World briefs

CHINA has announced a plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions over the next several years, while capping coal consumption and increasing the use of non-fossil fuels.

INDONESIA The death toll in the sinking of an overcrowded boat climbed to 51 on Friday after rescuers found more bodies. The boat carrying Indonesian workers home from Malaysia capsized off the Indonesian island of Batam during stormy weather.

SOUTH KOREAN prosecutors arrested two former presidential aides as they bring their investigation over a bizarre political scandal that has engulfed the nation a step closer to President Park Geun-hye.

AFGHANISTAN Fighters loyal to al-Qaida have taken on a more active supporting role for the Taliban during the current offensive in Afghanistan while the position of the Islamic State extremist group in the country “has distinctly weakened,” U.N. experts said in a report circulated Friday.

SYRIA Kurdish-led Syrian forces backed by the U.S. said they have begun a military campaign to liberate the Islamic State group’s de facto capital of Raqqa, urging civilians to avoid “enemy gatherings” in the Syrian city.

US The Treasury Department has issued new rules to close off North Korea’s access to the U.S. financial system as part of an effort to starve it of revenues for its nuclear and missile programs.

FRANCE After such a long wait, reaching the summit of men’s tennis was an anticlimax for Andy Murray. Without playing a point, the Scot ended a seven-year wait to secure the world No. 1 spot when he advanced to the Paris Masters final after Milos Raonic withdrew from their semifinal on Saturday.

MONTENEGRO says an investigation has shown that Russian nationalists were behind an alleged coup attempt on election day because of the government’s bid to join NATO. Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnic said yesterday that the investigation leads to the conclusion that “nationalists from Russia” organized a criminal group that planned to break into Parliament and cause violence in the tiny Balkan country.