World News Roundup: Eritrean soldiers leave major towns in northern Ethiopia - witnesses; South Africa mourns victims of tanker blast as death toll jumps to 34 and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Eritrean soldiers leave major towns in northern Ethiopia - witnesses

Eritrean soldiers, who fought in support of Ethiopia's federal government during its two-year civil war in the northern Tigray region, have pulled out of the major towns of Shire and Axum and headed toward the border, three witnesses told Reuters.

The withdrawals follow a Nov. 2 ceasefire signed by Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the removal of foreign troops from Tigray.

South Africa mourns victims of tanker blast as death toll jumps to 34

The death toll from a gas tanker explosion in Johannesburg on Christmas Eve has increased to 34 from an earlier estimate of 27, the provincial health department said on Friday. The blast tore the roof off the emergency department at the Tambo Memorial hospital in the city's Boksburg suburb on Saturday, while also injuring scores of bystanders, destroying houses and several cars.

Rituals for Benedict's passing could be template for future ex popes

When Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign before Benedict, died in 1417, the world was not watching. Gregory had stepped down two years earlier in 1415 and spent his remaining days in virtual obscurity hundreds of miles from Rome. He was quietly buried in Recanati, a town near the northern Adriatic coast.

Ex-kickboxer Andrew Tate detained by Romania in rape, human trafficking case

Romanian prosecutors asked a Bucharest court on Friday to extend the detention of Andrew Tate by 30 days, after the divisive internet personality was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. Tate, a former professional kickboxer, and his brother Tristan were detained on Thursday for an initial for 24 hours alongside two Romanian suspects, prosecutors from the anti organised-crime unit said in a statement after raiding their properties in Bucharest.

'Smoke everywhere': survivors of Cambodia casino blaze recount chaotic scenes

When Nunthida Kongreung heard a huge fire had broken out at a Cambodian border town casino-hotel, she started calling her parents who were on vacation there, but nobody answered. When finally someone called back, it was a rescue worker who had found their bodies, slumped against each other in their hotel room on the 17th floor, where they died from smoke inhalation.

COVID travel curbs against Chinese visitors 'discriminatory'- state media

Chinese state-media have railed against the growing number of foreign governments imposing COVID tests on travellers from China, calling the measures "discriminatory." Having kept its borders all but shut for three years, imposing a strict regime of lockdowns and relentless testing, Beijing abruptly reversed course toward living with the virus on Dec. 7, and infections have spread rapidly in recent weeks.

Russia follows up day of bombardment with overnight drone attack

Russia attacked Ukraine with 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, Ukrainian officials said on Friday, a day after Moscow fired dozens of missiles in its latest barrage against critical infrastructure. A Reuters witness 20 km (12 miles) south of Kyiv heard several explosions and the sound of anti-aircraft fire. By dawn, the attack appeared to be over and residents crept outside under peaceful skies after a relentless day and night of bombardment.

Italy theatre cancels show by Putin-tattooed Russian dancer

An Italian theatre on Friday called off a show by a prominent Russian dancer who has three tattoos of President Vladimir Putin on his chest and shoulders, reacting to online protests over the artist's scheduled appearance. Sergei Polunin's Jan. 28-29 show at Milan's Arcimboldi theatre was cancelled "due to the pressing campaign (against it) on the internet and social media", the theatre said on its website.

Aung San Suu Kyi's Myanmar trials end with 7 more years in jail

Deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was convicted of five counts of corruption on Friday and jailed for seven more years, an informed source said, wrapping up a marathon of trials condemned internationally as a sham. In a closed-door court session in army-ruled Myanmar, Suu Kyi, 77, who was arrested during a coup in February 2021, was found guilty of offences relating to her lease and use of a helicopter while she was the country's de facto leader, said the source, who has knowledge of her trials.

Russia says it is extremely concerned by Ukrainian missile downed over Belarus

The Kremlin said on Friday it was extremely concerned about a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile that was shot down after flying into the air space of its close ally Belarus on Thursday.

Belarus' defence ministry said on Thursday its air defence forces had shot down a Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile near the village of Harbacha in the Brest region, some 15 km (9 miles) from the Belarus-Ukraine border.