Reunited in death: Fidel Castro's remains rest at Che Guevara mausoleum

SANTA CLARA, Havana (Reuters) - One of history's best known double acts was temporarily reunited on Wednesday, when Fidel Castro's ashes arrived at a mausoleum housing the bones of his fellow revolutionary, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, part of a three-day cortege for the Cuban leader.

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South Korea says to pursue more unilateral sanctions against North Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Thursday it will pursue further unilateral sanctions against rival North Korea in the wake of its fifth and largest nuclear test in September.

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Syrian rebels vow to resist army advances in Aleppo

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels on Wednesday vowed to fight on in east Aleppo in the face of sudden government advances that have cut the area held by the opposition by a third in recent days and brought insurgents in the city to the brink of a catastrophic defeat.

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Mosul food, water reserves dwindle as fighting cuts off supplies

MOSUL/BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - The United Nations issued a fresh warning on Wednesday about the humanitarian situation in eastern Mosul where the U.S.-backed Iraqi army is locked in heavy fighting with Islamic State militants.

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Georgia president sees strong U.S. ties maintained under Trump

TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgia expects relations with the United States under Donald Trump to remain strong despite his calls for improved ties with Russia and Tbilisi will keep pressing for closer collaboration with NATO, the president of the ex-Soviet republic said.

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China says it wants smooth military ties with Trump

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Wednesday it wanted to develop smooth military-to-military ties with the new U.S. administration of Donald Trump.

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Soccer crash survivors undergo operations in Colombia, probe begins

LA UNION, Colombia (Reuters) - Doctors treated traumatized survivors and an investigation was to get underway on Wednesday into an air crash that killed 71 people and wiped out Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team en route to a cup final in Colombia.

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Rescue service say dozens killed in Aleppo attack

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rescue workers said more than 45 people had been killed in artillery bombardment of rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Wednesday, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 50,000 people had been displaced by the fighting.

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Russia says it hopes Aleppo situation can be resolved by year-end: RIA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Wednesday he hoped that the situation in Syria's Aleppo could be sorted out by the end of this year, the RIA news agency cited him as saying.

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Cuba returning Castro's ashes to birthplace of the Revolution

HAVANA (Reuters) - A procession carrying Fidel Castro's ashes prepared to set out from Havana on Wednesday on a long trek to a final resting place in Santiago de Cuba, where the first shots in the Cuban Revolution were fired and where Castro claimed victory in 1959.

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Fire in Turkish dormitory kills 12, including 11 teenage girls: officials

ANKARA (Reuters) - Twelve people, including eleven teenagers, were killed when a fire swept through a girls dormitory in the southern Turkish province of Adana, officials said.

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Assad, allies aim to seize all Aleppo before Trump takes power: official

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and its allies aim to seize all eastern Aleppo from rebels by the time U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, sticking by a Russian-backed timeline for the operation after big gains in recent days, a senior official in the military alliance fighting in support of Damascus said.

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Mosul edges towards full siege, families struggle to find food

BAGHDAD/MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A full siege is developing in Mosul as poor families struggle to feed themselves after prices rose sharply following the U.S.-backed offensive on the Islamic State-held city in northern Iraq, humanitarian workers said on Tuesday.

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Iran calls U.S. military behavior in Gulf 'unprofessional'

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The U.S. military presence in the Gulf poses the main risk of conflict in the region, an Iranian military official said on Tuesday after Washington said an Iranian vessel had pointed its weapon at a U.S. helicopter in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

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Syrian rebels battling government forces in southeast Aleppo: official

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels were fighting pro-government militias on the southeastern edge of east Aleppo's opposition-held enclave on Tuesday, a rebel official said, as Damascus and its allies try to build on major gains in the city in recent days.

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Plane crashes in Colombia with 81 onboard, including Brazil footballers

BOGOTA (Reuters) - An aircraft with 81 people aboard, including a Brazilian football team, crashed in central Colombia, and rescuers are moving survivors from the site, the country's civil aviation association said on its website on Tuesday.

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South Korea's embattled president offers to relinquish power

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's embattled President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked parliament to come up with a way for her to relinquish power, including when she should step down from the presidency.

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Iranian vessel made 'unsafe' action against US helicopter -officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessel pointed its weapons at a U.S. Navy helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, two U.S. defense officials told Reuters on Monday, an action they described as "unsafe and unprofessional."

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U.N. Security Council to vote Wednesday on North Korea sanctions: diplomats

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday morning on a U.S.-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its fifth and largest nuclear test conducted in September, diplomats said on Monday.

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Philippines' Duterte shrugs off Western threats of ICC indictment

(Advisory: Language in paragraphs 1 and 4 may offend some readers)

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Cubans to throng Revolution Square in mourning for Fidel Castro

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cubans will begin massing on Havana's Revolution Square from Monday to commemorate Fidel Castro, the communist guerrilla leader who led a revolution in 1959 and ruled the Caribbean island for half a century.

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New U.N. chief, in China, calls for human rights respect

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United Nations needs to make sure there is an "effective combination" of human, civil and economic rights in a world where many rights are not respected, U.N. secretary general-elect Antonio Guterres said on Monday during a visit to Beijing.

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Philippine police find home-made bomb near U.S. embassy, rebels suspected

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine police conducted a controlled detonation of a home-made bomb found in a trash bin near the U.S. embassy in Manila on Monday and said militants sympathetic to Islamic State could have been responsible.

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Syrian army seizes key Aleppo area from rebels: Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and its allies drove rebels from a strategically important district of eastern Aleppo on Monday, the army and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, in a wider advance that marks the biggest setback for the opposition in Aleppo since 2012.

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Thousands uprooted in east Aleppo as Syrian army advances

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Several thousand residents of rebel-held eastern Aleppo fled shifting frontlines, residents and a monitor said on Sunday, after a rapid advance by the Syrian army and allied forces that rebels fear could split their most important urban stronghold in two.

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Iraqi forces grind on in east Mosul as political rift opens over Shi'ite militias

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's sectarian political leaders have plunged back into a dispute over the status of Shi'ite armed groups, undermining efforts to reunite the country as its troops press on with the assault of Mosul, Islamic State's biggest stronghold.

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Israeli air strike kills four Islamic State-linked gunmen on Golan

(Reuters) - Israeli aircraft killed four Islamic State-linked gunmen on Sunday after they fired mortars and shot at troops patrolling along the occupied Golan Heights, the military said.

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Syria attack causes 'chemical gas' symptoms in rebels: Turkish media

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A rocket attack by Islamic State militants in northern Syria caused symptoms of "chemical gas" in 22 Syrian rebels, state media cited the Turkish armed forces as saying on Sunday.

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France votes for center-right candidate - and perhaps next president

PARIS (Reuters) - Former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe go head-to-head on Sunday in a runoff vote for France's center-right presidential nomination, with the winner likely to face a showdown against a resurgent far-right in next year's election.

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Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

HAVANA (Reuters) - Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90.

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Pakistan PM Sharif names General Bajwa as new army chief

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's prime minister on Saturday picked Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to replace outgoing army chief Raheel Sharif, the popular military leader credited with improving security and driving back Islamist militant groups.

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Syrian government advances into rebel-held east Aleppo

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government and allied forces seized large parts of an important district in rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Saturday but fierce fighting for control of the residential area continued, rebels, pro-government media and a monitor said.

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France's Fillon seen as favorite to beat Juppe for conservative nomination

PARIS (Reuters) - Former prime minister Francois Fillon looked on Friday to be in a strong position to claim his center-right party's nomination to contest next year's French presidential election as he and rival Alain Juppe held final rallies of the primary campaign.

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U.N. close to sanctions deal to slash North Korea export earnings: diplomats

(Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council's five veto powers are close to approving new sanctions on North Korea to cut the isolated state's earnings from exports by more than a quarter, principally by targeting its coal exports to China, diplomats said on Friday.

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Air strikes batter women's hospital in Syria's Idlib: monitor, aid group

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russian or Syrian government warplanes pounded a women's hospital in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province on Friday, killing three people nearby, a monitoring group and an aid organization said.

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Iraq readies force to storm flashpoint town near Mosul

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq is readying a special force tasked with storming Tal Afar, a bastion of Islamic State west of Mosul, in a way that would avoid revenge killings against the town's Sunni population.

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In eastern Mosul, residents fret over security and supplies

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces have pushed Islamic State out of the street where Yaqdhan Abdelnabi lives in Mosul, but the former sales manager is moving his five children to another part of the city because it is still dangerous.

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In retaken areas of Mosul, Islamic State still inflicts pain

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - A medic peeled blood-soaked bandages from the arm of a boy in the emergency room of a hospital in northern Iraq, revealing the full extent of the damage inflicted by an Islamic State mortar attack.

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Turkish soldier killed in Syria clashes as rebels push to al-Bab

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish soldier was killed and five wounded in clashes with Islamic State in northern Syria, the military said on Friday, as Turkish-backed rebels pressed an offensive to take the city of al-Bab from the radical jihadist group.

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Trump will pursue 'regional hegemony' in South China Sea: Chinese academics

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Donald Trump presidency does not mean the United States will withdraw from the South China Sea, but rather will continue pursuing "regional hegemony", Chinese academics who drafted a report for an influential government think tank said on Friday.

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Two passenger trains collide in Iran, several killed: TV

ANKARA (Reuters) - Two passenger trains collided in Iran's north-central province of Semnan on early Friday, killing several people and injuring unspecified number of others, Iran's state TV reported.

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Japan PM says Russian missile deployment on disputed isles 'regrettable'

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday Russia's deployment of missile systems on islands in the western Pacific isles that are also claimed by Tokyo was "regrettable".

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Death toll in China power plant accident climbs to 74

BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll in the collapse of a platform under construction at a power plant in eastern China has risen to 74, with two others injured, as China's chief safety inspector arrived to oversee an investigation, state media said on Friday.

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Germany, 15 other countries press for arms control deal with Russia

BERLIN (Reuters) - Fifteen European countries have joined Germany in its push for a new arms control agreement with Moscow, saying more dialogue is needed to prevent an arms race in Europe after Russia's actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, a German newspaper said.

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Kurds, Shi'ite fighters to coordinate after sealing off Mosul

ERBIL/BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi Kurdish and Shi'ite forces agreed to coordinate movements after cutting off Mosul from the rest of the territory held by Islamic State in western Iraq and Syria in support of a U.S-backed offensive to capture the city, U.S. and Iraqi officials said on Thursday.

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Colombia, FARC to sign peace in sober ceremony amid opposition

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos and Marxist FARC rebel leader Rodrigo Londono will sign a new, revised peace accord on Thursday in a much more sober ceremony than the first deal which was rejected last month by millions at a plebiscite.

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Suicide car bomb kills 12 south of Baghdad: police and medical sources

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide bomber detonated his car bomb at a gas station in al-Hilla city, 100 km (60 miles) south of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 12 civilians and wounding 10 more, police and medical sources say.

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Thwarted French attack was slated for December 1 at key Paris sites

PARIS (Reuters) - Suspects arrested last weekend in France under anti-terrorism measures had been planning to launch attacks on Dec. 1 at important and landmark sites in and around Paris, according to a source close to the inquiry.

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At least 40 killed in China construction accident: Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - At least 40 people have died and others are still trapped after a platform under construction at a power plant's cooling tower in eastern China's Jiangxi province collapsed on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua said.

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Taiwan lists the times it says China blocked its diplomatic space

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan is updating its foreign ministry website listing the times it says China blocked its international space, a move endorsed by the island's independence-leaning ruling party on Thursday.

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Intelligence gaps may have helped Afghan Taliban breach NATO fortress

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - In the year before Qari Naib blew himself up on Nov. 12 inside a NATO base near Kabul killing four Americans, Afghan intelligence warned the U.S. military at least twice that a worker could be planning an attack, government and security officials said.

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Blast kills two at governor's office in southern Turkish city

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - An explosion killed two people and wounded more than a dozen outside the governor's office in the southern Turkish city of Adana on Thursday, state media said, weeks after the United States warned extremist groups were planning attacks.

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More Rohingyas flee to Bangladesh as violence spreads in Myanmar

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - More Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar poured into neighboring Bangladesh this week, with some feared to have drowned after a boat sank during a bid to flee violence that has killed at least 86 people and displaced 30,000.

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France's Fillon seen winning conservatives' primaries: poll

PARIS (Reuters) - French former prime minister Francois Fillon is set to win the conservative nomination for next year's presidential election by a wide margin, an Ifop-Fiducial poll forecast ahead of a primaries' run-off vote on Sunday.

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Civilians flee as Shi'ite fighters near flashpoint town near Mosul

ERBIL/BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Thousands of Iraqi civilians have fled Tal Afar as Shi'ite paramilitary groups close in around the Islamic State-held town on the road between Mosul and Raqqa, the main cities of the militant group's self-styled caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

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Defending liberalism, Merkel sets out as West's standard bearer

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel defended democratic values and multilateral cooperation on Wednesday, in her first major speech since announcing she will seek a fourth term, but insisted Germany "can't solve all problems" in the world.

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Iran warns of retaliation if U.S. breaches nuclear deal

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Extending U.S. sanctions on Iran for 10 years would breach the Iranian nuclear agreement, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said on Wednesday, warning that Tehran would retaliate if the sanctions are approved.

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Kremlin says missile deployment shouldn't hurt Russia-Japan peace talks

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The deployment of Russian missile systems on the Kurile islands should not influence efforts to settle the long-running territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo over the islands, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

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Samsung Group, pension fund offices raided in growing South Korea scandal

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean prosecutors raided the offices of Samsung Group on Wednesday, a prosecution official said, after media reports of alleged links with a confidante of President Park Geun-hye who has been indicted in an influence-peddling scandal.

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Pakistan says nine killed in Indian shelling of bus in Kashmir

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Indian shelling across the frontier into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir hit a bus, killing at least nine people and wounding 11, Pakistani officials said, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors simmers.

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South Korea, Japan agree intelligence-sharing on North Korea threat

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea and Japan signed a military intelligence pact on Wednesday to share sensitive information on the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear activities, the South's defense ministry said.

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Power vacuum weighs on South Korea as Park fights for survival

SEOUL (Reuters) - As the chorus grows louder for South Korean President Park Geun-hye to resign over a corruption scandal, a power vacuum is weighing on her administration, leaving her political survival in doubt and its vulnerable economy exposed to political shocks.

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Civilian victims of mortar, sniper fire pour into Mosul clinic

KOKJALI, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi military medics rushed a man whose mouth had been blown apart by mortar shrapnel into their temporary field clinic on the eastern edges of Mosul.

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Pentagon says air strike killed 'senior al Qaeda leader' in Syria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An air strike carried out by the United States last week killed Abu Afghan Al-Masri, a "senior al Qaeda leader," near Sarmada, Syria, on Nov. 18, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said on Tuesday.

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Russia's Lavrov, U.S.'s Kerry, in phone call, discuss Syria's Aleppo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed "normalization" of the situation in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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Exclusive: Russian tankers defy EU ban to smuggle jet fuel to Syria - sources

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian tankers have smuggled jet fuel to Syria through EU waters, bolstering military supplies to a war-torn country where Moscow is carrying out air strikes in support of the government, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

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Week of renewed Aleppo strikes kills 141 in east, 16 in west: Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 141 civilians, including 18 children, have been killed in a week of renewed bombardment on the rebel-held eastern half of Aleppo which has devastated its hospitals, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday.

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Britain to Trump: 'No vacancy' for Farage as ambassador

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Tuesday dismissed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's unprecedented expression of support for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage to be made British ambassador to Washington, saying pointedly that there is no vacancy for the job.

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UKIP's Farage: I can help UK build ties with Trump

LONDON (Reuters) - Leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Tuesday he was in a good position to help Britain build ties with Donald Trump after the U.S. President-elect tweeted that Farage should be British ambassador to Washington.

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Egypt court overturns life sentence against ex-president Mursi

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's Court of Cassation overturned on Tuesday a life sentence against deposed President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial in the case that revolves around accusations of espionage with Palestinian group Hamas.

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Iran's Guards using Trump victory to claw back power

ANKARA (Reuters) - Donald Trump's victory and the war on Islamic State have given Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps what it sees as a unique opportunity to claw back economic and political power it had lost.

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Powerful quake hits Japan, Fukushima residents urged to flee tsunami

TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 hit northern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, generating a tsunami that hit the nation's northern Pacific coast.

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U.N. says nearly 1 million Syrians besieged; U.S. names, shames commanders

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The number of besieged Syrians has more than doubled over the past year to nearly one million, the United Nations aid chief told the Security Council on Monday, as the United States named 13 Syrian military commanders it accused of killing civilians.

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Iraq Shi'ite paramilitaries close to cutting Mosul supply route

TAL AFAR AIR BASE, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite militias were massing troops on Monday to cut remaining supply routes to Mosul, Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq, closing in on the road that links the Syrian and Iraqi parts of its self-declared caliphate.

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Pope extends power to forgive abortion to all priests

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday allowed all Roman Catholic priests the power to forgive abortion, a power previously reserved for bishops or special confessors.

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Russia to deploy S-400 and Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad: RIA cites senator

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will deploy its S-400 air missile defense system and ballistic Iskander missile in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, RIA news agency reported on Monday, citing the head of the defense committee in the Russian upper house of parliament.

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South Korea's opposition parties move toward President Park impeachment

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's opposition People's Party will start collecting signatures for an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye, while the main opposition Democratic Party will review the conditions for impeachment, party spokesmen said on Monday.

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Kabul mosque attack death toll at 27: police

KABUL (Reuters) - The death toll from Monday's suicide attack at a Shia mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul rose to at least 27 people, with 35 wounded, police said.

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Obama offers bleak assessment of situation in Syria

LIMA (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that chaos in Syria could persist for "quite some time" and that Russian and Iranian support for President Bashar al-Assad's air campaign had emboldened the Syrian leader's crackdown on rebels.

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Fillon, Juppe kick off race for support for French presidential ticket

PARIS (Reuters) - Francois Fillon heads into a runoff campaign for France's conservative presidential ticket on Monday as favorite after winning the endorsement of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy whom he ousted from the race after a stunning late surge in polls.

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Obama, Putin talk about Syria and Ukraine in quick summit meet

LIMA (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke for around four minutes on Sunday at the APEC summit about Syria and Ukraine, in what is likely to be their last in-person meeting before Obama leaves office.

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Syrian family, pupils among dozens killed in Aleppo attacks

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebel shelling killed eight children at a school in the government-held part of Aleppo on Sunday and a barrel bomb killed a family of six in the rebel-held area, part of a heavy government bombardment that has knocked out all the hospitals.

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Meeting Putin, Philippines' Duterte rails at Western 'hypocrisy'

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Western "bullying" and "hypocrisy" during his first meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and said when it came to alliances, the United States could not be trusted.

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At least 90 killed as India train derails, more than 150 injured

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - At least 90 people were killed and more than 150 injured when an Indian express train derailed in northern Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, with the toll set to rise amid a desperate scramble to locate survivors from the mangled wreck.

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South Korea prosecutors say President Park was accomplice in corruption scandal

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean prosecutors said on Sunday that they believed President Park Geun-hye was an accomplice in a corruption scandal that has rocked her administration, in a heavy blow to her fight for political survival.

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China's Xi calls for 'smooth transition' in relationship with U.S

LIMA (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for a "smooth transition" in Beijing's relationship with Washington and praised outgoing President Barack Obama for strengthening ties between the two nations.

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French in centre-right primary to pick presidential candidate to face Le Pen

PARIS (Reuters) - Conservative presidential hopefuls in France face the judgment of voters in a primary race on Sunday and the victor looks likely to win the presidency in next spring's election against a resurgent far-right.

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Merkel expected to say she will seek fourth term as German chancellor

BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel is set to announce on Sunday she will seek a fourth term as German chancellor in next year's election, ending months of speculation over whether one of the world's most powerful women wants to run again after 11 years in office.

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Civilian casualties from Mosul are overwhelming capacity, U.N. warns

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Mounting civilian casualties from fighting in eastern Mosul between Iraqi forces and Islamic State are overwhelming the capacity of the government and international aid groups, the United Nations said on Saturday.

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Islamic State kills 12 Sunni tribal fighters, police south of Mosul

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Islamic State killed seven Sunni tribal fighters who support the Iraqi government and five policemen on Saturday in a town south of Mosul, the insurgents' last major city stronghold in Iraq, local security sources said.

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Saudi-led coalition starts 48-hour truce in Yemen: SPA

SANAA (Reuters) - Saudi-led military forces fighting in Yemen began a 48-hour ceasefire on Saturday, raising hopes of an end to war that has displaced millions and caused a humanitarian disaster.

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U.S. officials arrive in Australia to begin assessing asylum seekers

SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. officials have arrived in Australia to begin assessing asylum seekers held on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island and Nauru for resettlement in the United States, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Saturday.

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All hospitals in East Aleppo out of action: health directorate

BEIRUT (Reuters) - All hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo are out of service after days of heavy air strikes on the besieged area of the Syrian city, its health directorate said late on Friday but a war monitor said some were still working.

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UK's May tells Germany: Brexit preparations are 'on track'

BERLIN (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday assured her German counterpart that preparations for Britain's exit from the European Union were on schedule, and that the legal process would begin by the end of March next year.

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Japan's PM Abe meets Trump, says confident can build trust

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described Donald Trump as a "trustworthy leader" after meeting the U.S. president-elect on Thursday to get clarity on statements Trump had made while campaigning that had caused concern about the alliance.

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Iraqi troops expand foothold in Mosul as IS pledges more suicide attacks

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Iraqi troops expanded their foothold on the eastern side of Islamic State's stronghold of Mosul on Friday, as the group pledged to mount more suicide attacks on their offensive to take the city.

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Obama, EU leaders agree to maintain cooperation via NATO after Trump victory

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders agreed in Berlin on Friday that they needed to keep working together as part of multilateral bodies like NATO and to press ahead with the transatlantic agenda, the White House said in a statement.

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China, U.S. look past tensions with joint relief drill

KUNMING, China (Reuters) - China and the United States wrapped up a three-day humanitarian relief military drill on Friday, looking past simmering tensions over the disputed South China Sea and uncertainty at what Donald Trump's presidency will mean for defense ties.

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For Syria rebels, Trump win adds to uncertain fate

BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - On the eve of Donald Trump's election victory, members of a Western-backed Syrian rebel group met U.S. officials to ask about the outlook for arms shipments they have received to fight President Bashar al-Assad.

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NATO says 'absolutely confident' of Trump leadership in alliance

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday he was certain that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will lead the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and he is hoping to speak to Trump soon.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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Pacific rim leaders to debate future of trade post-Trump

LIMA (Reuters) - Leaders of Pacific rim nations began gathering in Peru on Friday seeking to salvage hopes for regional trade as prospects of a Donald Trump presidency sounded a possible death knell for the U.S-led Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact.

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Duterte says Philippines would welcome refugees: 'They can always come here.'

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has lashed out at the "hypocrisy" of the West for closing borders to an exodus of refugees he said he would welcome to his country and accept until it was "filled to the brim".

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With Trump win, China looks to seize Asia free trade leadership

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will position itself as free trade's new champion at an Asia-Pacific summit this weekend, with the Communist government seeking to project economic leadership as a U.S.-led Pacific Rim trade pact languishes under President-elect Donald Trump.

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With Trump win, China looks to seize Asia free trade leadership

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will position itself as free trade's new champion at an Asia-Pacific summit this weekend, with the Communist government seeking to project economic leadership as a U.S.-led Pacific Rim trade pact languishes under President-elect Donald Trump.

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Obama embraces Merkel in Germany visit, prods Trump on Russia

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama gave a strong endorsement of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday and used a visit to Berlin to warn Russia about consequences for intervening in the U.S. election and prod Donald Trump to hold firm against Moscow.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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Obama embraces Merkel in Germany visit, prods Trump on Russia

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama gave a strong endorsement of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday and used a visit to Berlin to warn Russia about consequences for intervening in the U.S. election and prod Donald Trump to hold firm against Moscow.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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Obama embraces Merkel in Germany visit, prods Trump on Russia

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama gave a strong endorsement of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday and used a visit to Berlin to warn Russia about consequences for intervening in the U.S. election and prod Donald Trump to hold firm against Moscow.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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U.S. House votes to bar sales of commercial aircraft to Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would block the sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, a bid to stop sales by Boeing and Airbus that have already been approved by President Barack Obama's administration.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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U.S. House votes to bar sales of commercial aircraft to Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would block the sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, a bid to stop sales by Boeing and Airbus that have already been approved by President Barack Obama's administration.

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Iraqi forces struggle to tell friend from foe in Mosul street battle

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A vehicle shielded with metal plates and driven by a suicide attacker turned onto a main road filled with soldiers in eastern Mosul and burst into a ball of fire, causing several casualties.

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U.S. House votes to bar sales of commercial aircraft to Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would block the sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, a bid to stop sales by Boeing and Airbus that have already been approved by President Barack Obama's administration.

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Trump, Japan's Abe to hold hastily arranged talks in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, rattled by Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric that cast doubt on longstanding U.S. alliances, meets the American president-elect on Thursday for talks whose details were arranged only at the last minute.

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Russia hopes for Trump new approach to Syria crisis: agencies

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia hopes that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's new administration will take a new approach to resolving the Syrian crisis, Russian news agencies cited a Russian deputy foreign minister as saying on Thursday.

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Japan's Abe, Trump set to meet; Abe seeking to build trust

NEW YORK/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he wants to build a relationship of trust when he meets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, stressing that the two-way alliance is the core of Tokyo's diplomacy and security.

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Russia hopes for Trump new approach to Syria crisis: agencies

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia hopes that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's new administration will take a new approach to resolving the Syrian crisis, Russian news agencies cited a Russian deputy foreign minister as saying on Thursday.

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Kremlin 'awaits' signals from Trump's team to establish contacts

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kremlin was expecting "signals" from the team of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in order to establish contacts with the future administration, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday.

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Japan's Abe, Trump set to meet; Abe seeking to build trust

NEW YORK/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he wants to build a relationship of trust when he meets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, stressing that the two-way alliance is the core of Tokyo's diplomacy and security.

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Kremlin 'awaits' signals from Trump's team to establish contacts

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kremlin was expecting "signals" from the team of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in order to establish contacts with the future administration, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday.

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Japan PM Abe to meet with Trump Thursday, seeks to build trust

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he wants to build a relationship of trust when he meets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump this week, stressing that the two-way alliance is the core of Tokyo's diplomacy and security.

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Europe at risk of collapse; France, Germany must lead - French PM

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union is in danger of breaking apart unless France and Germany, in particular, work harder to stimulate growth and employment and heed citizens' concerns, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in the German capital on Thursday.

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France's Juppe, Sarkozy seen contesting center-right presidential primaries runoff -poll

PARIS (Reuters) - Alain Juppe and Nicolas Sarkozy are set to fight it out in a second round for the conservatives' presidential election ticket later this month, according to the latest poll on the subject.

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Europe at risk of collapse; France, Germany must lead: French PM

BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe is in danger of breaking apart and could fail, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said during a trip to the German capital on Thursday, adding that European projects needed a new basis with Germany and France showing strength.

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China sees THAAD deployment as 'weather vane' under Trump

BEIJING (Reuters) - Whether President-elect Donald Trump goes through with a deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea will be a key indicator to how political ties unfold with China, sources with ties to the leadership in Beijing said.

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Ecuador says Sweden should promise Assange will not be extradited

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador said on Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should receive guarantees that he will not be extradited if he faces justice in Sweden after four years of living in the South American nation's embassy in London.

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China sees THAAD deployment as 'weather vane' under Trump

BEIJING (Reuters) - Whether President-elect Donald Trump goes through with a deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea will be a key indicator to how political ties unfold with China, sources with ties to the leadership in Beijing said.

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China, U.S. must avoid excessive mutual suspicion: Chinese envoy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China and the United States must avoid being overly suspicious of each other's strategic intentions, China's ambassador to the United States said on Wednesday while looking ahead to the Presidency of Donald Trump.

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China sees THAAD deployment as 'weather vane' under Trump

BEIJING (Reuters) - Whether President-elect Donald Trump goes through with a deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea will be a key indicator to how political ties unfold with China, sources with ties to the leadership in Beijing said.

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Japan PM Abe seeks to build trust with Trump, stresses alliance vital

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that he wants to build a relationship of trust when he meets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump this week, stressing that the two-way alliance is the core of Tokyo's diplomacy and security.

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In battered town seized from IS, Iraq's Yazidis dream of return

BASHIQA, Iraq (Reuters) - For the first time since Islamic State militants swept into Bashiqa two years ago forcing him to flee, 61-year-old Barakat has finally found work - on Sunday he will coming back to help clear debris from the destruction wrought upon his home town.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Japan PM Abe seeks to build trust with Trump, stresses alliance vital

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that he wants to build a relationship of trust when he meets U.S. President-elect Donald Trump this week, stressing that the two-way alliance is the core of Tokyo's diplomacy and security.

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Ecuador says Sweden should promise Assange will not be extradited

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador said on Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should receive guarantees that he will not be extradited if he faces justice in Sweden after four years of living in the South American nation's embassy in London.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Ecuador says Sweden should promise Assange will not be extradited

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador said on Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should receive guarantees that he will not be extradited if he faces justice in Sweden after four years of living in the South American nation's embassy in London.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Obama lands in Berlin for farewell visit to closest ally Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with whom he has forged a close transatlantic alliance during eight years in office that President-elect Donald Trump may now call into question.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Obama lands in Berlin for farewell visit to closest ally Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with whom he has forged a close transatlantic alliance during eight years in office that President-elect Donald Trump may now call into question.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Obama lands in Berlin for farewell visit to closest ally Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with whom he has forged a close transatlantic alliance during eight years in office that President-elect Donald Trump may now call into question.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Merkel expected to say on Sunday if she'll run for office in 2017: report

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to announce on Sunday whether she will run for a fourth term in next year's federal election, the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media group said on Wednesday.

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Obama lands in Berlin for farewell visit to closest ally Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with whom he has forged a close transatlantic alliance during eight years in office that President-elect Donald Trump may now call into question.

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Le Pen says 'world peace' would gain from a Trump-Putin-Le Pen trio

PARIS (Reuters) - French far-right party leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that her election as president next year would form a trio of world leaders with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin that "would be good for world peace."

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Mexico boosts support for its migrants in the U.S. after Trump win

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's foreign ministry announced fresh steps on Wednesday to provide support to Mexican citizens living in the United States following the victory in last week's U.S. presidential election by Donald Trump, who has promised to crack down on immigrants in the country illegally.

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Le Pen says 'world peace' would gain from a Trump-Putin-Le Pen trio

PARIS (Reuters) - French far-right party leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that her election as president next year would form a trio of world leaders with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin that "would be good for world peace."

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Mexico boosts support for its migrants in the U.S. after Trump win

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's foreign ministry announced fresh steps on Wednesday to provide support to Mexican citizens living in the United States following the victory in last week's U.S. presidential election by Donald Trump, who has promised to crack down on immigrants in the country illegally.

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Death toll at 32 in renewed air strikes on rebel-held east of Aleppo: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes battered neighborhoods around a children's hospital and a blood bank in rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Wednesday in a second day of renewed bombing that has killed at least 32 people, a war monitor, medics and emergency workers said.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen and humiliation for the left.

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Brexit talks will take 'a lot longer' than two years, Eurogroup head says

LONDON (Reuters) - Negotiations over Britain's departure from the European Union are very complex and are going to take longer than the scheduled two years, Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said on Wednesday.

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Macron launches French presidential bid as polls show tight race

PARIS (Reuters) - Emmanuel Macron launched his bid for the French presidency on Wednesday, a move likely to take votes from mainstream candidates in a tight race that promises a strong turnout for far-right leader Marine Le Pen and humiliation for the left.

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Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul suicide bomb attack

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a motorbike on Wednesday killed four people and wounded 10 in an attack on a vehicle carrying national security officials in the Afghan capital, police said.

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Trump aims to ease Asian allies' qualms when he meets Japan's Abe

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump is expected to use his first meeting with a foreign leader as U.S. president-elect this week to try to reassure Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Asian allies rattled by his campaign rhetoric, advisers to Trump said.

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Parts of Mosul come back to life, but dangers are close by

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Emboldened by machinegun fire on Islamic State snipers along Mosul's frontlines, a few residents are emerging from their homes in pockets of the city where Iraqi forces have dislodged the jihadists.

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Trump aims to ease Asian allies' qualms when he meets Japan's Abe

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump is expected to use his first meeting with a foreign leader as U.S. president-elect this week to try to reassure Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Asian allies rattled by his campaign rhetoric, advisers to Trump said.

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Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer points of an historic climate agreement would be a victory lap, capping off a year of negotiations that resulted in global agreements to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

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Suicide bomber attacks vehicle in Kabul, killing four

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a motorbike killed at least four people and wounded several in an attack on a vehicle carrying national security officials in Kabul on Wednesday, a security official at the scene in the Afghan capital told Reuters.

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Suicide bomber attacks vehicle in Kabul, killing four

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a motorbike killed at least four people and wounded several in an attack on a vehicle carrying national security officials in Kabul on Wednesday, a security official at the scene in the Afghan capital told Reuters.

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Islamic State kills civilians in Mosul to deter support for army

BAGHDAD/QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Islamic State has summarily killed 21 civilians in Mosul it accused of collaborating with U.S.-backed security forces, which said their offensive to recapture the city from the jihadists had made further advances.

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Islamic State kills civilians in Mosul to deter support for army

BAGHDAD/QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Islamic State has summarily killed 21 civilians in Mosul it accused of collaborating with U.S.-backed security forces, which said their offensive to recapture the city from the jihadists had made further advances.

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Trump aims to ease Asian allies' qualms when he meets Japan's Abe

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump is expected to use his first meeting with a foreign leader as U.S. president-elect this week to try to reassure Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Asian allies rattled by his campaign rhetoric, advisers to Trump said.

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Suicide bomber attacks vehicle in Kabul, killing four

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a motorbike killed at least four people and wounded several in an attack on a vehicle carrying national security officials in Kabul on Wednesday, a security official at the scene in the Afghan capital told Reuters.

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Islamic State kills civilians in Mosul to deter support for army

BAGHDAD/QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Islamic State has summarily killed 21 civilians in Mosul it accused of collaborating with U.S.-backed security forces, which said their offensive to recapture the city from the jihadists had made further advances.

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Islamic State kills civilians in Mosul to deter support for army

BAGHDAD/QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Islamic State has summarily killed 21 civilians in Mosul it accused of collaborating with U.S.-backed security forces, which said their offensive to recapture the city from the jihadists had made further advances.

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Air strike targeting militants kills seven in southern Libya: official

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - An air strike targeting Islamist militants has killed at least seven people near the southwestern Libyan city of Sabha, a local official and media reports said on Tuesday.

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North Korea does not care who is president of United States

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea does not care who is president of the United States, a senior Pyongyang-based diplomat said during a visit to the United Nations on Tuesday following the election of Donald Trump to succeed President Barack Obama.

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North Korea does not care who is president of United States

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea does not care who is president of the United States, a senior Pyongyang-based diplomat said during a visit to the United Nations on Tuesday following the election of Donald Trump to succeed President Barack Obama.

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North Korea does not care who is president of United States

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea does not care who is president of the United States, a senior Pyongyang-based diplomat said during a visit to the United Nations on Tuesday following the election of Donald Trump to succeed President Barack Obama.

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North Korea does not care who is president of United States

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea does not care who is president of the United States, a senior Pyongyang-based diplomat said during a visit to the United Nations on Tuesday following the election of Donald Trump to succeed President Barack Obama.

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Air strikes pound rebel-held east Aleppo after weeks-long pause

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes hit several districts in rebel-held eastern Aleppo for the first time in weeks on Tuesday as warplanes rumbled overhead, a civil defence official and a resident said.

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Air strike hits third Syrian hospital in 24 hours: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - An air strike hit a hospital in the rebel-held Syrian village of Awaijel, west of Aleppo killing at least one person in the early hours of Tuesday, a day after attacks on two other hospitals in the region, a war monitor said.

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Russian Economy Minister Ulyukayev detained over bribe allegation

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian law enforcement officials detained Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev on corruption charges linked to a $5 billion acquisition by state oil giant Rosneft, in a case that could lay bare the faultlines in President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

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UK government has no overall plan for Brexit, leaked memo cited by BBC says

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has no overall plan for Brexit and the strategy for leaving the European Union might not be agreed for six months due to divisions in Prime Minister Theresa May's government, according to a leaked memo seen by the BBC and The Times.

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New Zealand evacuates tourists from quake-hit town

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand emergency services and defense personnel began evacuating hundreds of tourists and residents from a small South Island town amid more strong aftershocks on Tuesday, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two people.

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Hague prosecutors say U.S. forces may have committed war crimes

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court in The Hague said on Monday there were preliminary grounds to believe U.S. forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan and at secret detention facilities elsewhere in 2003 and 2004.

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Canada airliner swerves to avoid object near Toronto; two hurt

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian airliner with 54 passengers on board had to swerve to avoid an unmanned flying object near Toronto early on Monday, slightly injuring two cabin crew, in the most serious case of its kind in Canada, officials said.

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Under Trump, Israel can 'reset' Middle East, right-wing leader says

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as the next U.S. president presents Israel with a unique opportunity to recast its Middle East policies, a far-right Israeli cabinet member and staunch opponent of Palestinian statehood, said on Monday.

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Syrian rebels battle each other north of Aleppo

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian insurgents clashed in a town near the Turkish border on Monday as inter-rebel tensions spilled over, playing to President Bashar al-Assad's advantage with the government tightening its grip on rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

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Britain building contacts with President-elect Trump: PM's spokeswoman

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has established ways of contacting President-elect Donald Trump and is building contacts with him, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday when asked about a U.S. trip by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage.

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Suicide bomber kills six near Iraq's Shi'ite city of Kerbala

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed six people in rural area west of Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim city of Kerbala on Monday where locals were preparing for a major religious event, the interior ministry said.

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Jihadists say Trump victory a rallying call for new recruits

KABUL/CAIRO (Reuters) - From Afghanistan to Algeria, jihadists plan to use Donald Trump's shock U.S. presidential victory as a propaganda tool to bring new fighters to their battlefields.

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China's Xi tells Trump cooperation is only choice

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday that cooperation was the only choice for relations between the two countries, Chinese state media said.

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Australia PM says asylum seekers to be resettled in U.S. after Trump takes office

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's prime minister said on Monday resettlement to the United States of many of the 1,200 asylum seekers held in detention camps on Papua New Guinea and the Pacific island of Nauru will begin after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

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Migrants stopped at Serbia's border with Croatia

ZAGREB (Reuters) - A group of migrants who had marched for two days from the Serbian capital Belgrade were stopped on Sunday at the border with Croatia, a European Union member which said would not allow illegal crossings.

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Strong earthquake strikes near Christchurch, New Zealand: USGS

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck central New Zealand just after midnight (1102 GMT Sunday), the U.S. Geological Survey said, knocking out power in some areas and sending people into the streets of the capital Wellington.

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U.S. to push ahead on climate pact before Trump takes over: Kerry

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday the Obama administration would do everything it could to implement a global agreement to combat climate change before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

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Iraqi troops say recapture Nimrud, site of Assyrian city

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi soldiers have captured Nimrud, the site of an ancient Assyrian city overrun by Islamic State militants two years ago, a military statement said on Sunday.

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Iraqi Kurds' destruction of Arab villages could be war crime: HRW

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's Kurdish security forces have unlawfully destroyed Arab homes and villages in northern Iraq over the past two years in what may amount to a war crime, rights group Human Rights Watch said on Sunday.

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Colombia, rebels agree revised peace deal to end 52-year war

HAVANA/BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's government and the Marxist FARC rebels said on Saturday they agreed on a revised peace deal to end a 52-year war, six weeks after the original was narrowly rejected in a referendum amid objections it was too favorable to the rebels.

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South Korea prosecutors question heads of conglomerates in probe over political scandal: Yonhap

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean prosecutors have questioned the heads of some large conglomerates, including the chairman of Hyundai Motor , and plan to question the de factor head of Samsung Group and others in a probe into a political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye, media reports said on Sunday.

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Iraqi army says advances in Mosul, despite suicide bombers

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi special forces backed by U.S. and Iraqi air power took control of two districts of eastern Mosul on Saturday after heavy fighting in which they destroyed nine cars deployed by Islamic State as suicide bombs, the military said.

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At least 25 killed after blast at shrine in southwestern Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - An explosion at a Muslim shrine in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens of others, local officials said.

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Ex-U.S. ambassador to Moscow says banned from entering Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has banned Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow under President Barack Obama, from entering the country, McFaul and Russian Foreign Ministry sources said.

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Russia says will need U.N. guarantee for new Aleppo humanitarian pauses

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday it would need the U.N. mission in Syria to formally confirm its ability to deliver aid to eastern Aleppo before Moscow agreed to any new humanitarian pauses in fighting in the shattered Syrian city.

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Anger rising in India as banks slow to dispense cash to millions

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Anger rose across India on Saturday as banks struggled to dispense cash after the government withdrew large denomination notes in a shock move aimed at uncovering billions of dollars of unaccounted wealth hidden from the taxman.

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Pressure on South Korea's Park mounts as massive crowd demands she quit

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Park Geun-hye faced mounting calls to step down as a record number of people at a massive rally on Saturday criticized her as unfit to rule over allegations she allowed a friend to meddle in state affairs and wield influence.

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Explosion at NATO air base in Afghanistan causes casualties

KABUL (Reuters) - An explosion at the NATO air base at Bagram, north of the Afghan capital Kabul, caused a number of casualties, officials said on Saturday.

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Trump win puts U.S.-Russia hostility on hold - but for how long?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After years of rising U.S.-Russia tensions over Ukraine, Syria, cyber attacks and nuclear arms control, Donald Trump's election as U.S. president may offer a narrow window to repair relations as he and Russian President Vladimir Putin size up each other.

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Watchdog condemns Syrian government, Islamic State use of banned chemical weapons

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The executive body of the global chemical weapons watchdog on Friday condemned the use of banned toxic agents by the Syrian government and by militant group Islamic State, a source told Reuters.

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Islamic State executes scores, stockpiles chemicals: U.N.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters have executed scores more people around Mosul this week and are reportedly stockpiling ammonia and sulfur in civilian areas, possibly for use as chemical weapons, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.

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History of music

History of music

Trump sees Japan's Abe as ally in push back against China: adviser

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's meeting next week with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may mark the start of talks to garner Japan's support for a push back against China's growing influence in Asia, a security adviser to Trump said.

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Trump win opens way for China to take climate leadership role

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The election of climate change skeptic Donald Trump as president is likely to end the U.S. leadership role in the international fight against global warming and may lead to the emergence of a new and unlikely champion: China.

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Iraqi forces preparing advance on south Mosul

SOUTH OF MOSUL/BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces are preparing to advance toward Mosul airport on the city's southern edge to increase pressure on Islamic State militants fighting troops who breached their eastern defenses, officers said on Thursday.

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Philippine leader says honoring defense pacts with 'friends' U.S.

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he would respect defense treaties with "friends" and "ally" the United States, but still wanted foreign troops to leave his country by the end of his term.

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Two dead, scores wounded as blast rocks German consulate in Afghan city

BERLIN (Reuters) - Militants attacked the German consulate in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif late on Thursday, ramming a car packed with explosives into its high outer wall in an assault that media said killed at least two people and wounded scores.

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Trump's foreign policy approach almost same as that of Putin: Kremlin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's foreign policy approach was "phenomenally close" to that of President Vladimir Putin, giving Russia hope that tattered U.S.-Russia relations could gradually be improved.

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Russia says was in touch with Trump campaign during election

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian government was in touch with members of President-elect Donald Trump's campaign staff during the U.S. election campaign, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency on Thursday.

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Iran says has options if nuclear deal fails

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Iran wants all parties to stay committed to an international nuclear deal signed last year, but has options if that does not happen, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday.

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U.N. says rations run out in east Aleppo, hopes for aid deal

GENEVA (Reuters) - Aid workers in eastern Aleppo were distributing the last available food rations on Thursday as the quarter of a million people besieged in the Syrian city entered what is expected to be a cruel winter, U.N. humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said.

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China state media warns Trump against isolationism, calls for status quo

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese state media has warned the U.S. president-elect against isolationism and interventionism, calling instead for the United States to actively work with China to maintain the international status quo.

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Iraq forces accused of killing, torturing civilians south of Mosul

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi government forces killed and tortured civilians south of Mosul, rights groups said on Thursday, the first such reports of alleged abuse in a U.S.-backed campaign to retake the city from Islamic State.

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Anxious world leaders seek clarity on Trump policies

LONDON (Reuters) - World leaders offered to work with Donald Trump when he takes over as U.S. president, but expressed anxiety over how he will handle problems from the Middle East to an assertive Russia and whether he will carry out a number of campaign threats.

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Mexican congressional committee rejects Pena Nieto's bid to legalize gay marriage

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican congressional committee on Wednesday voted to reject a bid by President Enrique Pena Nieto to legalize gay marriage in the country, marking a setback for the president and gay rights in the traditionally conservative country.

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Yonhap: U.S. President-elect Trump pledges commitment to defend South Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged his commitment to defend South Korea under an existing security alliance during a phone call with South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday, Yonhap news agency said, citing diplomatic sources.

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Pledging unwavering defence, NATO braces for Trump

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO promised on Wednesday to defend all allies despite election victor Donald Trump's call to set conditions for U.S. help, as the alliance braced for a more impulsive leader some fear could withdraw funding to deter Russia.

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'Long live Trump': Philippines' Duterte says wants no more quarrels with U.S.

(Editors' note: Language in paragraph 11 may offend some readers)

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Russia revels in Trump victory, looks to sanctions relief

MOSCOW (Reuters) - For all their mutual praise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are likely to disagree on many things.

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Russia's Putin congratulates Trump on election win

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated businessman Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election in a telegram on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

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Backs against the wall: Trump victory casts pall over Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by Donald Trump's U.S. election victory on Tuesday after a bitterly divisive campaign, raising the prospect of major clashes over trade, immigration and security.

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London police guilty of 'serious failings' over VIP child sex cases

LONDON (Reuters) - London's police force was guilty of dozens of serious failings in investigations into alleged historical child sex abuse by high-profile figures based on claims that turned out to be not credible, a damning report said on Tuesday.

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Philippines trimming, not scrapping, military work with U.S.: minister

MANILA (Reuters) - President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to retain the Philippines' security alliance with former colonial power the United States, according to the country's defense minister, but joint military activities will be scaled back and less combat-focused.

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British banker jailed for life for 'sickening' Hong Kong murders

HONG KONG(Reuters) - A British banker was jailed for life on Tuesday for the "sickening" murders of two Indonesian women he tortured in his Hong Kong apartment in what the judge said was one of the most horrifying cases the Chinese-ruled territory has known.

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Syrian government battles rebels for key Aleppo district

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces were battling rebels for control of a strategically significant district of Aleppo on Tuesday, in what could be the most important advance in the divided city by Damascus and its allies in several weeks.

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South Korea prosecutors raid Samsung Electronics in probe over scandal

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean prosecutors raided the offices of Samsung Electronics on Tuesday as part of a probe over a political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her friend who is alleged to have exerted improper influence in state affairs.

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U.S.-led strikes bolster Syrian fighters' advance toward Raqqa

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition has carried out a series of air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria to aid a new offensive by armed groups toward the city of Raqqa, the militant group's de facto capital in Syria, the Pentagon said on Monday.

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Israel says 'no' to Middle East peace conference in Paris

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel on Monday formally rejected France's invitation to take part in a Middle East peace conference in Paris later this year, saying it was a distraction from the goal of direct negotiations with the Palestinians.

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Islamic State deploys car bombs in new Syria battle

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants have set off five car bombs targeting U.S.-backed Syrian armed groups attacking Raqqa, a Kurdish source said on Monday, saying the fight to drive IS from its stronghold city would "not be easy".

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Russia says ceasefire in Syria's Aleppo in place unless militants attack

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday Russia's air force would stick to the ceasefire in Syria's Aleppo unless militants launch an offensive.

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Philippine's Duterte cancels police rifle deal with U.S.

MANILA (Reuters) - President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the cancellation on Monday of Philippine's purchase of police rifles from the United States, saying his government will look for a cheaper source.

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Obama unlikely to see assault on Islamic State's Syria stronghold

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S.-backed assault on Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria, is unlikely to pierce the city itself before President Barack Obama leaves office in January, denying him the chance to claim the end of the group's "caliphate" as part of his legacy.

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Malaysia's Najib risks backlash at home after deals with China

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is facing grumblings back home that he is "selling off" his country after returning from China with about $34 billion worth of deals, which could help lift the economy ahead of elections.

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Judge in HK double murder trial tells jury not to be colored by 'dreadful acts'

HONG KONG(Reuters) - A Hong Kong judge ordered the jury in British banker Rurik Jutting's double murder trial not to allow its verdict to be influenced by emotions over the "dreadful acts" he has confessed to, but to "intellectually" weigh the evidence.

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China passes interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law, after protests

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's parliament passed an interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law on Monday, the official Xinhua news agency reported, which amounts to Beijing's most direct intervention in the territory’s legal system since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

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U.S. citizen held in Yemen for more than 18 months freed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. citizen who was detained for more than a year and a half by the Houthi faction in Yemen has been released, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday.

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Erdogan blasts West as Turkey's Kurdish party boycotts parliament

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Europe on Sunday of abetting terrorism by supporting Kurdish militants and said he did not care if it called him a dictator.

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German ministry wants migrants returned to Africa: report

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German Interior Ministry wants to stop migrants ever reaching Europe's Mediterranean coast by picking them up at sea and returning them to Africa, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.

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U.S. coalition should begin Raqqa offensive while Mosul ongoing: France

PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Sunday the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State should begin the battle on the group's Syrian bastion Raqqa while the offensive on Mosul is underway, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

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Scotland and others expected to join Brexit legal challenge: lead claimant

LONDON (Reuters) - Scotland's devolved government is expected to join a legal challenge against the British government's plans to trigger an exit from the European Union, the lead claimant in the court case said on Sunday.

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South Korea issues arrest warrants for two ex-presidential aides

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court said on Sunday it had issued arrest warrants for two former presidential aides under investigation in an influence peddling scandal that has sent President Park Geun-hye's approval rating to a record low.

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Suicide bombers in ambulances kill 21 people in Iraq: officials

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Suicide bombers driving ambulances packed with explosives detonated their vehicles at a checkpoint and a car park for Shi'ite pilgrims in two Iraqi cities on Sunday, killing at least 21 people and wounding dozens, officials said.

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