loads firewood into his truck to keep his family warm due to the power outages caused by an ice storm this week Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Evans, Ga. Nearly a million homes and businesses in Georgia lost power after a storm blanketed the region with snow and ice, but most had power restored by Friday morning. Georgia utility companies said a total of 989,400 customers lost power in the wake of this week's storm. About 175,000 customers were still without service Friday morning. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)WILLISTON, S.C. (AP) — Ben Ziegler frowned grimly as he used borrowed equipment to cut firewood for his home on the third day without power to keep his wife and 14-month-old daughter along with a neighbor family of five warm.


Thousands of zoo animals killed in Europe yearly

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST

The carcass of Marius, a male giraffe, is eaten by lions after he was put down in Copenhagen Zoo on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014. Copenhagen Zoo turned down offers from other zoos and 500,000 euros ($680,000) from a private individual to save the life of a healthy giraffe before killing and slaughtering it Sunday to follow inbreeding recommendations made by a European association. The 2-year-old male giraffe, named Marius, was put down using a bolt pistol and its meat will be fed to carnivores at the zoo, spokesman Tobias Stenbaek Bro said. Visitors, including children, were invited to watch while the giraffe was dissected. (AP Photo/POLFOTO, Rasmus Flindt Pedersen) DENMARK OUTSTOCKHOLM (AP) — People around the world were stunned when Copenhagen Zoo killed a healthy 2-year-old giraffe named Marius, butchered its carcass in front of a crowd that included children and then fed it to lions.


What Facebook knows about love, in numbers

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 01:10 PM PST

FILE - In this Sunday, May 13, 2012, file photo, flowers are added to a Facebook sign in front of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)NEW YORK (AP) — With 1.23 billion users in all the flavors and up-and-down stages of romantic relationships, Facebook knows a thing or two about love.


Kerry faces tough sell in China on NKorea, tension

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 02:22 AM PST

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Friday, Feb. 14, 2014. Kerry is meeting senior Chinese officials on Friday in Beijing to seek their help in bringing a belligerent North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday appealed for China's help in bringing a belligerent North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks but faced an uncertain response as the request was accompanied by demands for Beijing to roll back a series of increasingly aggressive steps it has taken to assert itself in territorial disputes with its smaller neighbors.


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