MADRID (AP) — Spain favors a partial lifting of sanctions against Syria that would allow the delivery of “defense material” to rebel groups to help protect the population, its foreign minister said Tuesday.
Read more here: Spain backs sending defensive arms to Syria rebels
By Chrispin Mvano GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Two days of clashes between Congo’s army and rebel fighters near the eastern city of Goma have killed at least 19 people, threatening an uneasy six-month peace just days before a scheduled visit by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Government forces and the M23 insurgents began exchanging heavy weapons fire for a second day early on Tuesday, with explosions still being heard late into the afternoon. …
Read more here: Congolese army, rebels clash for a second day, 19 dead
NEW YORK (AP) — ESPN says that it is cutting its workforce.
Read more here: ESPN cutting workforce, 'smartly managing costs'
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's election process slipped into a tense holding pattern Tuesday amid speculation that candidates blocked from the ballot include a top aide of outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a former president who revived hopes of reformers.
Read more here: Top figures may be barred from Iran's June ballot
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has expressed his “closeness to the families of all who died in the Oklahoma tornado,” with special concern for “those who lost young children.”
Read more here: Pope expresses solidarity with tornado survivors
By Euan Rocha TORONTO (Reuters) – BlackBerry no longer owns the fast-paced, innovative smartphone world but the company, whose email-on-your-hip devices once revolutionized the industry, now aims to run it. The change in focus was hard to miss at the company's well-attended annual conference in Florida last week, even as news of a new smartphone model and its plans to offer the popular BlackBerry Messaging (BBM) instant message service on other platforms grabbed the headlines. …
Read more here: BlackBerry shifting emphasis from smartphones to services
After years of leaks, rumors and speculation, Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox will finally be unveiled on Tuesday during a press conference in Redmond, Washington. Recent reports suggest that the new “Xbox 720,” “Xbox Infinity” or whatever else it might be called will feature vastly improved specs such as an eight-core processor, 8GB of RAM, an 800MHz graphics processor, a 50GB 6x Blu-ray drive, gigabit ethernet connectivity and enhanced TV features. The new console may also require an always-on Internet connection to play games, though reports on that front have conflicted. We’ll know all there is to know shortly, however, and here’s how to watch all the action live from your computer, Xbox or smartphone: First, Microsoft plans to stream the Xbox launch event
Read more here: How to watch live streaming video of Microsoft’s big Xbox launch event
DENVER (AP) — Avalanche fans are talking about the possibility of Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy becoming the next coach of the Colorado team.
Read more here: Avs mum on report Patrick Roy may be next coach
By William James LONDON (Reuters) – Ending Britain’s 306-year rule would allow Scotland to reverse generations of economic mismanagement and free its lawmakers to boost economic growth, say Scottish nationalists campaigning to split from the UK. Independence would not only bring the long-standing and sometimes-troubled union to an end, but allow tax cuts and investment focused on boosting exports to spur growth on the Scottish side of the border. …
Read more here: Scotland says better off without Britain, but with the pound
Former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman said that he was “not personally responsible” for the agency’s practice of placing elevated scrutiny on conservative groups that applied for nonprofit status, but that he regrets it occurred during his tenure. “I certainly am not personally responsible for creating a list that had inappropriate criteria on it. [...]
Read more here: Former IRS commissioner: ‘Not personally responsible’ for targeting conservative groups
