South Korea court issues arrest warrant for pension chief in corruption scandal
SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean court issued an arrest warrant for the head of the national pension fund, the world’s third largest, early on Saturday in a corruption scandal that has led to President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, an official said.
Brazil says Greek ambassador murdered by wife’s policeman lover
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A Rio de Janeiro policeman confessed to murdering Greece’s ambassador to Brazil in what investigators on Friday called a “cowardly act” carried out at the direction of the diplomat’s Brazilian wife with whom the officer was r…
Singapore blogger seeking U.S. asylum regrets posts in home country
CHICAGO (Reuters) – A Singaporean blogger who is seeking political asylum in the United States said on Friday he regretted inflammatory posts that landed him in jail twice in his home country.
Iraqi forces face fierce Islamic State combat in south Mosul
NEAR MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraqi forces faced fierce resistance from Islamic State militants in southern Mosul on Friday, the second day of a renewed push to take back the city after fighting stalled for several weeks.
Taiwan announces U.S. itinerary for president, upsetting China
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit through Houston and San Francisco during a January visit to allies in Latin America, her office said Friday, prompting China to repeat a call for the United States to block any such stopover…
Pole arrested after airliner makes emergency landing in Prague
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech police have detained a Polish man after a passenger jet flying from Spain to Warsaw made an emergency landing in Prague on Friday due to a bomb threat, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said.
Congo deal reached for Kabila to step down after 2017 elections
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Congolese President Joseph Kabila will step down after elections to be held by the end of 2017 under a last-minute deal struck by political parties on Friday, the lead mediator of the talks said.
European cities ramp up security for New Year after Berlin attack
BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) – European capitals tightened security on Friday ahead of New Year’s celebrations, erecting concrete barriers in city centers and boosting police numbers after the Islamic State attack in Berlin last week that killed 12 people.
Britain, edging towards Trump, scolds Kerry over Israel
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain scolded U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for describing the Israeli government as the most right-wing in Israeli history, a move that aligns Prime Minister Theresa May more closely with President-elect Donald Trump.
Clashes, air raids tarnish Russia and Turkey’s Syria truce
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Clashes, shelling and air raids in western Syria marred a Russian- and Turkish-backed ceasefire that aims to end nearly six years of war and lead to peace talks between rebels and a government emboldened by recent battlefield success…
