Iraq PM chides Sunni sections pushing for autonomy

Iraq's prime minister warned Saturday that efforts to create an autonomous Sunni region within Iraq would divide the country and lead to "rivers of blood."
His comments came as a government crisis has strained ties between two main Muslim sects, Sunnis and Shiites, to the breaking point.
Nouri al-Maliki, the Shiite prime minister, is engaged in a showdown with the top Sunni political leader in the country. His government has issued an arrest warrant for Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi for what al-Hashemi says are trumped-up charges that he ran hit squads against government officials.

Pope kicks off Christmas with evening Mass

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Christmas Eve Mass on Saturday night, kicking off a busy two weeks of public appearances that will test his stamina.
Wearing cream and gold colored vestments, Benedict processed into St. Peter's Basilica standing on a moving platform — a new concession to spare the 84-year-old pontiff the fatigue of having to walk up and down the long center aisle.
Hours before the evening Mass began, Benedict lit a candle in his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square in a traditional sign of peace. A few hundred people had gathered in the square to watch the candle lighting and the unveiling of the Vatican's larger-than-life nativity scene.

Dutch-born entertainer Heesters dies at age 108

Dutch-born entertainer Johannes Heesters, who made his name performing in Adolf Hitler's Germany and was dogged later in his long career by controversy over his Nazi-era past, died Saturday, his agent said. He was 108.

The tenor Heesters made his debut on the big stage at the Volksoper in Vienna, Austria in 1934. His career took off in Berlin where, starting in 1935 — two years after the Nazis took power — he became a crowd favorite at the Komische Oper and Admiralspalast.

He gained fame by appearing in films such as "Die Leuchter des Kaisers" ("The Emperor's Candlesticks") and "Das Hofkonzert" ("The Court Concert").

Republican Gingrich out of Virginia primary election

Leading Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has failed to meet the requirements to be in the presidential primary election in Virginia, where he resides, the state's Republican Party said.
Gingrich had been leading in a poll of Virginia voters and a spokesman for the former speaker of the House of Representatives defiantly pledged to run a write-in campaign for the March 6 vote. However, Virginia does not permit write-ins in primary elections, according to the state code.

Obama campaign seeks to raise $60 mln in 4th quarter

President Barack Obama's campaign set a goal of raising $60 million in the fourth quarter of the year to benefit the Democratic incumbent's re-election and the Democratic National Committee, a campaign official said on Saturday.
Obama's campaign, together with the Democratic National Committee, had raised roughly $155 million through the end of September.
If it reaches its goal for the fourth quarter, the campaign will surpass $200 million in fundraising for 2011.

Mourning Syrians rally for Assad, UN condemns bombs

Funerals for 44 people killed in twin suicide car bombs in Damascus turned into a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday, with thousands of mourners denouncing the United States and its Arab allies for interfering in Syria.
The United Nations voiced grave concern over the bombings, which marked an ominous step up in the violence that has rocked the Arab nation for nine months, claiming at least 5,000 lives.
Syria said al Qaeda terrorists were behind the attacks. The media displayed gruesome pictures of dismembered bodies and heads. There has been no claim of responsibility.

U.S. regrets Cuba failure to free American citizen

The State Department said on Saturday it deplored Cuba's failure to free Alan Gross - a U.S. citizen serving a 15-year prison term in a case that has stalled progress in U.S.-Cuba relations - as part of an announced humanitarian release of some 2,900 prisoners.
"If this is correct, we are deeply disappointed and deplore the fact that the Cuban government has decided not to take this opportunity to extend this humanitarian release to Mr. Gross this holiday season, especially in light of his deteriorating health, and to put an end to the Gross family's long plight," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, said Saturday.
The Cuban government said on Friday it would free 2,900 prisoners in coming days for humanitarian reasons ahead of a visit next spring by Pope Benedict XVI.

As Kodak struggles, Eastman Chemical thrives

George Eastman is best known as the inventor of photographic film and founder of Eastman Kodak Co, but his century-old legacy of entrepreneurship now rides on the lesser-known Eastman Chemical Co.
That was hardly the case in 1994, when Eastman Kodak spun off its chemicals business to help pay down debt. At that time, Kodak was still a colossus in photography whereas Eastman Chemical was a small player very much in its parent's shadow.

Santa rally may face test next week

Get ready. The last trading week of the year will be a test for stocks to prove whether they have the strength to carry a rally into next year.
The broad S&P 500 index broke through its 200-day moving average on Friday after turning positive for the year as a four-day rally lifted stocks following a spell of better-than-expected economic data. At Friday's close, the S&P 500 was up 0.6 percent for the year.
But despite the recent economic data that suggest the U.S. economy is on the right track to recovery, Europe's sovereign debt crisis is troubling investors and weighing on the market.

Thousands visit Bethlehem on Christmas Eve

Thousands of pilgrims, tourists and local Christians gathered in the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem on Saturday to begin Christmas Eve celebrations in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
Visitors gathered near the 50-foot (15-meter) Christmas tree at Manger Square Saturday morning, taking pictures and enjoying the sunshine.
The main event will be Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity, built over the location where Jesus is believed to have been born.
Israel's Tourism Ministry said it expects 90,000 tourists to visit the Holy Land for the holiday. Ministry spokeswoman Lydia Weitzman said that number is the same as last year's record-breaking tally, but was surprisingly high

Yemen's Saleh says to go to U.S., let government function

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said on Saturday he would go to the United States in order to allow an interim government to prepare for an election to replace him, but did not specify when he would leave.
Saleh, speaking to reporters after forces loyal to him fired at protesters demanding he face trial for killing demonstrators over 11 months of protests, said he had no designs on staying in power.
"I will go to the United States. Not for treatment, because I'm fine, but to get away from attention, cameras, and allow the unity government to prepare properly for elections," he said.
"I'll be there for several days, but I'll return because I won't leave my people and comrades who have been steadfast for 11 months," he said. "I'll withdraw from political work and go into the street as part of the opposition."

Angry Syrians bury Damascus bombing dead

Thousands of Syrians chanted "Death to America" on Saturday during funeral processions in Damascus for at least 44 people killed in twin suicide bombings that rocked the capital.
Syria blamed al Qaeda for the blasts which hit two security buildings on Friday and came a day after an Arab League delegation arrived to prepare for monitors who will report on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's implementation of a plan to end the bloodshed.
Some Assad opponents said the attacks could have been staged by the government itself.
The funerals on Saturday turned into pro-Assad rallies in which

In China, a daring few challenge one-child limit

Seven months pregnant, Wu Weiping sneaked out early in the morning carrying a shoulder bag with some clothes, her laptop and a knife.
"It's good for me I wasn't caught, but it's lucky for them too," said Wu, 35, who feared that family planning officials were going to drag her to the hospital for a forced abortion. "I was going to fight to the death if they found me."
With her escape, Wu joined an increasingly defiant community of parents in China who have risked their jobs, savings and physical safety to have a forbidden second child.
Though their numbers are small, they represent changing ideas

Anti-Putin protests draw tens of thousands

Tens of thousands of Russians jammed a Moscow avenue Saturday to demand free elections and an end to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule, in the largest show of public outrage since the protests 20 years ago that brought down the Soviet Union. Gone was the political apathy of recent years as many shouted "We are the Power!"
The demonstration, bigger and better organized than a similar one two weeks ago, and smaller rallies across the country encouraged opposition leaders hoping to sustain a broad protest movement ignited by a fraud-tainted parliamentary election on Dec. 4.

French health minister wants implant boss found

France's health minister called on Saturday for the head of the breast implant maker accused of selling faulty prostheses to tens of thousands of women around the world to be found, calling the growing scandal a "shady business."
Jean-Claude Mas, 72, the founder and CEO of French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) has not been seen or heard of in public since the scandal broke, potentially affecting 300,000 women around the world.
His company is accused of using sub-standard industrial silicone in some of its implants, which were sold globally before being taken off the market in 2010.

North Korean heir called "supreme leader"

North Korea on Saturday called Kim Jong Il's son "supreme leader" of the military, ramping up its campaign to install the young man as the next leader of the communist nation even as millions continued mourning his father.
In a late night dispatch, the official Korean Central News Agency said Kim Jong Un, the "supreme leader of the revolutionary armed forces" of the country, visited his father's bier with top military leaders and officials "and expressed profound condolences." It was a strong signal that the country will continue its policy of "songun," or military first.
North Korea earlier Saturday called Kim Jong Un "supreme commander" and continued emphasizing his bloodline and legacy in carrying out the Kim family's claim to lead and protect the North Korean people.

Ecuador sends 10,000 troops to Colombia border

Ecuador has deployed some 10,000 security forces to its border with Colombia to deal with a "most grave" security problem, President Rafael Correa said Saturday.
Correa said the troops and police forces were deployed to bolster security amid concerns about "organized crime, drug trafficking (and) irregular groups," including paramilitary groups and Marxist guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as FARC.
The deployment came after Monday's visit to Quito by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the first time a Colombian leader visited the Ecuadoran capital since Colombian forces bombed a guerrilla encampment in Ecuador in 2008, triggering a diplomatic crisis.

Doctors: 8 killed in attack on Yemen protests

Doctors say eight protesters have been killed by Yemeni security forces who opened fire at some 100.000 protesters converging into the capital from a four-day march.
Mohammed el-Qoutbi and Sadeq al-Shugaa, doctors at a field hospital with the protesters, also say 200 have been injured in the assault, including 61 wounded by gunfire. The dead include one woman.
The protesters were attacked as they entered Sanaa after marching for four days from Taiz, 170 miles (270 kilometers) to the south to pressure the government not to grant outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity from prosecution.