Yahoo! News: World News

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• China to return seized U.S. drone, says Washington 'hyping up' incident
• Syria government, rebels working to secure Aleppo evacuation deal
• Turkey's Erdogan blames Kurdish militants after bomb kills at least 13, wounds 56
• Iran calls for meeting of nuclear deal powers over U.S. sanctions
• Polish opposition keeps blocking parliament in standoff with government
• Venezuela postpones currency move after chaos, protests
• Venezuela extends use of 100-bolivar bill following protests
• Trump, on Twitter, says China should keep the seized U.S. drone
• Maduro delays removing currency bills amid crisis, protests
• Hamlin, Sweeney have epic day for USA Luge in Park City
• Ibrahimovic, Costa light up misty day in EPL
• West African leaders aim to enforce Gambian election upset
• U.N. Security Council lifts North Korea sanctions on five ships
• UN Security Council to vote Sunday on Aleppo observers
• Venezuela's Maduro postpones elimination of currency bills after chaos
• U.N. Security Council to vote Sunday on Aleppo evacuation monitors
• Mexico soccer star goes on hunger strike to defend mayorship
• Leinster rout Saints as Connacht, Leicester grab last-kick wins
• Juventus beats 2nd-place Roma 1-0 to move 7 points clear
• Atletico Madrid edges Las Palmas 1-0 to snap winless streak
• Libya officially proclaims liberation of Sirte from IS
• Protesters ransack pro-Kurdish party local HQs after Turkey attack
• Lula rejects accusations in latest Brazilian corruption case
• West African leaders call on Gambia's Jammeh to step down next month
• Suicide car bombing kills 14 off-duty Turkish soldiers
• Suspect in Paris murder of Kurd rebels dies
• EU's Tusk, Poland's PM differ on nation's democracy
• Venezuelans defy Colombia border ban, unrest continues
• Forced to leave, Aleppo evacuees tell of their pain
• Legislature: Ex-Mali president won't face treason charges
• Mexican journalist releases probe of missing students' case
• Sydney FC unbeaten in A-League, Victory take Melbourne derby
• Pressure increasing on PSG coach Emery after 4th league loss
• Top Asian News 8:43 p.m. GMT
• Philippines' Duterte to US over aid issue: 'Bye-bye America'
• Hamas blames Israel for killing of drone expert in Tunisia
• 'Unpresidented' Trump tweet on China sets off deluge of mockery

China to return seized U.S. drone, says Washington 'hyping up' incident Posted: 17 Dec 2016 12:14 PM PST By Ben Blanchard and Steve Holland BEIJING/WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - China will return an underwater U.S. drone seized by a naval vessel this week in the South China Sea, both countries said on Saturday, but Beijing complained that Washington had been "hyping up" the incident. The drone, known as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), was taken on Thursday, the first seizure of its kind in recent memory. The Pentagon went public with its complaint after the action and said on Saturday it had secured a deal to get the drone back.

Syria government, rebels working to secure Aleppo evacuation deal Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:18 PM PST By Laila Bassam and Lisa Barrington ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - A new deal is being negotiated to complete the evacuation of rebel-held areas of Syria's east Aleppo which ground to a halt on Friday after demands from pro-government forces that people also be moved out of two villages besieged by insurgents. A Syrian rebel official and a government official said early on Saturday the evacuation of Aleppo would resume and the two Shi'ite villages would be evacuated, as well as the wounded from two towns near the Lebanese border and east Aleppo. The chaos surrounding the evacuation reflects the complexity of Syria's civil war, with an array of groups and foreign interests involved on all sides.

Turkey's Erdogan blames Kurdish militants after bomb kills at least 13, wounds 56 Posted: 17 Dec 2016 11:11 AM PST By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Orhan Coskun ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) - A car bomb killed at least 13 soldiers and wounded 56 when it ripped through a bus carrying off-duty military personnel in the central Turkish city of Kayseri on Saturday, an attack President Tayyip Erdogan blamed on Kurdish militants. The blast near a university campus comes a week after deadly twin bombings targeted police in Istanbul and may further infuriate a public smarting from multiple attacks by Islamic and Kurdish militants this year, and a failed coup in July. It could also increase tension in the mainly Kurdish southeast, where militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have waged a three-decade violent insurgency that has seen some of the worst fighting in the last year.

Iran calls for meeting of nuclear deal powers over U.S. sanctions Posted: 17 Dec 2016 10:00 AM PST Iran has requested a meeting of a commission overseeing the implementation of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iranian state media reported on Saturday, in response to what Tehran calls a U.S. violation of the agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif asked for the meeting in a letter to European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Iran's official news agency IRNA said. The White House said on Thursday that a bill extending U.S. sanctions against Iran for 10 years will become law without President Barack Obama's signature, but added that it would not affect implementation of the international accord limiting Iran's nuclear program.

Polish opposition keeps blocking parliament in standoff with government Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:16 PM PST By Pawel Florkiewicz and Lidia Kelly WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish opposition leaders said on Saturday they would maintain their blockade of parliament's main hall and called for popular protests against a government that has accused it of trying to seize power. Poland's biggest political standoff in years began on Friday when opposition lawmakers objected to plans by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to curb media access to parliament, and blocked the plenary hall podium ahead of a budget vote. PiS lawmakers moved voting to another area without media access, prompting accusations they had passed the 2017 budget illegally, breaching the constitution.

Venezuela postpones currency move after chaos, protests Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:04 PM PST By Corina Pons and Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro suspended on Saturday the elimination of the country's largest denomination bill, which had sparked cash shortages and nationwide unrest, saying the measure would be postponed until early January. Maduro, speaking from the presidential palace, blamed a "sabotage" campaign by enemies abroad for the delayed arrival of three planes carrying the new 500, 2,000 and 20,000 bolivar notes. "One plane, contracted and paid for by Venezuela, was told in flight to change direction and go to another country," he said, without specifying who had given the orders.

Venezuela extends use of 100-bolivar bill following protests Posted: 17 Dec 2016 05:31 PM PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government on Saturday extended the use of its 100-bolivar bill until Jan. 2, after its decision to pull the banknote out of circulation left the country largely without cash, and sparked protests and looting.

Trump, on Twitter, says China should keep the seized U.S. drone Posted: 17 Dec 2016 05:13 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump continued to take jabs at China on Twitter on Saturday after Beijing agreed to give back an underwater U.S. drone it seized this week. "We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back - let them keep it!" Trump tweeted. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Paul Simao)

Maduro delays removing currency bills amid crisis, protests Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:54 PM PST With protests rocking his unpopular government, embattled President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday pushed back to next month taking Venezuela's highest denomination bill out of circulation. Maduro, who spoke after a meeting with administration officials, said he also would keep the borders with Brazil and Colombia closed until January 2. The president, whose popularity has plummeted, says the 100-bolivar note had to be killed because "mafias" are hoarding it abroad in what he calls a US-backed plot to destabilize Venezuela.

Hamlin, Sweeney have epic day for USA Luge in Park City Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:37 PM PST PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — It took Erin Hamlin more than a decade to collect two World Cup luge gold medals.

Ibrahimovic, Costa light up misty day in EPL Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:08 PM PST LONDON (AP) — As fog engulfed English stadiums, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Diego Costa illuminated the Premier League on Saturday.

West African leaders aim to enforce Gambian election upset Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:08 PM PST ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West African leaders promised Saturday to enforce the results of a Gambian election that was won by a little-known businessman backed by an opposition coalition but rejected by the country's longtime coup leader.

U.N. Security Council lifts North Korea sanctions on five ships Posted: 17 Dec 2016 04:03 PM PST By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council said on Saturday it had lifted sanctions on five ships that were blacklisted in March for ties to North Korea's arms trade. The ships were among 31 vessels sanctioned by the 15-member council on March 2 because they were linked to Ocean Maritime Management (OMM), a North Korean shipping firm known to transport arms and other illicit goods for the secretive state. The 15-member Security Council sanctions committee for North Korea decided the five vessels "are not economic resources controlled or operated by Ocean Maritime Management Company, Limited and therefore not subject to the asset freeze." The ships removed from the blacklist are Dawnlight, Every Bright, Gold Star 3, Orion Star and South Hill 5.

UN Security Council to vote Sunday on Aleppo observers Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:44 PM PST The UN Security Council will vote Sunday on a French proposal to send observers to the flashpoint Syrian city of Aleppo to monitor evacuations and report on the protection of civilians, diplomats said. The council will meet at 10:00 am (1500 GMT) to decide on the draft resolution, despite resistance from Russia, Syria's ally and a veto-wielding Security Council member. France circulated a draft text late Friday stating that the council is "alarmed" by the worsening humanitarian crisis in Aleppo and by the fact that "tens of thousands of besieged Aleppo inhabitants" are in need of aid and evacuation.

Venezuela's Maduro postpones elimination of currency bills after chaos Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:44 PM PST CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday he was reversing this week's elimination of Venezuela's largest-denomination currency bill, to extend its use until Jan. 2. The policy flip-flop came amid protests, looting and widespread shortages of cash following his surprise decision to pull the 100-bolivar note from circulation this week. (Reporting by Corina Pons; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Chris Reese)

U.N. Security Council to vote Sunday on Aleppo evacuation monitors Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:39 PM PST By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is due to vote Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that U.N. officials can monitor evacuations from besieged parts of the Syrian city of Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain. The draft text, seen by Reuters on Saturday, also "emphasizes that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes." A vote has been scheduled for Sunday morning, diplomats said. The evacuation of rebel-held areas of east Aleppo ground to a halt on Friday after demands from pro-government forces that people also be moved out of two Shi'ite villages besieged by insurgents.

Mexico soccer star goes on hunger strike to defend mayorship Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:29 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican soccer star Cuauhtemoc Blanco said Saturday he has gone on a hunger strike to defend his mayorship of the city of Cuernavaca.

Leinster rout Saints as Connacht, Leicester grab last-kick wins Posted: 17 Dec 2016 03:27 PM PST Triple champions Leinster handed Northampton a record European Cup defeat in a nine-try, 60-13 rout Saturday as Connacht and Leicester kept their quarter-final hopes alive with dramatic last-minute kicks. One week ago, Leinster beat the Saints 37-10 in their first Pool 4 meeting -- a game marked by Northampton's England skipper Dyan Hartley being red-carded after just six minutes. After the break, Tadhg Furlong, Sean Cronin, skipper Isa Nacewa (two) and Rory O'Loughlin added further tries as Northampton were humiliated.

Juventus beats 2nd-place Roma 1-0 to move 7 points clear Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:53 PM PST MILAN (AP) — No one seems capable of stopping Juventus from winning an historic sixth successive Serie A after it beat second-place Roma 1-0 to move seven points clear at the top of the table on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid edges Las Palmas 1-0 to snap winless streak Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:48 PM PST MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid's victory in its final game of 2016 in the Spanish league allowed coach Diego Simeone to overlook the team's struggles and focus on the positives of a "fantastic" year.

Libya officially proclaims liberation of Sirte from IS Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:44 PM PST Libya's unity government leader Fayez al-Sarraj on Saturday officially announced the end of military operations in Sirte, after the liberation from Islamic State group forces of what was the last significant territory they held in the country. Eight months after the start of the operations against IS in the coastal town of Sirte "I officially announce the end of military operations and the liberation of the town", Sarraj said in a televised speech two weeks after the announcement that the area was in control of forces loyal to the government. The capture of Sirte, first announced on December 5, boosts the authority of Sarraj's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which was launched in Tripoli in March but whose legitimacy is contested by a rival administration based in eastern Libya.

Protesters ransack pro-Kurdish party local HQs after Turkey attack Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:32 PM PST Nationalist protesters on Saturday stormed the local headquarters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the central Turkish city of Kayseri and several other Turkish cities after an attack that left 14 soldiers dead. With the government pointing the finger at the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the attack earlier in Kayseri, the protesters took out their anger on the HDP in a string of revenge attacks. In Kayseri, protesters broke into the building where the HDP office is located, scattering papers and furniture on the street and removing the HDP sign from the entrance, images taken by the Dogan news agency showed.

Lula rejects accusations in latest Brazilian corruption case Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:28 PM PST Lawyers for former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday criticized the fourth corruption case brought against him after a judge accepted formal charges that he had interfered in a government tender to buy new fighter jets. Lula, who was no longer president when the alleged illegal practices happened, was accused of using his influence over his successor's government to help Swedish plane maker Saab AB win the tender for 36 jets worth around $5.6 billion. The former presidents' lawyers said he had no role in the selection of the Saab Gripen fighter jets in December 2013 and obtained no illicit gains related to the deal.

West African leaders call on Gambia's Jammeh to step down next month Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:19 PM PST Regional West African leaders on Saturday said The Gambia's president Yahya Jammeh must step down next month when his term runs out, just over a week after he challenged the result of an election in which he had already conceded defeat. The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued its call in a statement at the end of a summit in Nigeria. "The Authority calls on President Yahya Jammeh to accept the result of the polls and refrain from any act likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to the president-elect," they said.

Suicide car bombing kills 14 off-duty Turkish soldiers Posted: 17 Dec 2016 02:17 PM PST Fourteen Turkish soldiers were killed and dozens more wounded Saturday in a suicide car bombing blamed on Kurdish militants targeting off-duty conscripts, the latest in a string of attacks to rock Turkey in recent months. The government said all signs so far suggested the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind the bombing in the city of Kayseri, a usually calm industrial hub in the heart of Anatolia. With tensions soaring in Turkey, nationalist protesters attacked the offices of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Kayseri as well as seven other locations in Istanbul and across the country.

Suspect in Paris murder of Kurd rebels dies Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:55 PM PST A Turkish national charged with murdering three female Kurdish rebels in Paris died Saturday, a French judicial source said, before his case came to trial. Omer Guney died at a hospital in the French capital following a battle with a serious brain illness, the source said. Cansiz -- one of the founders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) -- was murdered along with Fidan Dogan, 28, and 24-year-old Leyla Soylemez.

EU's Tusk, Poland's PM differ on nation's democracy Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:47 PM PST WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Two days of anti-government protests have exposed clashing views on the shape of Poland's democracy, with a European Union leader and the protesters saying it is threatened by the government, and the prime minister insisting the threat is coming from the opposition's actions.

Venezuelans defy Colombia border ban, unrest continues Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:47 PM PST By Anggy Polanco SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela (Reuters) - Hundreds of Venezuelans jumped barriers to defy their government's closure of the Colombian border on Saturday while looting and protests continued due to a cash shortage, causing pre-Christmas chaos. The unrest began on Friday following this week's surprise pulling from circulation of Venezuela's largest denomination note, 100 bolivars, before replacement bills were available. The move left Venezuelans flooding banks to deposit or swap their 100-bolivar bills within a short deadline, and many without the means to pay for food, gasoline or Christmas preparations in a country already reeling from a deep economic crisis.

Forced to leave, Aleppo evacuees tell of their pain Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:47 PM PST BEIRUT (AP) — Death in Aleppo was personal for Modar Sheikho. He lost his sister to government bombing early in the revolt. His brother was killed last month. And as they looked for a place to bury him, another airstrike killed his father.

Legislature: Ex-Mali president won't face treason charges Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:28 PM PST BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's National Assembly has rejected the idea of trying former President Amadou Toumani Toure on treason charges.

Mexican journalist releases probe of missing students' case Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:20 PM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican journalist released documents Saturday from an internal affairs investigation that criticizes the government's handling of the case of 43 missing students who prosecutors claim were incinerated by a drug gang in 2014.

Sydney FC unbeaten in A-League, Victory take Melbourne derby Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:13 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — Sydney FC stayed unbeaten in the A-League, coming from behind to beat Perth Glory 4-1 and increase its lead to seven points on Saturday.

Pressure increasing on PSG coach Emery after 4th league loss Posted: 17 Dec 2016 01:08 PM PST Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain slipped to its fourth defeat in the French league, losing at Guingamp 2-1 on Saturday in another setback that cranks up the pressure on coach Unai Emery.

Top Asian News 8:43 p.m. GMT Posted: 17 Dec 2016 12:43 PM PST BEIJING (AP) — China said Saturday its military seized a U.S. Navy unmanned underwater glider in the South China Sea to ensure the "safe navigation of passing ships," but would give back the drone after determining it was an American device. The United States later confirmed it had "secured an understanding" for the return, seeming to settle one of the most serious incidents between the two militaries in years. The Chinese navy on Thursday seized the drone, which the Pentagon said was being operated by civilian contractors to conduct oceanic research. The U.S. lodged a formal diplomatic complaint and demand the drone back.

Philippines' Duterte to US over aid issue: 'Bye-bye America' Posted: 17 Dec 2016 12:43 PM PST MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Rodrigo Duterte threatened Saturday to terminate a pact that allows U.S. troops to visit the Philippines, saying "bye-bye America" as he reacted with rage to what he thought was a U.S. decision to scrap a major aid package over human rights concerns.

Hamas blames Israel for killing of drone expert in Tunisia Posted: 17 Dec 2016 12:40 PM PST The Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza blamed Israel on Saturday for the killing in Tunisia this week of a Tunisian national it described as one of its drone experts, and threatened retaliation. Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said Mohammed Zawari, who was gunned down near the city of Sfax on Thursday, had been a member of the group for 10 years and had been supervising its drone program.

'Unpresidented' Trump tweet on China sets off deluge of mockery Posted: 17 Dec 2016 12:37 PM PST US President-elect Donald Trump got plenty of attention -- but not the kind he was looking for -- after a tweet Saturday calling out China for its seizure of an unmanned US naval probe. "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters -- rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented (sic) act," the real estate magnate wrote on his favorite platform.

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