Yahoo! News: World News

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• Syrian general says Aleppo offensive in final stages
• After Trump's win, China and Mexico move to deepen ties
• Portugal's Guterres sworn in as next U.N. secretary-general
• Syrian Observatory reports suspected gas attack in Islamic State area near Palmyra
• Iraqi police say ready to join assault on east Mosul
• China warns Trump against ignoring its Taiwan interests
• China to appoint 'river chiefs' to fight pollution: Xinhua
• US declassifies new documents on Argentina's dictatorship
• UN chief alarmed by reports of atrocities in Aleppo
• Egypt accuses Brotherhood of supporting church attackers
• The Latest: Trump to name secretary of state pick Tuesday
• UK finance minister hints at transitional Brexit deal
• Congress, at odds with Trump, eyes Russia hack probe
• Maduro seals Venezuela-Colombia border, alleging plot
• Fijian on trial for trying to sell China defense devices
• India's landmark forest rights law hobbled by conflicting policies: report
• Protests end Wonder Woman's fight for equality at United Nations
• Top Asian News 12:11 a.m. GMT
• China says Trump's Taiwan comments cause 'serious concern'
• Auction houses face off in website data scraping lawsuit
• UK must set out plans for transitional deal with EU: lawmakers
• UN efforts against malaria 'off-track'; more money needed
• Roma beats AC Milan 1-0 to claim 2nd spot in Serie A
• EU governments ready Brexit negotiating text: diplomats
• Venezuela's president closes border with Colombia for 72 hours to combat currency smuggling
• Australia, England to meet in 1st day-night Ashes test
• First day-night Ashes Test set for Adelaide
• Kremlin blames lack of US cooperation for Palmyra blow
• The Latest: Flight attendant pleads guilty in drug smuggling
• Bill Gates leads $1 billion fund to invest in clean energy
• U.N. chief alarmed by possible atrocities in Syria's Aleppo
• Australia, New Zealand, England to meet in T20 series
• EU to outline benefits reforms, delayed by Brexit vote
• Italy's new government looks much like just-ended one
• Atletico loses to Villarreal, drops 12 points behind Madrid
• Nigeria sends surgeons to treat people injured in church collapse
• British Olympic chief would support Russian worlds boycott
• Emails show how Russian officials covered up mass doping

Syrian general says Aleppo offensive in final stages Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:21 PM PST By Laila Bassam and Lisa Barrington ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and its allies are in the "last moments before declaring victory" in Aleppo, a Syrian military source said, after rebel defences collapsed on Monday, leaving insurgents in a tiny, heavily bombarded pocket of ground. A Reuters journalist in the government-held zone said the bombardment of rebel areas of the city had continued non-stop on Monday, and a civilian trapped there described the situation as resembling "Doomsday". "The battle in eastern Aleppo should end quickly.

After Trump's win, China and Mexico move to deepen ties Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:44 PM PST China and Mexico pledged on Monday to deepen ties at a meeting between their top diplomats following last month's U.S. presidential election victory of Donald Trump, who has tested Washington's relationship with both countries. Before arriving in Mexico on Sunday, Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi met with members of Trump's team in New York, including his pick for national security adviser, retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. Mexico has been exploring ways to lessen its economic dependence on the United States out of fear that access to its No. 1 trade partner will be restricted by policies under Trump, who promises to protect American jobs from going outside the country.

Portugal's Guterres sworn in as next U.N. secretary-general Posted: 12 Dec 2016 09:57 AM PST By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was sworn in on Monday as the ninth United Nations Secretary-General, pledging to personally help broker peace in various conflicts and reform the 71-year old world body to become more effective. Guterres, 67, will replace Ban Ki-moon, 72, of South Korea on Jan. 1. Guterres was Portugal's prime minister from 1995 to 2002 and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015.

Syrian Observatory reports suspected gas attack in Islamic State area near Palmyra Posted: 12 Dec 2016 12:57 PM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been a suspected gas attack in Islamic State-held territory near Palmyra on Monday, amid heavy aerial bombardment of the same area which together killed at least 53 people. Citing local sources near the site of the attack in eastern Hama province, northwest of the ancient city of Palmyra, the Observatory said there were cases of suffocation and that dozens had been wounded during heavy rocket fire on the area. The dead included 28 children, the Observatory said. ...

Iraqi police say ready to join assault on east Mosul Posted: 12 Dec 2016 09:00 AM PST By Ahmed Rasheed and Dominic Evans BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Several thousand Iraqi federal police are ready to join the assault against Islamic State in east Mosul, a spokesman said on Monday, reinforcing troops who have faced weeks of fierce counter-attacks from the militants. The extra forces are being deployed as the grueling U.S.-backed campaign to crush Islamic State in its Iraqi stronghold enters its ninth week. Elite army troops have retaken a quarter of the city, but their advance has been slow and punishing.

China warns Trump against ignoring its Taiwan interests Posted: 12 Dec 2016 08:08 AM PST By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed "serious concern" on Monday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States did not necessarily have to stick to its long-held stance that Taiwan is part of "one China", calling it the basis for relations. Trump's comments on "Fox News Sunday", questioning nearly four decades of U.S. policy, came after he prompted a diplomatic protest from China over his decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 2. China's Foreign Ministry said cooperation was "out of the question" if Washington could not recognize Beijing's core interest on Taiwan, indicating it would reject any effort by Trump to use the issue as a bargaining chip in a long list of commercial and security problems facing the two countries.

China to appoint 'river chiefs' to fight pollution: Xinhua Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:59 PM PST China will appoint "river chiefs" to prevent pollution in the nation's waterways, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, in the latest step taken by Beijing to rein in environmental damage. With the evolution of China from an agricultural nation to an industrial one, toxic pollutants from factories have increasingly seeped into the environment, leading to health problems among the population. A detailed system for appointing the chiefs will be published by the Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Environmental Protection on Tuesday, the agency reported Zhou Xuewen, deputy of Water Resources, saying at a press conference on Monday.

US declassifies new documents on Argentina's dictatorship Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:56 PM PST BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The U.S. government on Monday declassified a second set of records relating to human rights abuses committed during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship.

UN chief alarmed by reports of atrocities in Aleppo Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:50 PM PST UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is alarmed by reports of atrocities against "a large number" of civilians, including women and children, in recent hours in the Syrian city of Aleppo, his spokesman said Monday. "While stressing that the United Nations is not able to independently verify these reports, the secretary-general is conveying his grave concern to the relevant parties," said spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Ban has asked his envoy Staffan de Mistura to follow up.

Egypt accuses Brotherhood of supporting church attackers Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:50 PM PST Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's interior ministry Monday accused fugitive Muslim Brotherhood leaders who have fled to Qatar of training and financing the perpetrators of the bomb attack on a Cairo church that killed 25 people.

The Latest: Trump to name secretary of state pick Tuesday Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:49 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):

UK finance minister hints at transitional Brexit deal Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:46 PM PST Britain's Finance Minister Philip Hammond said Monday that a transitional arrangement could be "helpful" to smooth the country's exit from the European Union. Hammond said there was an "emerging view" that "having a longer period to manage the adjustment between where we are now, as full members of the European Union, and where we get to in the future... would be generally helpful".

Congress, at odds with Trump, eyes Russia hack probe Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:45 PM PST Leading senators on Monday supported a congressional investigation into US intelligence assessments that Russia interfered in the election, putting top Republicans on a collision course with incoming president Donald Trump. The president-elect has dismissed the intelligence reports as "ridiculous" defying an increasing number of senators from his own party, as well as top Democrats, the Central Intelligence Agency and the outgoing White House. US media has reported for days on secret CIA findings that Moscow sought to bolster Trump's election bid, against Democratic former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, by releasing hacked Democratic Party documents.

Maduro seals Venezuela-Colombia border, alleging plot Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:42 PM PST Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday ordered the border with Colombia sealed for 72 hours, accusing US-backed "mafias" of conspiring to destabilize his country's economy by hoarding bank notes. "I have taken the decision to close the border with Colombia for 72 hours," the leftist leader said in a nationally televised address, calling it a "hard" but "inevitable" choice. The closure came a day after Maduro signed an emergency decree removing Venezuela's largest bank note, the 100 bolivar bill, from circulation because of what he called a Washington-sponsored plot against his country's troubled economy.

Fijian on trial for trying to sell China defense devices Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:16 PM PST SEATTLE (AP) — Two devices that a Fijian man tried to buy in the U.S. to sell to China were designed to be used in space, military and missile applications, a federal prosecutor told a jury during opening statements Monday at the start of the man's trial.

India's landmark forest rights law hobbled by conflicting policies: report Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:13 PM PST By Rina Chandran MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A landmark Indian forest rights law passed 10 years ago with the aim of protecting indigenous people has been crippled by conflicting legislation, and a lack of political will and funds to ensure its implementation, according to a report. More than a fifth of India's population were expected to benefit from the 2006 Forest Rights Act covering vast areas of forest land roughly the size of Germany. "(The law) has the potential to conserve forests and biodiversity (and) improve local livelihoods," Neema Pathak Broome, a researcher with rights group Kalpavriksh, said in the report released Tuesday by a citizens' advocacy group.

Protests end Wonder Woman's fight for equality at United Nations Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:12 PM PST By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Wonder Woman's battle for equality for women and girls at the United Nations has come to a untimely end. The scantily clad, curvaceous comic book superhero has had her appointment as a United Nations honorary ambassador cut in less than two months following protests. A United Nations spokesman said the character's role at the 193-member state organization would end on Friday despite plans for Wonder Woman to be used in an empowerment campaign for women and girls into 2017.

Top Asian News 12:11 a.m. GMT Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:11 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump sounds ready to use U.S. policy toward Taiwan as a bargaining chip to extract concessions from China, but both of the world powers could play at that game. China's rising economic and military clout means its communist leadership has leverage over Washington too. Beijing could erect more obstacles for U.S. companies working in China. It could ramp up tensions in the seas of East Asia. And if differences spike over Taiwan, the Trump administration could face tough choices on whether to send U.S. forces to defend the island that China regards as part of its territory.

China says Trump's Taiwan comments cause 'serious concern' Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:11 PM PST BEIJING (AP) — China said that it had "serious concern" about President-elect Donald Trump's most recent comments about Taiwan, and warned that any changes to how America deals with the self-governing island could damage diplomatic ties between Washington and Beijing.

Auction houses face off in website data scraping lawsuit Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:07 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — Christie's auction house has been accused in a lawsuit of using a computer program to scrape research, images and price information from a rival's website and then reselling that data as part of its own subscription database.

UK must set out plans for transitional deal with EU: lawmakers Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:03 PM PST By Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will need a transitional trade agreement with the European Union, and the government should set out plans for it before beginning formal divorce talks with the bloc, members of parliament's upper house said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Theresa May plans to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, beginning the two-year withdrawal period, by the end of March and wants to seek a unique deal with the EU rather replicate any existing third-country agreements. Banks and businesses have repeatedly argued the government should agree a transition period to avoid a damaging "cliff edge" or abrupt exit from the bloc before Britain has finalised its future trading terms.

UN efforts against malaria 'off-track'; more money needed Posted: 12 Dec 2016 04:02 PM PST LONDON (AP) — Malaria remains a nagging problem in Africa and efforts to curb the killer disease are "off-track," the World Health Organization said in a new report issued on Tuesday.

Roma beats AC Milan 1-0 to claim 2nd spot in Serie A Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:36 PM PST MILAN (AP) — Roma won the battle for second place in Serie A as it beat AC Milan 1-0 on Monday to move three points clear of the Rossoneri and four behind league leader Juventus.

EU governments ready Brexit negotiating text: diplomats Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:24 PM PST By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will set out plans this week for negotiating Britain's exit, diplomats said, after national officials met late on Monday to prepare an EU summit statement. After the 28 national leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday, British Prime Minister Theresa May will leave and the other 27 will dine without her and agree principles on how negotiations with London will be run once May formally launches the process. Building on a first statement made by the 27 in the week after Britain's June 23 Brexit referendum, they will clarify that Britain remains a full member until it leaves the EU but will also note that it will be excluded from various forums of the Union which will be involved in negotiating divorce terms.

Venezuela's president closes border with Colombia for 72 hours to combat currency smuggling Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:16 PM PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's president closes border with Colombia for 72 hours to combat currency smuggling.

Australia, England to meet in 1st day-night Ashes test Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:14 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — Australia and England will meet in the first day-night Ashes cricket test at the Adelaide Oval in December 2017.

First day-night Ashes Test set for Adelaide Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:11 PM PST Sydney (AFP) - Australia will host England at the Adelaide Oval in the first day-night Ashes Test during the 2017-18 series, building on the success of the concept, Cricket Australia announced Tuesday.

Kremlin blames lack of US cooperation for Palmyra blow Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:09 PM PST The Kremlin on Monday deplored the lack of cooperation with the United States in Palmyra after Islamic State jihadists re-entered the ancient Syrian city over the weekend. "We regret that we have yet to completely neutralise their offensive," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the fighters' return to the fabled city after an eight-month absence. Peskov added that jihadists from neighbouring Iraq, where a Western coalition is supporting the Iraqi military's efforts to retake the city of Mosul from IS, had been flooding into Syria.

The Latest: Flight attendant pleads guilty in drug smuggling Posted: 12 Dec 2016 03:04 PM PST LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on a former JetBlue flight attendant charged with trying to smuggle cocaine (all times local):

Bill Gates leads $1 billion fund to invest in clean energy Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:56 PM PST (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates, along with a string of high-profile executives including Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Chairman Jack Ma, are investing more than $1 billion in a clean energy fund. The fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), will finance emerging energy research to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to near-zero. The fund's investors include Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, LinkedIn Corp co-founder Reid Hoffman, Amazon Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. ...

U.N. chief alarmed by possible atrocities in Syria's Aleppo Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:56 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is alarmed by unverified reports of atrocities against a large number of civilians, including women and children, in Syria's Aleppo, his spokesman said on Monday. "The Secretary-General is conveying his grave concern to the relevant parties. He has instructed his Special Envoy for Syria to follow up urgently with the parties concerned," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Eric Beech)

Australia, New Zealand, England to meet in T20 series Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:46 PM PST WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Australia and New Zealand will host England in a Twenty20 cricket tri-series following the 2017-18 Ashes test series in Australia.

EU to outline benefits reforms, delayed by Brexit vote Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:38 PM PST By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission will unveil proposed changes on Tuesday in how governments treat unemployment and other benefits for citizens working in other EU states. Officials said the package of measures, delayed by nearly a year as Brussels sought to avoid complicating a deal struck with Britain in a vain attempt to avoid a vote for Brexit, was an attempt to make systems fairer for workers and for states. With Britain about to negotiate its withdrawal after a referendum vote in June that was partly driven by rejection of free immigration of workers from the rest of the EU, new rules will confirm a series of EU court decisions that backed mainly rich northwestern states in rejecting "benefit tourism" by poor Europeans who did not look for, or find, work after arriving.

Italy's new government looks much like just-ended one Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:38 PM PST ROME (AP) — Italy's latest government was formed and rapidly sworn in Monday, a center-left coalition headed by new Premier Paolo Gentiloni and strikingly similar in makeup to the just-ended one that Matteo Renzi quit after a humiliating loss.

Atletico loses to Villarreal, drops 12 points behind Madrid Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:37 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid's struggles continued in the Spanish league on Monday with a 3-0 loss at Villarreal, a result that left the club 12 points behind leader Real Madrid.

Nigeria sends surgeons to treat people injured in church collapse Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:37 PM PST By Tife Owolabi UYO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria rushed plastic surgeons and other specialists on Monday to a city in the south to treat more than one hundred people injured when a church collapsed in one of the worst recent building accidents in the West African country. "We ... raised a team of experts to come to Uyo and render a helping hand and bring succor to the weak, the sick and those who are in dire need of complicated surgery," Suleiman Giwa, head of the surgeons, told reporters at Uyo's biggest hospital. Two residents have told Reuters that at least 100 people were killed in the collapse in Uyo during a service on Saturday.

British Olympic chief would support Russian worlds boycott Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:29 PM PST Britain's skeleton Olympic gold medallist Lizzie Yarnold would be backed by the British Olympic Association (BOA) were she to boycott the 2017 skeleton and bobsleigh world championships in Russia over doping in the country. It comes a day after Latvia's skeleton team said they were boycotting the championships, to be held February 13-26 in Sochi, because Russia had "stolen the Olympic spirit in 2014". Yarnold, who won Olympic gold in 2014 in Sochi, told the BBC in October she may opt out of the world championships because of concerns over doping.

Emails show how Russian officials covered up mass doping Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:26 PM PST MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's doping cover-up went far beyond the Olympics, according to a vast archive of emails released by a World Anti-Doping Agency investigator.

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