Mexico fireworks market blasts kill at least 31, injure scores
TULTEPEC, Mexico (Reuters) – A series of massive explosions destroyed a fireworks market outside the Mexican capital on Tuesday, killing at least 31 people, injuring dozens and leaving the market a charred wasteland.
South Korea seeks arrest of daughter of Park’s friend at center of scandal
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for a daughter of the woman at the center of President Park Geun-hye’s corruption scandal and investigators raided the National Pension Service over possible links to the scandal.
Turkish military says Syria’s al-Bab to Aleppo highway under full control
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey-backed Syrian rebel forces besieging Islamic State-controlled al-Bab have gained full control of the highway linking the town to Aleppo with intense ground and air fire support, the Turkish military said on Wednesday.
China tightens financial oversight on military after scandals
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s military will tighten financial oversight with revised auditing rules coming into effect from Jan. 1, meaning all the armed force’s financial dealings will have to be audited, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday after sev…
Israeli ambassador backs Trump pledge to move U.S. embassy to Jerusalem
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Israel’s ambassador to the United States issued an impassioned endorsement on Tuesday of President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a move that would mark a break with longstanding U.S. fore…
South Korea court issues arrest warrant for daughter of President Park’s friend
SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of President Park Geun-hye’s friend, Choi Soon-sil, who is in custody and on trial in an influence-peddling scandal that led parliament to vote to impeac…
Gambian President Jammeh says he will not step down
BANJUL (Reuters) – Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said he would not step down and condemned mediation by West African regional bloc ECOWAS that aims to get him to leave power after he lost a Dec. 1 election to challenger Adama Barrow.
Jordanian policemen killed fighting gunmen near Karak: security source
AMMAN (Reuters) – Four Jordanian policemen were killed in clashes with Islamist militants near the southern city of Karak on Tuesday as the authorities hunted militants who killed 10 people on Sunday, security officials said.
Syrian army closes in on last Aleppo rebels
BEIRUT/MOSCOW (Reuters) – As President Bashar al-Assad’s army closed in on the last rebel enclave in Aleppo on Tuesday, Russia, Iran and Turkey said they were ready to help broker a Syrian peace deal.
U.N. human rights chief urges murder inquiry into Duterte’s killing claim
MANILA (Reuters) – The United Nations human rights commission has urged the Philippines to launch a murder investigations into President Rodrigo Duterte claims he killed three people as mayor of Davao City and all killings in his war on drugs.
