World News Roundup: Cuba reinserts 'communism' in draft of new constitution; US considers significant Afghanistan troop withdrawal: officials

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Chilean president removes police chief after shooting controversy

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera asked the country's police chief to resign on Thursday following a growing controversy over the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of an indigenous man in southern Chile. Last month, Camilo Catrillanca, the grandson of a local Mapuche leader, was shot in the head during a police operation near the town of Ercilla, 480 miles (773 km) south of Santiago in the province of Araucania.

Drones paralyze British airport, grounding Christmas travelers

Britain sent troops to its second-biggest airport after an unprecedented attempt to cripple Christmas travel with large drones forced all flights to be canceled on Thursday. As thousands of passengers waited at Gatwick Airport, south of London, police hunted unsuccessfully for the operators of the large drones which reappeared near the airfield every time the airport tried to reopen the runway.

Brazil police request charges for faith healer 'John of God'

Brazilian police on Thursday requested that a popular faith healer face criminal charges related to accusations by hundreds of women that he sexually assaulted or raped them. João Teixeira de Faria, known as "John of God," became a celebrity after his healing methods were featured on Oprah Winfrey's television show in 2013. He drew thousands of Brazilians and foreigners to his spiritual center in the small town of Abadiânia, in the central Brazilian state of Goiás.

U.S. to send migrants back to Mexico to wait out asylum requests

The United States will soon send non-Mexican migrants who cross the U.S. southern border back to wait in Mexico while their U.S. asylum requests are processed, a major change in immigration policy, the Trump administration announced on Thursday. Immigrant advocates and human rights experts quickly denounced the policy change as illegal and violating the rights of refugees.

U.S. air campaign against Islamic State in Syria likely to end

The United States will likely end its air campaign against Islamic State in Syria when it pulls out troops, U.S. officials said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump defended the planned withdrawal against criticism from allies abroad and at home. NATO allies France and Germany said Washington's change of course on Syria risks damaging the fight against Islamic State, the militant group that had seized swathes of Iraq and Syria but has now been squeezed to a sliver of Syrian territory.

Cuba reinserts 'communism' in draft of new constitution

Cuba has reinserted the goal of "advancing toward a communist society" into the draft of the country's new constitution after its removal from the first version had sparked concern among thousands of citizens, state-run television said on Thursday. The national assembly is this week debating a revised draft of the constitution, designed to replace a Soviet-era one to better reflect the times, for example acknowledging private property and opening the door to same-sex marriage.

U.S. considers significant Afghanistan troop withdrawal: officials

President Donald Trump is considering significantly drawing down troops from Afghanistan, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday, in the latest sign his patience is thinning both with America's longest war and overseas military interventions, generally. Shortly after the officials spoke, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that he was quitting so that Trump could have a Pentagon chief more aligned with the president's views.

U.N. pushes U.S. to allow Mexico access to nationals on death row

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly called on the United States on Thursday to implement a 2004 international court ruling by allowing consular access to dozens of Mexicans sentenced to death by U.S. courts and reviewing their cases. Despite what some diplomats described as strong lobbying by the United States, the General Assembly narrowly adopted a Mexican-drafted resolution with 69 votes in favor, four votes against and 66 abstentions. Another 54 countries did not vote.

U.S., allies slam China for economic espionage, spies indicted

The United States and three allies chastised China for economic espionage on Thursday, ratcheting up tensions as U.S. prosecutors indicted two Chinese nationals linked to a spy agency on charges of stealing confidential data from American government agencies and businesses around the world. Prosecutors charged Zhu Hua and Zhang Jianguo in hacking attacks against the U.S. Navy, the space agency NASA and the Energy Department and dozens of companies. The operation targeted intellectual property and corporate secrets to give Chinese companies an unfair competitive advantage, they said.

U.N. to vote Friday to approve advance monitors for Yemen truce

The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Friday to endorse a ceasefire agreed by the warring parties in Yemen's Hodeidah region and authorize an advance U.N. team to begin monitoring the deal, diplomats said. The 15-member council has spent several days wrangling over a British-drafted text and the United States, unhappy with Britain's efforts, came up with its own version on Thursday. The council will vote on Britain's draft and Washington is not expected to put its text to a vote, diplomats said.

(With inputs from Reuters)