Monday, May 20, 2013

World News Briefs -- May 20, 2013



Hezbollah Suffers Big Losses In Syria Battle: Activists -- Reuters

(Reuters) - About 30 Lebanese Hezbollah fighters and 20 Syrian soldiers and militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been killed in the fiercest fighting this year in the rebel stronghold of Qusair, Syrian activists said on Monday.

Sunday's reported death toll was the highest for Hezbollah in a single day's conflict in Syria, highlighting the increasing intervention by the guerrilla group originally set up by Iran in the 1980s to fight Israeli occupation troops in south Lebanon.

If confirmed, the Hezbollah losses also reflect the extent to which Syria is becoming a proxy conflict between Shi'ite Iran and Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which back Assad's mostly Sunni enemies.

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MIDDLE EAST

President Assad's forces shell rebel-held town of Qusair. Syria conflict: Qusair's strategic importance.

28 Hezbollah members killed in Syria, more than 70 wounded in fighting: report.

EU decision to lift Syrian oil sanctions boosts jihadist groups.

Syria gunfire hits Israel-occupied Golan ‘near military patrol’.

Baghdad car bomb kills 13, raises death toll to 70. Car bombs target Shi'ites in Iraq, killing more than 60.

Symbolic intifada death of boy did not happen, says Israel.

Internet speed drops as Iran election looms.

ASIA

SKorea: NKorea fires short-range weapon for 3rd day; Pyongyang says tests deterring Seoul, US.

North Korean pirates seize Chinese hostages, demand a ransom. Tensions rise between China, North Korea over boat held hostage.

Burma's Thein Sein in historic visit to US.

Japan upgrades economic outlook as Abe's policies take hold.

China Communist Party 'needs to slash membership'.

Pakistan repeats vote in Karachi despite killing.

Activists bristle as India cracks down on foreign funding of NGOs.

AFRICA

Nigerian military: Boko Haram 'are in disarray'. Nigeria military: 17 killed during offensive.

Tunisian Islamist protester killed in clash with police.

Rebels and army clash in DR Congo's Goma. M23 rebels clash with soldiers in eastern Congo, military says.

24 killed in rebel vs army battle in South Sudan; military re-takes town overrun by fighters.

Egypt sends more forces over Sinai kidnapping.

After crushing Mali Islamists, France pushes deal with Tuaregs.

Somali government says guns won't decide disputed port's fate.

Rwanda's Paul Kagame denounces UN force in DR Congo.

EUROPE

EU worried by Russia's human rights record.

'Terrorist attack' in Moscow prevented.

Car bombs kill at least two in Russia's Dagestan.

Russia Levada Centre pollsters targeted as 'foreign agents'.

US spy-row diplomat Ryan Fogle 'leaves Russia'.

Taxes on some wealthy French top 100 pct of income: paper.

Bulgarian Socialists vow to help poor, look to form coalition.

Germans blame euro zone crisis for Eurovision debacle.

AMERICAS

AP president calls on Obama to 'rein in' DOJ probe into wire service's records.

Justice Department obtained records of Fox News journalist.

Colombia Farc rebels ask for 'more time' for peace deal.

Mexico’s Pena Nieto, seeking wide reforms, wants to limit power of governors.

Peru ex-President Alberto Fujimori's health 'worsening'.

Military expert: Boston bombing 'not an anomaly'.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Abu Qatada to remain in prison until he returns to Jordan.

Suspected U.S. drone in Yemen kills 4 militants.

Obama to give counterterrorism speech Thursday.

Counter-terrorism leak compromised an informant, sources say

Did the Associated Press blow an Al Qaeda informant's cover?

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

BILLION dollar deal makes 26-year-old America's next tech tycoon: High school drop-out behind blogging site Tumblr sells it to Marissa Mayer's Yahoo. Yahoo buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion, vows not to screw it up.

JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon in shareholder revolt over role.

US removes Iraqi bank from Iran sanctions list.

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