News in Brief (28-11-2018)

Xi to attend presidential inauguration

in Mexico

BEIJING, Nov 27: Chinese President Xi Jinping will follow-up his talks with Donald Trump by visiting this weekend another country that has had to face the US leader's ire over trade: Mexico. Xi will travel to Mexico City to attend the inauguration of the country's leftist president-elect, Andres Manual Lopez Obrador, on Saturday, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday. — AFP

One dies, six hurt

as vehicle ploughs

into NYC crowds

NEW YORK, Nov 27: One person was killed and six others injured when a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians in New York City's Chinatown on Monday evening. Police said the driver, who is still unidentified, lost control of his van while doing parallel parking. The exact cause of the incident remains unclear, with no further details given by authorities. — Xinhua

Hundreds of bodies exhumed from mass grave in Raqqa

BEIRUT, Nov 27: A local official in Raqqa says more than 500 bodies have so far been exhumed from one of the largest mass graves discovered near the Syrian city, once the capital of the Islamic State group's self-styled caliphate. Raqqa was liberated in a U.S.-backed campaign that ended more than a year ago, but rescuers and recovery teams continue to locate mass graves around the northern city. — AP

Contender to lead Merkel’s party takes heat from rivals

BERLIN, Nov 27: A top contender for the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right party is taking heat from his rivals for saying that the party accepted the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany "with a shrug of the shoulders." — AP