Turkey bans New Year celebrations at Taksim Square
ISTANBUL, Dec 20: Turkish authorities will not allow New Year celebrations at Istanbul's iconic Taksim Square for security reasons, state media reported Wednesday, quoting local officials. Ismail Kilic, local police chief of Istanbul's Beyoglu district, said security measures had been doubled this year following a string of attacks over the past two years. "Measures for New Year will be at the highest level," he was quoted as saying by state-run news agency Anadolu. — AFP
Mexico bus crash kills 12 tourists
MEXICO CITY, Dec 20: A bus carrying tourists from US cruise ships to an archeological site in Mexico crashed Tuesday after running off the road, killing at least 12 people, including several foreigners, state authorities said. The crash, which left another 18 injured, happened on a highway in the state of Quintana Roo, located on the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and well known as home to the Caribbean resort city of Cancun. The dead and injured included "citizens of the United States, Sweden and Brazil," a brief statement said. — AFP
Security forces foil terror attack on Balochistan governor
ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: Pakistani security forces successfully foiled a terror attack targeting the Balochistan provincial governor and arrested two terrorists during a raid in the Pakistani province on Wednesday, an official said. Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that two suspected suicide attackers were arrested for making a plan to attack Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai in the Gulistan area of Killa Abdullah in the province. The security forces also seized two suicide vests along with a huge amount of arms and ammunitions, said Bugti. — Xinhua