Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Tear gas fired at Hong Kong new year's mass march as protesters vow to keep fighting

A march drawing tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong on New Year's Day spiralled into chaotic scenes as police fired several rounds of tear gas and water cannon at crowds including families before halting the event. The violence broke out during the largely peaceful march as masses of citizens pressed authorities for further concessions in the Chinese-ruled city. Iraqi paramilitaries call for withdrawal from U.S. embassy

Paramilitary groups who have been protesting against U.S. air strikes in Iraq told their supporters to withdraw from the perimeter of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday, although there was no immediate sign of a pullout. The embassy's outer perimeter was stormed on Tuesday by demonstrators angry at U.S. air strikes against an Iran-backed group that killed at least 25 fighters. On Wednesday demonstrators hurled rocks at the building while security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades in an attempt to disperse them. In New Year message, pope decries violence against women

Pope Francis, in his first message of the new year, denounced on Wednesday the use and abuse of women in modern society, and called for an end to the exploitation of the female body. Speaking in a packed St. Peter's Basilica, the pope also defended women's rights to migrate in search of a better future for their children and condemned those who only thought about economic growth rather than the well-being of others. Mother of Briton jailed for alleging gang rape backs boycott of Cyprus

Holidaymakers should boycott Cyprus after a court found a British woman guilty of lying about being gang-raped by a group of Israeli youths, the woman's mother said on Thursday. In a case that Britain's foreign ministry said raised serious concerns, a district court ruled on Tuesday that the woman, aged 19 at the time, had lied about being sexually abused by 12 Israeli teenagers. Sentencing has been set for Jan. 7. French hardline union calls for more strikes to counter Macron's pension reform

French hardline union CGT called on Wednesday for more strikes in France this month after president Emmanuel Macron pledged to push through an overhaul of the pension system following weeks of nationwide strikes by trade unions. Macron said in a traditional New Year's Eve address on Tuesday that he expected his government to quickly find a compromise with unions on the reform, but without departing from the principles laid out by ministers. North Korea's leader promises 'new strategic weapon,' leaves room for talks

North Korea's leader plans to further develop nuclear programs and to introduce a "new strategic weapon" in the near future, state media said on Wednesday, although he signaled there was still room for dialogue with the United States. Kim Jong Un presided over a four-day meeting of top Workers' Party officials this week amid rising tensions with the United States, which has not responded to his repeated calls for concessions to reopen negotiations. Washington has dismissed the deadline as artificial. Australian authorities scramble to reach victims of deadly fires as death toll rises

A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in devastating bushfires that engulfed Australia's southeast coast this week and a fourth was missing and feared dead, as navy ships rushed to provide supplies and assist with evacuations. At least 15 people are now believed to have died, while scores of people remain missing after weeks of fires that have ripped through Australia's east coast, much of which is tinder-dry after three years of drought. Floods in Indonesia's capital kill nine, force thousands to evacuate

Flash floods inundated swathes of Indonesia's capital and nearby towns on the first day of the New Year after torrential rainfall overnight, killing at least nine people and forcing thousands of people to evacuate, authorities said on Wednesday. "As of 4 pm today, there are 19,079 displaced residents who have been evacuated at temporary shelters throughout Jakarta," city governor Anies Baswedan told a news conference. Indonesia rejects China's claims over South China Sea

Indonesia said on Wednesday it rejected China's claims over a disputed part of the South China Sea as "having no legal basis", after two days earlier protesting to Beijing over the presence of a Chinese coastguard vessel in its territorial waters. The boat trespassed into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone off the coast of the northern islands of Natuna, leading Indonesians officials to issue a "strong protest" and summon the Chinese ambassador in Jakarta. Former Guinea Bissau PM Embalo wins presidential election

Former Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister and ex-army general Umaro Cissoko Embalo won Sunday's presidential election with 54% of the vote, the electoral commission said on Wednesday. Embalo, 47, who beat another former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira in a run-off vote, will succeed incumbent President Jose Mario Vaz, whose tenure was marred by political infighting, an ill-functioning parliament and corruption.