World News Roundup: US service member killed in Afghanistan; Spain bars May's way to Brexit deal

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. service member killed in Afghanistan: NATO

A U.S. service member was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement, bringing the U.S. combat death toll this year to eight. The identity of the service member and details about the incident will be shared at a later stage, said Debra Richardson spokesperson for the Resolute Support in Afghanistan.

Islamic State claims responsibility for blast at Afghanistan mosque

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an explosion at a mosque in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province that killed and wounded scores of people, its Amaq news agency reported on Saturday. "Around 50 of the Afghan army were killed and 110 were wounded when a martyr blew himself up on Friday," the agency said.

Taiwan votes in test for pro-independence ruling party as China watches

Taiwan voted on Saturday in local elections that are a key test of support for the island's pro-independence ruling party ahead of presidential polls in just over a year, with electors also voting in a contentious referendum on same-sex marriage. The results will be closely watched in China, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and which has ramped up pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen and her administration since taking office in 2016.

Spain bars May's way to Brussels Brexit deal

Spain was standing between Theresa May and a Brexit deal as it threatened to derail an EU summit on Sunday if it does not get new assurances on having a say in the future of Gibraltar. As talks among Spanish, British and EU officials continued on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was ready to thwart his British counterpart May's hopes of seeing EU leaders sign off on promises of close ties with London after Britain leaves the bloc in March if he did not get his way.

Crime menaces migrants on Mexico border as Tijuana declares crisis

Unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable migrants risk falling victim to crime in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, where thousands of Central Americans from caravans may be stuck for months as authorities tighten up asylum rules, advocates say. Some 4,600 migrants from the bedraggled caravans whose advance has angered U.S. President Donald Trump are camped out with blankets and little food in an overcrowded stadium in Tijuana, whose mayor has declared a "humanitarian crisis."

Armed men kidnap 15 girls in southeastern Niger: mayor

Armed men kidnapped 15 girls overnight in southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday. Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of Toumour in Niger's Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about 9 km (6 miles) from the town centre.

Turkey uneasy about U.S. plan for observation posts on Syria border: minister

Turkey is uneasy about the U.S. plans to set up "observation posts" in Syria along parts of its border with Turkey, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday the United States was setting up the posts to help keep the focus on clearing the final Islamic State militant strongholds in Syria.

French police fire tear gas at protesters on Champs Elysees

Police fired tear gas and turned water cannon on protesters in Paris who are angry over rising fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France. By midday around 5,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where some clashed with police sent to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace nearby.

Iran's Rouhani calls for Muslims to unite against United States

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States, instead of "rolling out red carpets for criminals". Washington in May reimposed sanctions on Tehran, after President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran under which they had been lifted.

Erdogan's AKP gets local election boost from nationalists

Turkey's nationalist MHP will support President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party candidates in local elections in three key cities next year, the MHP leader said on Saturday, in a boost to the AKP's election prospects. The AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) formed an alliance before presidential elections last June, but were subsequently at loggerheads over a disagreement about the MHP's call for an amnesty for some jailed criminals.