World News Summary: Japan orders tightening of immigration procedures after Ghosn flees country: statement

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Japan orders tightening of immigration procedures after Ghosn flees country: statement

Japan's Justice Minister Masako Mori said on Sunday the ministry has ordered tightening of immigration procedures in the wake of the escape of ousted Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn. Mori also said in a statement Ghosn's "apparently illegal" departure was very regrettable and promised a thorough investigation to uncover truth, adding that there was no record of his leaving Japan. Australia begins damage assessment amid temporary respite from bushfires

Australian authorities began assessing the damage on Sunday from heatwave-spurred bushfires that swept through two states a day earlier, as cooler conditions provided a temporary respite from blazes that have scarred the country's east coast for weeks. Light rain and cooler temperatures in the southeast of the country were a welcome change from the searing heat that has fueled the devastating fires, but officials warned they were not enough to put out almost 200 fires still burning. UK's Raab raises concerns with Cyprus about Briton found guilty of gang rape lie

British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday he had raised concerns with his Cypriot counterpart about the treatment of a British woman found guilty by a court in Cyprus of lying about being gang-raped by a group of Israeli youths. Last month a district court ruled that the woman, aged 19 at the time, had lied about being sexually assaulted by 12 Israeli teenagers at the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in July. She is due to be sentenced on Jan. 7 and faces up to one year in jail. Netanyahu, in apparent stumble, calls Israel 'nuclear power'

In an apparent slip of the tongue on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel as a nuclear power before correcting himself with a bashful nod and an embarrassed smile. Israel is widely believed to have an atomic arsenal but has never confirmed or denied that it has nuclear weapons, maintaining a so-called policy of ambiguity on the issue for decades. Iran condemns Trump as 'terrorist in a suit' after attack threat

Iran condemned Donald Trump on Sunday as a "terrorist in a suit" after the U.S. president threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or U.S. assets in retaliation for the killing of military commander Qassem Soleimani. As the two countries assailed each other in a war of words, the European Union, Britain and Oman urged the parties to seek to de-escalate the crisis. Dozens arrested after Hong Kong protest taking aim at Chinese traders

Scuffles erupted between police and protesters in Hong Kong on Sunday, with dozens of arrests made, after thousands marched near the border, shouting pro-democracy slogans and venting their anger at mainland Chinese traders. The demonstrators in Sheung Shui took aim at so-called "parallel traders" from China who buy vast amounts of duty free goods in Hong Kong and take them back to the mainland to sell at a profit. At least 30 killed in Libya military academy attack

At least 30 people were killed and 33 others wounded in an attack on a military academy in the Libyan capital late on Saturday, the health ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement on Sunday. Tripoli, controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), is facing an offensive by military commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) that began in April. Japanese woman turns 117 years old, extends record as world's oldest person

Kane Tanaka has extended her record as the world's oldest person by celebrating her 117th birthday at a nursing home in Fukuoka in southern Japan. Tanaka marked her birthday with a party on Sunday along with staff and friends at the nursing home, television footage from local broadcaster TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting Co showed. Swiss oppose drive to end free movement of EU citizens: poll

Most Swiss oppose a referendum campaign launched by the far right to end the free movement of citizens from the European Union, a poll published on Sunday found. The referendum drive reflects unease with the influx of foreigners, who now account for a quarter of the Swiss population. But imposing limits on EU citizens would violate bilateral accords that enhance Swiss access to the EU single market, the lifeblood of the export-led Swiss economy. Spain's Sanchez loses first bid to be confirmed as PM, aims for Tuesday vote

Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez failed on Sunday in a first attempt to get parliament's backing to form a government, leaving him two days to secure support to end an eight-month political gridlock. Sanchez has been acting prime minister since a first inconclusive election in April and November did not produce a conclusive result. He needed an absolute majority of at least 176 votes in his favor in the 350-seat house to be confirmed as prime minister but failed to get it.

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