Yahoo! News: World News

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• Trump fires opening salvo in risky test of wills with Beijing
• Aleppo's fall would be win for Russia, defeat for U.S. in Mideast
• U.S. seeks to reassure Beijing after Trump call with Taiwan leader
• Russia says to start talks with U.S. on Aleppo rebel withdrawal
• French PM Valls launches presidential bid, quits government
• Fish skin, snooker chalk win UK Turner Prize for Marten
• Japan's CO2 emissions drop 3 pct to 5-year low in FY2015
• New Zealand police minister says in race for PM
• Colombians protest over rape, killing of 7-year-old girl
• Djibouti military chief-of-staff visits China amid base building
• Top Asian News 1:01 a.m. GMT
• Japanese pitcher Otani eyeing move to MLB after 2017 season
• Mexico minimum wage rises to 80 pesos, falls in dollar terms
• Muslim cleric appears in court fighting against deportation
• Bolivia: Crashed jet's company left trail of unpaid debts
• Indian actress-turned-politician Jayaram Jayalalithaa dies
• Chile court OK's extradition in 1976 car bombing in US
• Contenders line up to replace New Zealand's outgoing leader
• Amnesty urges Turkey to allow displaced thousands to return home
• Prosecutor's office paid bitcoin ransom in cyberattack
• Obama legacy: Handing Trump a broad view of war powers
• Ex-coup leader, DEA fugitive wins Haitian Senate seat
• Suspense builds over Trump secretary of state search
• Defendant in recovery doesn't halt 9/11 case at Guantanamo
• Sioux chief asks protesters to disband, Trump to review pipeline decision
• Ghana President Mahama asks for second term to consolidate gains
• Kissinger says impressed by China's 'calm reaction' to Trump's Taiwan call
• New Zealand finance minister says he'll stand for PM
• Scherzer, Posey, McCutchen commit to play for US at WBC
• Brazil's indicted Senate head removed by Supreme Court
• House where Austrian kept daughter as sex slave sold
• Auto group tries to block EPA from finalizing vehicle rules
• German chancellor denounces rape-killing of student
• Merkel's conservatives meet to prepare for 'toughest' election
• New Zealand ruling party meeting to consider new leader
• Russia, China veto UN resolution demanding Aleppo truce
• Justice suspends president of Brazil's Senate from duties

Trump fires opening salvo in risky test of wills with Beijing Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:51 PM PST By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump indicated a tougher U.S. approach to China by speaking to Taiwan's president last week, but how far he will push a risky test of wills to wring concessions from Beijing on issues from trade to North Korea is unclear. The call between Trump and Tsai Ing-wen was the first by a U.S. president-elect or president with a Taiwanese leader since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979.

Aleppo's fall would be win for Russia, defeat for U.S. in Mideast Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:56 PM PST By Jonathan Landay and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-backed moderate rebels' loss of the eastern half of Syria's largest city Aleppo to Russian-backed government forces would be a defeat for President Barack Obama's efforts to promote democracy and defeat terrorism in the Middle East, U.S. officials conceded on Monday. The defeat would leave President-elect Donald Trump with less influence over the course of the more than five-year-long civil war that is likely to grind on, fueling greater instability, violent extremism, refugee flows and regional rivalries, the officials said.

U.S. seeks to reassure Beijing after Trump call with Taiwan leader Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:40 PM PST By Roberta Rampton and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday it had sought to reassure China after President-elect Donald Trump's phone call with Taiwan's leader last week, which the Obama administration warned could undermine progress in relations with Beijing. The statement from a spokesman for U.S. President Barack Obama highlighted concerns about the potential fallout from Trump's unusual call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday, which prompted a diplomatic protest from Beijing on Saturday.

Russia says to start talks with U.S. on Aleppo rebel withdrawal Posted: 05 Dec 2016 10:09 AM PST By Ellen Francis, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Maria Kiselyova BEIRUT/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian government said on Monday it would start talks with Washington on a rebel withdrawal from Aleppo this week as Russian-backed Syrian forces fought to seize more territory from rebels who are struggling to avoid a major defeat. The latest army attack, which saw fierce clashes around the Old City, aims to cut off another area of rebel control in eastern Aleppo and tighten the noose on opposition-held districts where tens of thousands of people are trapped. Advances in recent weeks have brought Damascus, backed militarily by Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, closer to recapturing Syria's second largest city before the nearly six-year war and a prize long sought by President Bashar al-Assad.

French PM Valls launches presidential bid, quits government Posted: 05 Dec 2016 02:17 PM PST By Christian Hartmann EVRY, France (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared on Monday that he would seek the Socialist Party's nomination for next year's presidential election and said he was quitting the government to focus on campaigning. Although opinion polls bill Valls as the favorite for the Socialists' ticket, they also forecast that neither he nor any other left-wing candidate will win the election, rather that conservative candidate Francois Fillon will beat far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen in a run-off. "We're told the left does not stand a chance, but nothing's set in stone," Valls said to applause from supporters in his fiefdom of Evry, the gritty southern suburb of Paris where he was mayor for over a decade.

Fish skin, snooker chalk win UK Turner Prize for Marten Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:34 PM PST Sculptor Helen Marten won the Turner Prize, at a London ceremony where the art world rallied against xenophobia and intolerance. The prize is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition, and has become synonymous with controversy in its 32-year history with previous winners including contemporary art agents provocateurs Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. Marten, 31, impressed the judges with her sculptures from unusual materials such as fish skin and snooker chalk, described by the jury as "an exceptional contribution to the continuing development of contemporary visual art".

Japan's CO2 emissions drop 3 pct to 5-year low in FY2015 Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:16 PM PST Japan's greenhouse gas emissions fell 3 percent to a five-year low in the financial year through March due to lower power demand, growing renewable energy and the restart of nuclear power plants, government figures showed on Tuesday. Japan's emissions rose after the March 2011 Fukushima disaster that led to the closure of nuclear power plants and an increased reliance on coal. The world's fifth-biggest carbon emitter, Japan, has set a goal to cut its emissions by 26 percent from 2013 levels by 2030, and last month ratified the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement to prevent climate change.

New Zealand police minister says in race for PM Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:13 PM PST Wellington (Reuters) - New Zealand Police Minister Judith Collins said on Tuesday she will stand as a candidate to replace outgoing Prime Minister John Key, becoming the third Cabinet member to announce their candidacy. Key, who is part-way through a third, three-year term that has been marked by political stability and economic reform, announced his surprise resignation on Monday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. ...

Colombians protest over rape, killing of 7-year-old girl Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:12 PM PST BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Hundreds of angry Colombians are taking to the streets to protest the kidnapping and rape of a 7-year-old girl found strangled in an upper-class Bogota apartment.

Djibouti military chief-of-staff visits China amid base building Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:01 PM PST A senior Chinese officer has met Djibouti's military chief-of-staff in Beijing and thanked him for supporting China's construction of a military base in the Horn of Africa country, the second such high-level meeting in a month. Djibouti's position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fueled worries in India that it would become another of China's "string of pearls" of military alliances and assets ringing India, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. In February, China began construction of a logistics base in strategically located Djibouti that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia in particular.

Top Asian News 1:01 a.m. GMT Posted: 05 Dec 2016 05:01 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday denounced the rape and killing of a university student as a "tragic event," responding for the first time to a case that has inflamed passions since police arrested a 17-year-old Afghan migrant last week. A nationalist party has seized on the death to argue that Merkel's government bears a share of the blame. "If it turns out that (the perpetrator) was an Afghan refugee then that needs to be condemned, absolutely, just like with any other murderer," Merkel said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD. "But that shouldn't be combined with a rejection of an entire group, just like we don't draw conclusions about an entire group from (the actions of) one person in other instances," she added.

Japanese pitcher Otani eyeing move to MLB after 2017 season Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:56 PM PST TOKYO (AP) — Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani says he could move to the major leagues after the 2017 season.

Mexico minimum wage rises to 80 pesos, falls in dollar terms Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:55 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has increased its minimum wage to just over 80 pesos a day, though its dollar value is down due to the peso's devaluation.

Muslim cleric appears in court fighting against deportation Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:44 PM PST NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The leader of one of New Jersey's largest mosques, who is accused of lying on his green card application, was in court Monday to fight deportation.

Bolivia: Crashed jet's company left trail of unpaid debts Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:33 PM PST LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The airline involved in last week's crash in the Andes left a trail of unpaid bills that forced Bolivia's air force to seize two planes and briefly jail one of the company's owners, Bolivian Defense Minister Reymi Ferreira said Monday.

Indian actress-turned-politician Jayaram Jayalalithaa dies Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:30 PM PST CHENNAI, India (AP) — Jayaram Jayalalithaa, the hugely popular south Indian actress who later turned to politics and became the highest elected official in the state of Tamil Nadu, died Monday. She was 68.

Chile court OK's extradition in 1976 car bombing in US Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:25 PM PST SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile's Supreme Court ruled Monday that the government can file an extradition request to the United States for two former secret police agents wanted for a 1976 car bombing in Washington that killed a former Chilean ambassador and a U.S. citizen.

Contenders line up to replace New Zealand's outgoing leader Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:24 PM PST By Swati Pandey and Charlotte Greenfield WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English said on Tuesday he planned to stand for prime minister after John Key's surprise resignation a day earlier. English, a former Treasury Department analyst who is also deputy leader of the ruling center-right National Party, is viewed by both lawmakers and political analysts as the front-runner for the top job. "I can see fantastic opportunities for stronger economic performance, for spreading the benefits of growth for more New Zealanders ... I am a candidate for leadership," English told reporters after a caucus meeting in New Zealand's distinctive "Beehive" parliament building in the capital, Wellington.

Amnesty urges Turkey to allow displaced thousands to return home Posted: 05 Dec 2016 04:21 PM PST Amnesty International on Tuesday called on Turkey to compensate and allow 24,000 people displaced under a curfew to return to their districts of the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir. Turkish authorities imposed strict round-the-clock curfews in a number of urban centres in the southeast ravaged by the resumption in July 2015 of violence between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Turkish security forces. The historic Sur district of Diyarbakir -- a UNESCO world heritage site with its ancient fortified walls, historic mosques, churches and synagogues -- is one of them.

Prosecutor's office paid bitcoin ransom in cyberattack Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:56 PM PST PITTSBURGH (AP) — A state prosecutor's office in Pennsylvania was among hundreds of thousands of victims of a now-shuttered international cybercrime operation, paying nearly $1,400 in a bitcoin ransom to free up its infected computer network, authorities disclosed Monday.

Obama legacy: Handing Trump a broad view of war powers Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:54 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — After eight years as a wartime president, Barack Obama is handing his successor an expansive interpretation of the commander in chief's authority to wage war around the globe. And that reading has continued to grow even as Obama prepares to pass control to Donald Trump.

Ex-coup leader, DEA fugitive wins Haitian Senate seat Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:54 PM PST By Makini Brice PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A former Haitian coup leader wanted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering has won election to Haiti's Senate, according to preliminary results released by the electoral council. Guy Philippe defeated all other candidates in the second round of elections, held on Nov. 20, for the southwestern Grand Anse region, which is still recovering from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Matthew. "Victory, thank you Grand Anse," said a message posted on Philippe's Facebook page late on Sunday.

Suspense builds over Trump secretary of state search Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:44 PM PST Donald Trump on Monday spent another day sequestered in cabinet-building talks as international suspense grew over who he will pick for secretary of state having already defied diplomatic protocol and provoked China. Vice president-elect Mike Pence told reporters that Monday's meetings had resulted in decisions that would be made public in the days ahead. The world is keenly awaiting what will be Trump's most prestigious appointment -- America's next top diplomat -- scrutinizing the process for clues as to the direction US policy will take after the Republican is sworn in on January 20.

Defendant in recovery doesn't halt 9/11 case at Guantanamo Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:44 PM PST GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — A U.S. military judge turned down a request Monday to halt the latest round of Sept. 11 war crimes proceedings at Guantanamo Bay while one of five defendants recovers from a surgical procedure.

Sioux chief asks protesters to disband, Trump to review pipeline decision Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:44 PM PST By Ernest Scheyder and Terray Sylvester CANNON BALL, N.D. (Reuters) - A Native American leader asked thousands of protesters to return home after the federal government ruled against a controversial pipeline, despite the prospect of President-elect Donald Trump reversing the decision after he takes office. The tribe still wants to speak with Trump about the Dakota Access Pipeline to prevent him from approving the final phase of construction, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault told Reuters. "That's something that we support construction of and we'll review the full situation when we're in the White House and make the appropriate determination at that time," Trump spokesman Jason Miller said at a transition team news briefing.

Ghana President Mahama asks for second term to consolidate gains Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:37 PM PST By Kwasi Kpodo ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana President John Mahama, facing a tough challenge in this week's election, said on Monday he had done his best in the past four years and deserved a second term to consolidate economic and infrastructure gains. "I humbly ask for your mandate on Wednesday ... to complete the journey which we all started together," Mahama told thousands of supporters at the end of the ruling party's campaign ahead of Wednesday's vote. Mahama is seeking a second and final four-year term in what is expected to be a close race between him and main opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo.

Kissinger says impressed by China's 'calm reaction' to Trump's Taiwan call Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:35 PM PST Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on Monday he was impressed by the Chinese leadership's calm reaction to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's call last week with the president of Taiwan. "At this moment I've been very impressed at the calm reaction of the Chinese leadership, which suggests a determination to see whether a calm dialogue can be developed," Kissinger said at an event sponsored by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

New Zealand finance minister says he'll stand for PM Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:34 PM PST WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English said on Tuesday he will stand as a candidate to replace outgoing prime minister John Key. Key, who is part-way through a third, three-year term that has been marked by political stability and economic reform, announced his surprise resignation on Monday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. English, who is considered the frontrunner to take his place, told reporters after a caucus meeting at parliament that he had "plenty of strong indications of support." (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Swati Pandey. ...

Scherzer, Posey, McCutchen commit to play for US at WBC Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:28 PM PST OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Chris Archer was so excited to pitch for the United States at the World Baseball Classic that he offered to recruit more players to join him.

Brazil's indicted Senate head removed by Supreme Court Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:27 PM PST By Anthony Boadle and Alonso Soto BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court on Monday removed Senator Renan Calheiros as president of the Senate after the top court indicted him last week on charges of embezzlement, a court spokesman said. The removal of Calheiros was a new blow for Brazil President Michel Temer whose government has been weakened by corruption scandals as it strives to push through unpopular austerity measures.

House where Austrian kept daughter as sex slave sold Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:26 PM PST VIENNA (AP) — The liquidator of Josef Fritzl's estate says the house where the Austrian kept his daughter captive for 24 years and fathered seven of her children has been sold.

Auto group tries to block EPA from finalizing vehicle rules Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:21 PM PST By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major auto trade group is making a last-ditch effort to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from finalizing tough fuel economy standards through the 2025 model year. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing General Motors Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG, late Monday urged congressional negotiators to include language in a short-term budget resolution that would bar the Obama administration from finalizing the rules before it leaves office next month. "EPA's sudden and controversial move to propose auto regulations eight months early - even after Congress warned agencies about taking such steps while political appointees were packing their bags - calls out for congressional action to pause this rulemaking until a thoughtful policy review can occur," said Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the group.

German chancellor denounces rape-killing of student Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:17 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday denounced the rape and killing of a university student as a "tragic event," responding for the first time to a case that has inflamed passions since police arrested a 17-year-old Afghan migrant last week.

Merkel's conservatives meet to prepare for 'toughest' election Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:15 PM PST By Paul Carrel ESSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will rally her conservatives at a party conference on Tuesday to gird for a German election next year that she expects to be "tough like no other". Seeking a fourth term in office, Merkel must unite her Christian Democrats (CDU) and try to recapture some of her personal popularity, undermined by the crises that have rocked Europe. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's referendum defeat on Sunday and the impending departure of French President Francois Hollande underline Merkel's status as Europe's most experienced leader, but she needs to win back disgruntled voters at home.

New Zealand ruling party meeting to consider new leader Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:13 PM PST By Swati Pandey and Charlotte Greenfield WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's ruling center-right National Party is considering a new leader at a meeting on Tuesday, a day after Prime Minister John Key shocked the country with his abrupt resignation. Finance Minister Bill English is viewed by both lawmakers and political analysts as the front-runner for the top job, but others have not ruled themselves out, leaving the door open for a potential race. English, a former Treasury Department analyst who is also deputy leader of the party, said on Monday that he would talk with both his family and the 59-member caucus before he decided whether to run.

Russia, China veto UN resolution demanding Aleppo truce Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:12 PM PST Russia and China on Monday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a seven-day ceasefire in the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo. The vote marked the sixth time Russia has blocked a council resolution on Syria since the conflict began in March 2011, and the fifth for China. In an eleventh-hour effort, Russia tried to postpone the vote until at least Tuesday, when the Americans and Russians are set to meet in Geneva.

Justice suspends president of Brazil's Senate from duties Posted: 05 Dec 2016 03:04 PM PST RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Supreme Court justice suspended the president of Brazil's Senate from his duties as the body's leader Monday, hitting another key ally of President Michel Temer.

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