The essential news in 8 stories: from Mexico rejecting Trump’s wall to Gambia’s president returning home

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‍Mexican president cancels US meeting over Trump border wall proposal

President Enrique Pena Nieto seen delivering a message on January 25, 2017 in Mexico City to call off a meeting with Donald Trump due to a dispute over the US leader's vow to make Mexico fund a new wall on the countries' border./ CFP Photo

Tensions between US president Donald Trump and his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto have escalated after Pena Nieto cancelled a Washington meeting set for next week. Trump had been scheduled to receive Pena Nieto at the White House on Tuesday, for their first meeting since the inauguration. The back-and-forth between the two heads of state over who would pay for Trump’s proposed border wall, a central pledge made by Trump during his presidential campaign, made its way to Twitter on Thursday. "If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting," Trump said on Twitter in the morning. In response, Pena Nieto tweeted, "We informed the White House this morning that I will not attend the working meeting scheduled for next Tuesday."

Gambian President Adama Barrow finally arrives in Gambia

Gambia's president-elect Adama Barrow arrives in his country from Senegal after the departure of former president Yahya Jammeh at Banjul International Airport in Banjul, Gambia on January 26, 2017./ CFP Photo

Newly elected president Adama Barrow has arrived in The Gambia from Senegal after his predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, was forced into exile following the country’s disputed election. President Barrow's plane touched down at Banjul airport where jubilant crowds waited to welcome him. The handover was stalled when Jammeh, Gambia's president of 22 years, refused to step aside. He left for exile after mediation by regional leaders and the threat of military intervention. The new president said his priority was to appoint his cabinet and "then get the ball rolling."

Rain expected on Chinese New Year weekend

Rain falls on a busy street in Beijing./ CFP Photo

According to Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA), a monsoon surge is expected to affect the South China Sea and the surrounding region over the next few days, bringing rain and windy conditions. The NEA forecasts passing showers and occasionally windy conditions on Friday afternoon. On Saturday - the first day of Chinese New Year - expect showers, heavy at times, with cloudy and occasionally windy conditions. The agency added that the surge is expected to gradually weaken on Sunday so it could be occasionally windy with passing showers in the afternoon.

APA Hotels could remove books denying Nanjing Massacre from some hotels

General view of Japanese hotel chain Apa Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, January 21, 2017./CFP Photo

The Japanese hotel chain at the center of a furor over its stocking of books denying the Nanjing Massacre has said it is prepared to consider removing them from at least some hotels if it receives a formal written request to do so. The Tokyo-based hotel came under fire last week for books written by its president, Toshio Motoya, which contain revisionist views on history and are placed in every room of the company's 400-plus hotels. Motoya has previously said the hotel had no intention of withdrawing the books, which have appeared for years but only became an issue in China last week due to a video posting on social media, saying Japan's free speech laws protect him.

May woos US lawmakers ahead of Trump meeting

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during the 2017 "Congress of Tomorrow" Joint Republican Issues Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. January 26, 2017. /CFP Photo

British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned America's allies that they must "step up" and play their role in global security, in a move to woo Republican lawmakers ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump. May won several standing ovations when she pledged her commitment to the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States at a Republican party meeting in Philadelphia. However, May did warn Trump against moving too close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Washington's approach should be to "engage but beware." The UK prime minister will become the first foreign leader to meet with Trump following his inauguration last week, when they hold talks on post-Brexit trade at the White House on Friday.

Turks express anger as Greece rejects extradition of eight soldiers

Eight Turkish army officers are escorted by Greek police as they arrive at the Greek Supreme Court on January 26, 2017. /CFP Photo

Turkey has reacted with anger after a Greek court ruled against extraditing eight Turkish soldiers accused of involvement in an attempted coup, accusing Greece of failing in the "fight against terrorism" and saying the decision was "politically motivated." The eight men fled in a helicopter to Greece after last July's coup attempt but say they were not involved. Giorgos Sakkas, the judge presiding over the case, said the men were unlikely to receive a fair trial in Turkey. The eight are accused of playing a significant part in the coup attempt last July, and of having links with a group which allegedly tried to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of the attempted coup. In retaliation to the Greek Supreme Court's ruling, an Istanbul court has approved a request from prosecutors for an arrest warrant for the soldiers.

MoneyGram falls under Alibaba umbrella after for US$880 million buyout

People ride a bicycle past the Alibaba Group headquarters near Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province/ CFP Photo

Ant Financial, the digital payments arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba, is buying US-based MoneyGram for 880 million US dollars. The takeover will need regulatory approval from the US Committee on Foreign Investment before it can proceed. Eric Jing, chief executive at Ant Financial, said in a statement that combining the two companies will "provide greater access, security and simplicity for people around the world to remit funds, especially in major economies such as the United States, China, India, Mexico and the Philippines." Since the news broke, US-listed MoneyGram's shares rose by nearly 9 percent. The takeover has also been approved by MoneyGram's board of directors.

Beijing officials told not to set off fireworks to combat smog

A worker at a fireworks stall in Beijing gets ready to sell his merchandise on January 23, 2017./CFP Photo

Beijing’s city government has told officials to lead by example and not set off fireworks or firecrackers during the Chinese New Year to help prevent smog. The Chinese holiday, which kicks off today, is normally marked by fireworks and firecrackers, which are believed to bring good luck and scare off evil spirits. Unfortunately, the fireworks darken the skies above the capital with smoke for hours. In order to address public concern about air pollution, the government has tried to limit the use of pyrotechnics in recent years. According to the China Daily, the government has already limited firework sales in Beijing, with 511 fireworks stalls approved this year compared with 719 last year, none of them in central Beijing.