Obama calls for Abbas to drop preconditions, says Palestinians deserve state - Answering questions, Obama says everyone knows what is necessary for peace, but has trouble acknowledging the compromises that will be necessary. “If we can get direct negotiations started again, I believe the shape of a potential deal is there,” he says.
Cardinal: pedophilia not a crime says cardinal, followed by swift apology
Cardinal says pedophilia not a crime but an illness. South Africa Cardinal Wilfred Fox Napier apologized for the 'botched' interview. The cardinal now says pedophilia is "a heinous crime."
Is a leader from Texas a good fit for the Syrian opposition?
International donors will like Ghassan Hitto, the newly elected leader of the Syrian opposition, because of decades spent in the US, but that undermines his credibility among Syrians.
Cyprus Openly Defies the EU
Four days into the worst crisis to hit the island nation since the 1974 invasion by Turkey, Cyprus’ lawmakers did the unthinkable and the unprecedented Tuesday: In voting unanimously to reject the levy on bank savings mandated by EU authorities
Voyager 1 space probe enters 'new realm' – video
A computerised animation of Voyager 1, which took off from Earth 46 years ago, as it enters a new region of space on its way out of our solar system. Scientists at New Mexico State University say the Nasa probe is now between the normal heliosphere and interstellar space – a region known as the 'heliocliff'.
Obama in Ramallah, hoping to energize peace efforts, hours after Gaza rocket hits Sderot
Obama is on the second day of his visit to Israel, the fifth serving US president to make the trip. He’s been in Jerusalem since early Wednesday afternoon — after a warm, relaxed, airport welcome – meeting with Shimon Peres, and talking late into the night with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Suing the Gun Grabbers
A conservative Colorado think tank announced it will sue the state over new gun-control legislation signed into law Wednesday, and several law enforcement organizations as well as the National Rifle Association may also join the lawsuit. The Independence Institute confirmed Wednesday it is filing a lawsuit to challenge Colorado’s latest gun-control bills, which were signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Major Storm Potential Palm Sunday Weekend
Another major storm will cross the nation from coast to coast with heavy snow, flooding rain and severe thunderstorms. The worst conditions with the storm may center over the Palm Sunday weekend. Like many storms during the second half of the winter, this first major storm of the spring could threaten lives and property, bring significant travel disruptions and foil outdoor plans.
Is Colorado Correction Chief’s Death Linked to Muslim Prisoner He Denied Transfer to Saudi Arabia?
Colorado’s top state prison official was shot and killed when he answered the front door of his house, setting off a hunt for the shooter and raising questions about whether the attack had anything to do with his job.
Large asteroid heading to Earth? Pray, says NASA
NASA chief Charles Bolden has advice on how to handle a large asteroid headed toward New York City: Pray. That's about all the United States - or anyone for that matter - could do at this point about unknown asteroids and meteors that may be on a collision course with Earth, Bolden told lawmakers at a U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee hearing on Tuesday. An asteroid estimated to be have been about 55 feet in diameter exploded on February 15 over Chelyabinsk, Russia, generating shock waves that shattered windows and damaged buildings.
Unexplained boom baffles experts, residents
Hundreds of people in at least four counties — Franklin, Hamilton, Saline and Williamson — flocked to social media to report hearing a windows-rattling, earth-shaking boom between 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday. No damages or injuries were reported as a result of the boom.
Obama visits West Bank for talks with Mahmoud Abbas
US President Barack Obama has arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Meeting Mr Obama off his helicopter, Mr Abbas took him to his presidential compound for talks likely to focus on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The American leader is spending a few hours in Ramallah and Palestinian expectations are low, analysts say.
Wave of prawn deaths baffles Chile city of Coronel
Thousands of dead prawns have washed up on a beach in Chile, sparking an investigation. Hundreds of dead crabs were also washed ashore in Coronel city, about 530km (330 miles) from the capital, Santiago. Fishermen suggested the deaths may have been caused by local power stations that use seawater as a cooling agent. The power firms have not commented.
Israel awaits Abbas response to Kassam attacks
Israel will be watching "very closely" to see if Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will condemn Thursday's Kassam rocket fire on Sderot in his public comments with US President Barack Obama later today, a senior government official said. During Operation Pillar of Defense, the official said, Abbas "stubbornly refused to do so. He even refused to disassociate himself from those attacks."
Andrea Mitchell: Obama and Netanyahu Have 'One of the Worst Relationships I Can Remember'
Brace yourselfs, for NBC's Andrea Mitchell - on MSNBC no less - actually criticized Barack Obama Wednesday. During a News Nation segment about the President's trip to Israel, Mitchell said his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "one of the worst" she can remember going all the way back to her years covering Ronald Reagan
Former California city officials convicted in corruption trial
Five former elected officials from the scandal-plagued California city of Bell were convicted on Wednesday of misusing municipal funds by collecting exorbitant salaries in a case that drew national attention as a symbol of public corruption.
North Korea issues fresh threat to U.S., South probes hacking
North Korea said it would attack U.S. military bases on Japan and the Pacific island of Guam if provoked, a day after leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a mock drone strike on South Korea. The North also held an air raid drill on Thursday after accusing the United States of preparing a military strike using bombers that have overflown the Korean peninsula as part of drills between South Korean and U.S. forces.
'Equality House' Encroaches on Anti-Gay Westboro Church
The Westboro Baptist Church welcomed a colorful new neighbor to the block in Topeka, Kan., in the form of a gay-rights advocacy group. The rainbow-painted house, perched on a plot directly across from the Westboro Baptist Church, is part of an initiative put forth by nonprofit Planting Peace in hopes of combating the controversial church's perceived discrimination of the LGBT community.
'Marsageddon' comet scenario adds to concerns about space threats
It sounds like an "Armageddon" sequel, set on Mars instead of Earth: A supermassive doomsday comet is heading toward the planet in 2014, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Not even Bruce Willis. The comet presents a good-news, bad-news situation for the Red Planet, and for us earthlings as well. NASA says Comet 2013 A1, also known as Comet Siding Spring, is almost certain to miss Mars on Oct. 19, 2014. However, there's still a chance — a less than a 1-in-600 chance — that Mars could be hit, due to the remaining uncertainty about the comet's path. That uncertainty is likely to be cleared up over the next few months, eventually resulting in an all-clear.
Cyprus scrambles to avert meltdown, EU threatens cutoff
Cyprus considered nationalizing pension funds and ordered banks to stay shut till next week to avert financial chaos after it rejected the terms of a European Union bailout and turned to Russia for aid.